Somalia: Woman Jailed Six Years for Al-Shabaab Financing

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A court in Somalia has sentenced a woman to six years in prison after it was established that she has direct links to Al-Shabaab militants, a group which has been terrorizing innocent civilians in the Horn of Africa nation.

According to the reports tabled in court for scrutiny, it was established that the woman had direct links to Al-Shabaab and was linked to financing the terror group, besides engaging in money laundering.

Prosecutors said that Maryan Mohamed Nur managed six different bank accounts and six cellphone numbers that were used to funnel nearly $2.2 million for terrorism financing, including carrying out explosions and assassinations, among other charges.

The group is said to be raising close to $120 million annually from the exploitation of innocent civilians and other external links, which is directed towards the purchasing of weapons and payments to fighters. The revenue stream is one of the areas in which military teams are fighting to gain control.

The Somali government has previously closed down bank accounts associated with the Al-Shabaab extremists, besides blocking mobile money transfer firms. Besides military operations, the government is keen to end the group's financing.

Elsewhere, security forces killed a senior Al-Shabaab commander during an overnight operation carried out with local forces in the Cali Heele area, about 30 km west of Masagawaay in the central Galgaduud region.

The military identified the slain militant as Ahmed Sheikh Omar Cadow Gacal, a commander it said coordinated attacks in Middle Shabelle and directed improvised explosive device (IED) operations across Middle Shabelle, Hiraan and Galgaduud.

Military officials described him as a key planner behind assaults targeting civilians. The government praised the military teams for swift operations in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants within central and southern regions in the country.

GAROWE ONLINE