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I have been monitoring the progress of US government’s legal process on how it will implement the UNSC Resolution 1907 and 2023 as well as other relevant resolutions. US has been slow in the domestication of the UNSC resolutions. Part of it the US progresses is structurally different from other countries. The responsibility is spread within specific departments. The Executive(president’s office), State Department, Treasury department , Homeland Security, Commerce department etc have their own responsibility.

One aspect of the sanction dealing with some of the critical actors within the Eritrean regime is quietly handled by refusing visa to visit the USA ( except attending the UN) to key characters of the Isaiais regime. This seems to have been consolidated as the irrational belligerency of the Eritrean regime has gone viral. The cold and marginal reception extended to Isaiais and his staff in his last visit to UN was part of the de-facto sanction.

The most obvious thing is the implementation process in the US is complicated and interacted but once it is fully activated its impact will be both politically and economically very drastic. That does not mean the sanction is not slowly taking hold. This is happening with the anemic contribution of the Eritrean American sanction supporters and active lobbyists . The full weight of Resolution 2023 has not kicked in yet. Those of us residing in North America have to set the foundation to legally and politically bring the domestication of Resolution 2023 to the mind of critical American actors after the 2012 election is over. This task is the responsibility of sanction supporter Eritrean Americans ,with US citizenship, to utilize their US Constitution granted legal rights to demand that the Eritrean Embassy should be forced to comply with the relevant International Law, stop collecting illegal tax and all effort to directly and indirectly control all Eritrean religious, community, social an political activities of the Eritrean American Immigrant community through its agents, surrogates and PFDJ franchises in the USA. We must insisit that the US law must be respected.

The fact that the US Department of Treasury has placed two key PFDJ terrorist sponsors and facilitators -Col. TewoldeHabteNegash and Col. Taeme Abraham Goitom on the list is a good beginning. It gives us hope . We have now to work harder for a third and more stringnet UNSC resolution and for more names to be officially listed on the US government trasury list and to close all illegal activity of the regime in the USA.

We will need the help and support of Eritrean Americans as we map out on how to proceed in this critical task. Stay tunned.

Attach you will find the report from the Tresuary. Please share it with others.

Treasury Targets Regional Actors Fueling Violence and Instability in Somalia

 

7/5/2012

Action Targets al-Shabaab Supporters Based in Somalia and Kenya as Well as Eritrean Officials

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated six individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13536, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in Somalia.” The individuals targeted today include Col. TewoldeNegash and Col. TaemeGoitom, two Eritrean government officials; SuhaylSalim Muhammad `Abd-el-Rahman (aka Abu-Faris), a Sudanese al-Shabaab foreign fighter facilitator; and AbubakerShariff Ahmed, Omar Awadh Omar and AboudRogo Mohammed who are three Kenyan al-Shabaab supporters.

The President issued E.O. 13536 in April 2010 to target individuals and entities engaging in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia. Al-Shabaab was listed in the annex of E.O. 13536. It was also previously identified in February 2008 by the State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, the U.S. government’s terrorism sanctions authority. Previous designations under E.O. 13536 have included members of al-Shabaab, a member of the Eritrean government, and pirates that operate in Somalia and neighboring countries throughout the region. Today’s designations of individuals based in Somalia, Kenya and Eritrea highlight the regional nature of the conflict in Somalia.

“The United States is determined to target those who are responsible for the ongoing bloodshed and instability in Somalia,” said Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Director Adam J. Szubin. “By designating these individuals today we are taking action to support our partner governments in East Africa and the African Union Mission in Somalia in their efforts to dismantle al-Shabaab.”

Col. TewoldeHabteNegash

Eritrean Intelligence Officer Col. TewoldeHabteNegash funnels money to anti-Transitional Federal Government (“TFG”) groups in Somalia, including al-Shabaab.

Col. Negash was the principal architect of the Government of Eritrea’s relationship with al-Shabaab in Mogadishu in 2006 and he has been the principal coordinator of financial and logistical support to a number of armed groups, including al-Shabaab, since 2004. He has remained actively involved in Eritrean training of and support to foreign armed opposition groups since December 2009 and is reported to have traveled over land from Uganda, through Kenya, and on to Somalia in September 2009 where he met with members of al-Shabaab and other armed groups.

Col. Negash reportedly spent considerable time in Mogadishu for a period beginning in 2006 coordinating support to armed groups, including al-Shabaab. He reportedly provided explosives training to another armed group in Mogadishu in 2006 and he appears to have been indirectly involved in the training of al-Shabaab fighters between 2007 and 2009 at an Eritrean training camp for instruction in suicide bombing and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.

Col. Taeme Abraham Goitom

According to a March 2010 report issued by the UN Security Council Somalia/Eritrea Sanctions Committee’s Monitoring Group, officials of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (“ARS”) described Col. Goitom as a senior government official who played a direct role in decisions concerning key ARS appointments. The Asmara wing of the ARS was a component of the former rebel group Hizbul Islam, which joined al-Shabaab in December 2010. Under Hizbul Islam, ARS-Asmara established a serious military threat against the TFG and the African Union Mission in Somalia (“AMISOM”) forces. The Asmara wing of the ARS publicly rejected the election of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and mounted sustained operations against TFG and AMISOM forces. Col. Goitom has also been reported to be an important arms trafficker in the region with clients such as the insurgents in Somalia.

SuhaylSalimAbd-El-Rahman aka Abu-Faris

Abu-Faris is a Somalia-based Sudanese extremist who works on behalf of al-Shabaab facilitating the travel of foreign fighters to an al-Shabaab training camp in Somalia. Abu-Faris also facilitates financial assistance for foreign extremists in Somalia.

Since 2007, Abu-Faris has acted as a facilitator for the entry of foreign fighters and extremists into Somalia and has advised them when travel to Somalia is possible. In 2009, Abu-Faris facilitated the travel of foreign fighters to an al-Shabaab training camp outside Kismaayo. In 2010, Abu-Faris facilitated the travel of extremists from Chad to Somalia. Abu- Faris coordinated the travel of such persons to Somalia via Nairobi.

AboudRogo Mohammed

Kenya-based extremist Islamic cleric AboudRogo Mohammed has engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Somalia and provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support to al-Shabaab. Specifically, AboudRogo Mohammed’s activities include fund-raising for al-Shabaab.

He continues to exert influence over extremist groups in East Africa as part of his campaign to promote violence throughout East Africa. As an ideological leader, AboudRogo Mohammed has used an extremist group as a pathway for radicalization and recruitment of principally Swahili-speaking Africans for "action" in Somalia. In a series of inspirational lectures between February 2009 and February 2012, AboudRogo repeatedly called for the violent rejection of the Somali peace process. During these lectures, AboudRogo Mohammed repeatedly called for the use of violence against both the United Nations and AMISOM forces in Somalia, and urged his audiences to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabaab's fight against the Kenyan Government.

AboudRogo Mohammed also offers guidance on how Kenyan recruits joining al-Shabaab can evade detection by the Kenyan authorities, and which routes to follow when traveling from Mombasa, Kenya, and/or Lamu to al-Shabaab strongholds in Somalia, notably Kismaayo. He has facilitated the travel to Somalia of numerous Kenyan recruits for al-Shabaab.

In September 2008, AboudRogo Mohammed held a fundraising meeting in Mombasa to help finance al-Shabaab activities in Somalia. In September 2011, AboudRogo Mohammed was recruiting individuals in Mombasa for travel into Somalia, presumably to conduct terrorist operations.

Omar Awadh Omar

Kenyan national Omar Awadh Omar (“Omar”) has provided financial, material, logistical, or technical support for al-Shabaab. Omar has facilitated funding to al-Shabaab and is believed to have facilitated the movement of foreign fighters and supplies into Somalia. Omar was also allegedly involved in planning the July 11, 2010 attack against fans watching a World Cup match in Kampala, Uganda. He is currently incarcerated in Uganda awaiting trial. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for this attack, which killed 74 people.

AbubakerShariff Ahmed aka Makaburi

Kenya-based AbubakerShariff Ahmed is a leading facilitator and recruiter of young Kenyan Muslims for “action” in Somalia, and a close associate of AboudRogo Mohammed. He provides material support to extremist groups in Kenya and elsewhere in East Africa. Through his frequent trips to al-Shabaab strongholds in Somalia, including Kismaayo, he has been able to maintain strong ties with senior al-Shabaab members. AbubakerShariff Ahmed is also engaged in the mobilization and management of funding for al-Shabaab. AbubakerShariff Ahmed has preached at mosques in Mombasa that young men should travel to Somalia, commit extremist acts, fight for al-Qa’ida, and kill U.S. citizens. AbubakerShariff Ahmed was arrested in late December 2010 by Kenyan authorities on suspicion of involvement in the bombing of a Nairobi bus terminal. AbubakerShariff Ahmed is also a leader of a Kenya-based youth organization in Mombasa with ties to al-Shabaab. As of 2010, AbubakerShariff Ahmed acted as recruiter and facilitator for al-Shabaab in the Majengo area of Mombasa.

Identifying Information

TewoldeHabteNegash

AKA: Abdirahim Muse

AKA: TewaledHoldeNagesh

AKA: SenayBerakiMeharen

AKA: AmanuelKidane

AKA: TewoldHabteNegash

AKA: TeweldeHabteNegash

AKA: BiteweldeHabteNegash

AKA: TewaledHoldeNagash

AKA: Wedi

AKA: Desta

AKA: Abdirahman Musa

AKA: Abdirahman Muse

AKA: Emanuel Negash

AKA: Abdirahim Musa

AKA: Ole Negash

DOB: 5 September 1960

POB: Asmara, Eritrea

Passport: Diplomatic Passport No. D0001060

Passport: Diplomatic Passport No. D000080

Nationality: Eritrean

Position: Intelligence Officer

 

Taeme Abraham Goitom

AKA: Ta’ame Abraham Selassie

AKA: Abraham Selassie Ta’ame

AKA: Te'ame Abraham Selassie

AKA: Te’ameGoitom

AKA: Tesfalen

AKA: Tsegai

AKA: Dha'ame

AKA: Teame

AKA: Ta’ame

AKA: Gaamei

AKA: Da'ame

AKA: Simon Gebredengel

AKA: Te’ameAbraha Selassie

AKA: Mekele

AKA: Mekelle

AKA: Meqele

DOB: 1957

Alt. DOB: 1956

POB: AkaleGuzay (Shemejena)

Passport No.: Laissez-Passer 02154

Position: Head of Eritrean External Intelligence Operation

Title/Rank: Colonel

Alt. Title/Rank: Brigadier General

 

SuhaylSalimAbd-El-Rahman

AKA: Abu Faris al-Sudani

AKA: Abu-Faris

AKA: HaythamZayn

AKA: SuhaylAbdurahaman

AKA: Sahib Muhammad

AKA: SuhaylSalimAbd El-Rahman

AKA: ZainUl-Abideen

AKA: Sundus

AKA: Saba

AKA: Sana

AKA: SuhaylSalim

POB: Rabak, Sudan

DOB: 17 June 1984

Alt. DOB: 1990

Passport #: C0004350

Personal ID #: A00710804

AboudRogo Mohammed

AKA: Aboud Mohammad Rogo

AKA: AboudSeifRogo

AKA: Aboud Mohammed Rogo

AKA: Sheikh AboudRogo

AKA: AboudRogo Muhammad

AKA: AboudRogo Mohamed

DOB #1: 11 November 1960

Alternate DOB: 11 November 1967

Alternate DOB: 11 November 1969

Alternate DOB: 1 January 1969

POB: Kenya

Alternate POB: Lamu Island, Kenya

Citizenship: Kenya

Omar Awadh Omar

AKA: Omar Sahal

AKA: Omar Awadh

DOB: 20 September 1973

POB: Mombasa, Kenya

Passport: Kenya #A764712, Expires 27 March 2013

Alt. Passport: Kenya #B002271

Alt. Passport: East Africa #KE007776, Expires August 2009

Location: Kenya

 

AbubakerSharrif Ahmed

AKA: Makaburi

AKA: Sheikh Abubakar Ahmed

AKA: AbubakerShariff Ahmed

AKA: Abu MakaburiShariff

AKA: AbubakerShariff

AKA: Abubakar Ahmed

DOB: 1962

DOB #2: 1967

POB: Kenya

Citizenship: Kenya