Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 00:21:24 +0100
Somalia: UN lifts sanctions on suspected Al Shabaab financier
GAROWE, Somalia March 14, 2014 (Garowe Online
<http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somalia-UN-lifts-san
ctions-on-suspected-Al-Shabaab-financier.shtml>
http://cdncache1-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png)-The United
Nations Security Council officially deleted Somali banker and businessman
Ahmed Nur Jim'ale from its sanction list,Garowe Online reports.
The restrictive measures including asset freeze, targeted arms embargo and
travel ban were lifted according to a statement posted on UN news site on
Wednesday.
Jim'alle, a Djibouti-based businessman was added to the sanction list in
February 2012 after the UN Monitoring Group accused him of being Al
Shabaab's chief financier and continuously funding extremists activities in
southern and central Somalia.
"Jim'ale is identified as one of Al Shabaab's chief financiers and is
ideologically aligned with al-Shabaab,"the text read. "Jim'ale has provided
key funding and political support for Hassan Dahir Aweys ("Aweys"), who was
also listed by the Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee".
In an effort to destabilize Somalia's separatist region of Somaliland,
Jim'alle is said to have established 'the Investors group' in Djibouti for
weapons purchase plans. The Group reportedly smuggled small arms from
Eritrea into the Somali regional state of Ethiopia where the militant group
of Al Shabaab received the shipment.
Speaking on BBC Somali Service, Jim'alle expressed his pleasure over the
move and thanked all parties who took part in the campaign of removing him
from the sanction list.
"I am very delighted to regain my freedom to travel and that my assets were
freed. I would like to convey my profound appreciation to the people who
took part in the campaign and those whose assets were frozen for revealing
patience," he noted.
Al Qaeda linked Al Shabaab group is losing grounds against Somali Government
forces and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) peacekeepers following
assaults on the fighters' hideouts and bases in southwestern Somalia.
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