Former Militia Officer's Son holds a Key Position in Alshabaab

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BY OMAR GALGALO

Details of a former military officer’s son holding a key position in Alshabaab have emerged.

The Kenyan government is believed to have gotten hold of the information through its intelligence system and could summon the former military officer to aid in conclusion on investigations and consequent arrest of the situation.

Major idris Mohammed son as per the leaked information runs a key position in the IT department because of his high ranking and understanding of IT operations.

He has been operating in central and southern Somalia, where the militia has illegally been collecting tax.

The National Intelligence Service is convinced that he was recruited through financial incentives promised to him.

Major Idris’s son went to Somali in August 2023.

The former military officer is believed to be aware of the situation and even went to Somali to try and look for him without involving or sharing the information with the government.

Idris and his son as per our investigations has never been in good terms with the son and was seen as an absentee father by his the son.

The former solider has a baby Mam in Nairobi and is real stressed with life according information gathered regarding members of the family.

Major Idris is a farther of three and since retiring has been looking for the son who is on the NIS links.

The prodigal son who is now in the hands of Alshabaab is highly trained in the ICT field, having acquired a degree in Malaysia.

Further reports indicate that Idris has been communicating with some Alshabaab senior officials who have assured him that his son is in safe hands.

Senior security agencies are now concerned with the development given that Idris is a retired military officer.

The security agencies are now relying on further reports that a Mosque within Nyali area is being used to recruit young boys to join Alshabaab.

Shockingly, the former military officer has never reported the case regarding his son joining the militia group to any of the investigative authorities.

For Idris to get to Somalia in search of the son, it is believed to have been helped by friends who understand Somali and Alshabaab operations.

The intelligence is fully aware that Idris knows everything about the son and his visit to Somali is seen as a PR exercise.

The source added that major Idris usually uses WhatsApp as a way to communicate when referring to Somalia issues.

Police are also investigating his source of income and how he spends his money.

“He hides in police sources and some key politicians to hide away from the reality. We are filing how he gets money.” the source added.

In October 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury warned of a highly trained designated network of al-Shabaab financial facilitators who hold leadership roles within al-Shabaab and act as key interlocutors between the group and local companies in Somalia.

The dangerous department is used in weapon procurement, sourcing financial facilitation, and recruitment activities for al-Shabaab.

The department works with the facilitators and have contact with other previously designated al-Shabaab officials.

“Treasury is focused on identifying and disrupting al-Shabaab’s illicit networks operating in Eastern Africa,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson.

“We will continue to take action against the weapons smuggling and fundraising activities of al-Shabaab and otheral-Qa’idaaffiliates.” the US said in its statement.

Kenyan security agents have been on the higher alert over several years and have neutralized most attacks in the recent years.

Late last year a terrorism alert from police warned that fighters from the al Shabaab Islamist group in neighbouring Somalia were planning attacks and their targets included churches, universities, hospitals and schools in Kenya’s coast region.

In June 2023 Eight Kenyan police officers were killed when their vehicle was destroyed by an improvised explosive device in a suspected attack by Somalia-based rebel group al-Shabab, police said.

The incident took place on Tuesday in Garissa county in eastern Kenya, a region on the border with Somalia, where al-Shabab has been waging a bloody rebellion against the fragile government in Mogadishu for more than 15 years.

Meanwhile the U.S State Department of State Rewards for Justice has announced Reward Offers for Information on Key Leaders of al-Shabaab Ahmed Diriye, Mahad Karate, and Jehad Mostafa, and the Disruption of its Financial Mechanisms

The Justice program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is increasing its reward offers to up to $10 million each for information leading to the identification or location of al-Shabaab key leaders Ahmed Diriye, Mahad Karate, and Jehad Mostafa.

RFJ is also offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of al-Shabaab. This announcement marks the first time that the Department has offered a reward for information on al-Shabaab’s financial networks.

Al-Shabaab is al-Qa’ida’s principal affiliate in East Africa. Al-Shabaab is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Somalia, Kenya, and neighboring countries that have killed thousands of people, including U.S. citizens.

In April 2010, Al-Shabaab was also designated by the UNSC’s Somalia Sanctions Committee pursuant to paragraph 8 of resolution 1844 (2008).

The Department of State is offering rewards for information leading to the identification and disruption of significant sources of revenue for al-Shabaab, including its exploitation of local natural resources, financial contributions by donors and financial facilitators, financial transactions by financial institutions and exchange houses, any businesses or investments owned or controlled by al-Shabaab or its financiers, international activity by front companies tied to al-Shabaab, criminal schemes involving its members and supporters.