Nairobi, Kenya, Mar 1 – The United States government has issued a bounty of up to 5 million dollars for information on the whereabouts of Ali Mohamed Rage, alias Ali Dheere believed to be a high-ranking member of the Al-Qaeda linked militant group Al-Shabaab.
The reward notice was issued under the State Department Rewards for Justice Program which said in a statement that Rage has been Al-Shabaab’s chief spokesperson since May 2009 and is a senior leader of the Somalia-based jihadist group.
Rage was born in the Hawlwadag district of Mogadishu, Somalia in 1966 and is blamed for Shabaab attacks in Kenya and Somalia.
“Rage has helped plan attacks in Kenya and Somalia,” the US State Department Rewards for Justice said Tuesday.
On August 6, 2021, the Department of State designated Rage as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
That designation, among other consequences, according to the US State Department blocks all property and interests in property belonging to Rage and may expose persons who engage in certain transactions with Rage to designation.
“Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant financial transaction or provides significant financial services for Rage could be subject to U.S. correspondent account or payable-through account sanctions,” the US State Department says.
On February 18, 2022, the UN Security Council’s Somalia Sanctions Committee added Rage to its Sanctions List pursuant to paragraph 43(a) of resolution 2093 (2013) for engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia.
The UN designation requires UN Member States to impose an arms embargo, including related training and financial assistance, a travel ban, and an assets freeze on Rage.
The Department of State designated al-Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist in March 2008.
In April 2010, al-Shabaab was also added to the 1844 Sanctions List by the UN Security Council’s Somalia Sanctions Committee pursuant to paragraph 8 of resolution 1844 (2008).
