National Treasury and the Department of Justice and Correctional Services are working with authorities in the United States of America to track down individuals allegedly involved with terrorist organisation ISIS in South Africa.

According to a joint statement by the two departments, law enforcement in the United State have identified at least four individuals as “financial facilitators of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and ISIS-Mozambique (ISIS-M) based in South Africa”.

“We remain committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and will not allow our territory to be used to fund terrorism in other countries.

“The relevant South African authorities investigating this matter have been engaging with relevant US authorities on the OFAC [O?ce of Foreign Assets Control] designation.

The finance and justice departments have vowed they will not allow South African resources to be used to fund terrorism.

The departments said they noted the step taken on 1 March by the US Department of Treasury to designate individuals in South Africa suspected to be associated with ISIS-related entities.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four people, including two South African men, as alleged financial facilitators of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and ISIS-Mozambique, pursuant to a US executive order.

OFAC announced ISIS members and associates in South Africa were playing an increasingly central role in facilitating funds transferred from the top of the ISIS hierarchy to branches across Africa.

It earlier said: “The South African-based ISIS members designated pursuant to an executive order have provided support for the transfers or served as leaders of ISIS cells in South Africa.”

The finance and justice departments have vowed to uproot terrorism in South Africa

The finance and justice departments said they remained committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

They vowed not to allow South Africa to be used to fund terrorism in other countries.

“The relevant South African authorities investigating this matter have been engaging with relevant US authorities on the OFAC designation. As a member of the Financial Action Task Force, South Africa is committed to enforcing the highest standards to counter money laundering, the financing of terrorism.

“We fully support the criminal justice authorities in preventing and investigating any transgression of the laws of South Africa. We will ensure full adherence to international commitments,” the two departments said.

“Co-operating with and providing support, assistance to other states, relevant international and regional organisations to that end is a critical component of protecting our constitutional democracy against terrorist and related activities.

“We assure all residents of South Africa that the government is committed to ensuring the safety of all,” they added.

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OFAC revealed Farhad Hoomer, 46, Abdella Hussein Abadigga, 48, Siraaj Miller, 45 and Peter Charles Mbaga, 46, were alleged financial facilitators of ISIS.

Hoomer, however, claimed he was shocked by the US revelations.

He told News24 he had not been convicted of any offence, and the US had no right to sanction him.

It is alleged Hoomer had established an ISIS cell in Durban, while Miller was the leader of a group of supporters in Cape Town.

Abadigga, originally from Ethiopia, is alleged to have recruited young men in South Africa and sent them to a weapons training camp.

Mbaga, a Tanzanian citizen, is accused of facilitating the transfer of funds from South Africa.

Hoomer allegedly recruited and trained cell members.

He was allegedly in contact with ISIS members in the Democratic Republic of Congo and supporters throughout South Africa.

Hoomer is also accused of raising more than R1 million through kidnap-for-ransom operations and the extortion of major businesses.

On Wednesday, he accused the South African government of colluding with America to punish him unlawfully. “Such further unlawful actions by the SA government, acting in cahoots with these US bullies, will only assist, strengthen and increase my claim for damages against them.

“We will see if the US government will assist the SA government in paying my damages when I succeed or whether the innocent taxpayers of this country will have to fund such unconstitutional behaviour and incompetence.”

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The finance and justice departments have vowed to uproot terrorism in South Africa

Credit : News24

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