Treasury imposes sanctions on 11 Somali insurgents, including al-Qaida-linked sheik

Treasury imposes sanctions on Somali militants

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions on nearly a dozen suspected Islamist militants, including some linked to the al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia.

Under the new sanctions, Treasury officials are targeting Somali Islamist leader Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, who is on U.S. and U.N. lists of individuals with links to al-Qaida. Last year Aweys said he was working to unite his Islamic Party with al-Shabab, a Somali militant faction allied with al-Qaida.

Al-Shabab is battling to overthrow the weak, U.S.-backed Somali government. Somalia has not had an effective government for about two decades.

The move by Treasury would freeze any of the Somali militants’ assets in U.S. jurisdictions. U.S. authorities say they are increasingly concerned that Somalia has become a safe haven for Islamic extremists and a sanctuary for al-Qaida-linked training camps.

The move to sanction the Somali militants comes as U.S. diplomats and defense leaders are working with the shaky government in Mogadishu to determine how to support its offensive against al-Qaida linked insurgents.

The Treasury Department said that is would also freeze the assets of: Abshir Abdillahi, 44; Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, 66; Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed, 33; Yasin Ali Baynah, 44; Mohamed Abdi Garaad, 37; Yemane Ghebreab, 59; Fuad Mohamed Khalaf; Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, 28; Mohamed Sa’id, 44; and Fares Mohammed Mana’a, a Yemeni who reportedly holds a diplomatic passport from Yemen.

All of the ages are estimates provided by the department.