US freezes assets of East Africa ISIL head Abdiqadir Mumin

The United States has frozen the assets of East Africa ISIL leader Abdiqadir Mumin and barred its citizens from doing business with him.

Mumin is a former Al-Shabaab recruiter and spokesman who pledged allegiance to ISIL, along with 20 of his followers, in October 2015.

The US State Department said in a statement Wednesday that the terrorist leader has set up a base in Puntland, Somalia.

According to the statement, “Mumin has expanded his cell of ISIL supporters by kidnapping young boys aged 10 to 15, indoctrinating them and forcing them to take up militant activity."

On Wednesday, Mr Mumin was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
The order is meant to expose and isolate the terrorist and deny him access to the US financial system.
The Executive Order 13224, issued by the State Department, notifies the US nationals and the international community that Mr Mumin is actively engaged in terrorism.
This implies that all his properties that are in the US or come within the possession or control of US persons are blocked.
The nationals are also prohibited making or receiving of any contribution of funds or services to or for the benefit of Mr Mumin.

PUBLIC AWARENESS
The move is expected to heighten public awareness and knowledge of Mr Mumin and also disrupt his networks by cutting off access to financial and other resources from sympathisers.
“As a result of this designation, all property subject to US jurisdiction in which Mumin has any interest is blocked and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Mumin,” the order read.
Such orders, according to the US, impose sanctions on any foreign persons and groups determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the US.