The US Department of the Treasury has named Farhad Hoomer, Siraaj Miller, Abdella Hussein Abadigga, and Peter Charles Mbaga as persons living in South Africa who are helping the terror organisation, Isis.
This week on Tuesday, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and ISIS-Mozambique (ISIS-M) financial facilitators based in South Africa.
Treasury said: “Farhad Hoomer, Siraaj Miller, and Abdella Hussein Abadigga are being designated pursuant to Executive E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, ISIS.
“Peter Charles Mbaga is being designated pursuant to Executive E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, ISIS-M.”
“Treasury is taking this action to disrupt and expose key ISIS supporters who exploit South Africa’s financial system to facilitate funding for ISIS branches and networks across Africa,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian E. Nelson.
“The United States is working with our African partners, including South Africa, to dismantle ISIS financial support networks on the continent.”
Responding to the US Treasury actions on Thursday, the South African ministry of finance, as well as the justice and correctional services department said they, “have taken note of the step taken on 1 March 2022 by the United States Treasury Department to designate individuals in South Africa that it suspects are associated with ISIS-related entities”.
The US treasury sanctions come a few weeks after South African terror accused twins – Brendon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie – were handed eight years and 11 years in prison respectively by a high court.
The twins were arrested during police raids in Newclare in Azaadville in 2016 on terrorism charges relating to an alleged plot to bomb the US Embassy, the UK High Commission, and Jewish Institutions in South Africa.
The brothers, who have been in police custody and awaiting trial for nearly six years, were linked to the Jihadist group, Islamic State.