Puntland President Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya – The New Business Partners

[Jacaylbaro]

 

 

I unveiled in my previous articles the involvement of Puntland leaders in piracy, human trafficking, counterfeit and money laundering. As usual hundreds of angered supporters of these corrupted leaders emailed me with hatred statements, and some vowed to arrest me. These are normal for every fact-finding writer, because Arabic Proverb says “Truth don’t please all”.

 

I underscored the money laundering in Puntland by high-ranking officials of current regime in Garoowe, Puntland. There are money-making machines in Puntland, which make fake money and inject it into local money exchange markets, in order to exchange it with cash US Dollars. At the end, local businessmen particularly money exchangers becomes the victims of money laundering.

 

Majority of government officials own ‘Travel Offices’ that smuggles the people into Yemen against $50 - $100 per head. Thousands of poor Ethiopians and Somalis are carried on small wooden boat, intended to carry lighter cargo, into Yemeni water. The smugglers, with automatic weapon, force the people into the sea water, which results death of thousands while swimming to across the sea. Even, the smugglers shoot anyone who fails to jump into the water. AFP news agency reported many times about the human trafficking in Puntland. It is huge revenues.

 

Later smugglers upgraded their illegal business into piracy, and ride the high sea hunting for commercial vessels at regional water. Tens of ships were hijacked in 2008, and others are still in captivity of the pirates. International community reacted by sending navy ships to protect the commercial movements.

 

Piracy business attracted underpaid police forces of Puntland, and ransom started pouring into the pockets of the pirates and Puntland Administration, which later reshaped the political landscape of Puntland. The big fishes in piracy business won the elections and nominated the president and cabinet. Cabdiraxman Faroole, newly nominated president of Puntland, is big fish in piracy.

 

Former President of Transitional Government of Somalia and Member of Puntland Politicians Abdullah Yusuf led effort to free hijacked Yemeni ship during end 2008. This effort started after Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh pressed Yusuf to release the ship. Abdullah Yusuf convinced the pirates to release the ship, and was later set free.

 

Pirate leaders in Puntland helped Yusuf to free the Yemeni ship, and negotiation changed into family business (Father-to-Son), because Yusuf and many officials in Puntland like Faroole are big fishes in piracy.

 

Let us go back to the topic of the article, Recently, Somali online newspaper called ‘Waaga Cusub’ published report over recent bomb attack in Bosasso, Puntland. The report received reliable sources from secret intelligence of Puntland.

 

The report unveils new alliance between Puntland President Cabdiraxman Faroole and his Minister of Interior Affairs Colonel Ilka Jiir in one side and Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya other side.

 

Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya is terror group, and blacklisted in US State Department. The group has links with Al-Qaeda, and carries out armed struggle against western interests in Horn of Africa. Also, the group is fighting against Ethiopian forces inside Ethiopia, and demands establishment of Islamic State in Ethiopia.

 

The Kat – a toxic green grass – traders carried out the bombing, after Puntland regime increased the tax tariff on Kat. In other hand, the regime lowered the tariff on products that Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya businessmen imports in to Puntland. This led Kat traders to create violence in major cities of Puntland. Puntland regime reduced the tax on Al-Itahad owned products in an attempt to support their business. These Al-Itahad companies finance terror campaigns in the region.

 

The report revealed money laundering, where these Al-Itahad owned companies installed making machines in Puntland. The companies include Golis Company and Maruuf Company…etc. They monopolize the local market and create inflation, which makes the living of the poor much difficult.

 

Report went on saying Puntland President Cabdiraxman Faroole is member of Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya - terrorist group. Faroole used piracy ransom and financial aid from these Al-Itahad owned companies to finance his campaign. Faroole bribed the Puntland MPs and they elected him for presidency.

 

By Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi

Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com