By Judith Gicobi
On Tuesday, April 5, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced a freeze on assets owned by people on the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) and Blocked Persons.
The CIA further advised US people to avoid engaging with the specified individuals, claiming that the list might include dubious characters such as terrorists and drug dealers.
Adam Sheikh Hassaan Hussein, Al Masri Abd Al Wakil, Ali Halima Adan (4 different Kenyan ID Numbers), Ali Hassan, Al-Nubi Abu, Elbishy Moustafa Ali, and Fadhil Mustafa Mohamed are among the mentioned persons.
Others are Fadil Mustafa Muhamad, Fazul Mustafa, Hussein Sheikh Hassaan, Jihad Abu, Man Nu, Mohammed Mustafa, Omar Hassan Mahad, Omar Hassan Mahat, Anis Abu, Hussein, Khalid, Yussrr Abu.
“As part of its enforcement efforts, OFAC publishes a list of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries.
It also lists individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific.
“Collectively, such individuals and companies are called “Specially Designated Nationals” or “SDNs.” Their assets are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them,” In part, read the OFAC statement from the US Treasury Department.
Some of the persons are based within Kenya’s borders, while others live in Somalia and other countries such as Egypt but still have Kenyan identification cards, according to the statement.
OFAC is responsible for imposing and administering economic and trade sanctions ‘against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers.’ according to the US Department of Treasury.
Individuals who pose a threat to the United States’ national security, such as those involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, are also pursued by the agency.
The penalties come as the United States continues to fight terrorist militias worldwide, including al Shabaab in Somalia and al Qaeda.
Since July, the US military has conducted over a dozen attacks in Somalia in an attempt to eliminate terror groups operating in the war-torn nation.
