Security Council Committee on Somalia and Eritrea Amends One Entry

 

on List of Individuals and Entities

 

On 25 June 2012, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea approved the amendments specified with strikethrough in the entry below of the list of individuals and entities subject to the travel ban, assets freeze and targeted arms embargo imposed by paragraphs 1, 3 and 7 of resolution 1844 (2008).

(12) Jim’ale, Ali Ahmed Nur

AKA:  JIM’ALE, Ahmed Ali

AKA:  JIM’ALE, Ahmad Nur Ali

AKA:  JIM’ALE, Sheikh Ahmed

AKA:  JIM’ALE, Ahmad Ali

AKA:  JIM’ALE, Shaykh Ahmed Nur

DOB: 1954

POB: Eilbur, Somalia

Nationality: Somalia

Alt. nationality: Djibouti

Passport: A0181988 (Somalia), exp. 23 January 2011

Location: Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti

Ali Ahmed Nur Jim’ale (Jim’ale) has served in leadership roles with the former Somali Council of Islamic Courts, also known as the Somali Islamic Courts Union, which was a radical-Islamist element.  The most radical elements of the Somali Islamic Courts Union eventually formed the group known as al-Shabaab.  Al-Shabaab was listed for targeted sanctions in April 2010 by the United Nations Security Council committee established pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 concerning Somalia and Eritrea (the “Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee”).  The Committee listed al-Shabaab for being an entity engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Somalia, including but not limited to acts that pose a threat to Somali Transitional Federal Government.

According to the July 18, 2011 report of the Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee’s Monitoring Group (S/2011/433), Jim’ale is identified as a prominent businessman and figure in the al-Shabaab charcoal-sugar trading cycle and benefitting from privileged relationships with al-Shabaab.

Jim’ale is identified as one of al-Shabaab’s chief financiers and is ideologically aligned with al-Shabaab.  Jim’ale has provided key funding and political support for Hassan Dahir Aweys (“Aweys”), who was also listed by the Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee.  Former al-Shabaab Deputy Emir Muktar Robow reportedly continued to engage in political posturing within the al-Shabaab organization during the mid-2011.  Robow engaged Aweys and Jim’ale in an effort to advance their shared objectives and consolidate their overall stance within the context of the al-Shabaab leadership rift.

As of fall 2007, Jim’ale established a front company in Djibouti for extremist activities called the Investors Group.  The short term goal of the group was, through the funding of extremist activities and weapons purchases, to destabilize Somaliland.  The group assisted in smuggling small arms from Eritrea through Djibouti into the 5^th region of Ethiopia where extremists received the shipment.  As of mid-2008, Jim’ale continued to operate the Investors Group.

As of late September 2010, Jim’ale established ZAAD, a mobile-to-mobile money transfer business and struck a deal with al-Shabaab to make money transfers more anonymous by eliminating the need to show identification.

As of late 2009, Jim’ale had a known hawala fund where he collected zakat, which was provided to al-Shabaab.

Jim’ale also controls Hormuud Telecommunications (“Hormuud”).  Hormuud Telecommunications is a company identified as being one of the single largest financiers of al-Shabaab, which includes large lump sum payments to al-Shabaab in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and these payments to al-Shabaab were facilitated by Jim’ale.

Hormuud is operated by several former large shareholders of Al-Barakaat with Jim’ale being the largest shareholder.  Hormuud Telecommunications was created by the former leaders of Al-Barakaat in an attempt to reestablish themselves as a dominant telecom provider in Somalia.  In addition, Hormuud managers have provided al-Shabaab leaders such as Hassan al-Turki, an al-Shabaab-aligned military leader who was also listed by the Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee, with personal communication networks.

In addition to providing funding, Hormuud Telecommunications has provided key material and logistical support to al-Shabaab to include weapons, private fighters, and ammunition.  Spokespersons for moderate Somali groups have warned the Somali people not to use Hormuud Telecommunications Company, because Hormuud personnel listen in on conversations for al-Shabaab.  Additionally, Hormuud has cut off telephone service during al-Shabaab attacks against pro-Somali government forces.

The latest version of the list is available on the Committee’s webpage at: http://www.un.org/sc/committees/751/pdf/1844_cons_list.pdf.

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For information media • not an official record