CS Fred Matiang'i names nine Shabaab terror financiers

The Ministry of Interior has directed that funds and property belonging to nine individuals linked to supporting terror activities in the country be frozen.

They are Halima Adan Ali, Waleed Ahmed Zein, Sheikh Guyo Gorsa Boru, Mohammed Abdi Ali (Abu Fidaa), Nuseiba Mohammed Haji, Abdimajit Adan Hassan, Mohammed Ali Abdi, Muktar Ibrahim Ali and Mire Abdullahi Elmi.

Their names are listed along with their ID card and passport numbers.

However, Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i did not immediately reveal the exact details of the activities that the nine are accused of financing.

“The only way to deny terrorists the means to threaten our way of life is to choke their facilitation networks and this is why I have published the foregoing list so that they can no longer finance Al-Shabaab operations within our borders,” said Dr Matiang’i, adding that he was acting pursuant to the provisions of regulation 11 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2013 (POTA).

He reiterated that the government is focussed on destroying their networks.

“As part of our comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy, we continue to disrupt terrorist operations with a sole focus on bringing to book the perpetrators, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts in line with our national laws and international obligations,” he said.

The CS further condoled with families who have lost loved ones to terror activities and paid tribute to security officers who are on the frontlines of the fight.

The country will this month mark seven years since Shabaab fighters staged a four-day siege at the Westgate Mall in Westlands on September 23, 2013.