How a cross-border terror finance network triggered account freezes in Kenya
Kenyan authorities have frozen bank accounts belonging to 13 people, including citizens of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, over suspected links to cross-border terror financing.
The Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) said the accounts contained hundreds of millions of shillings and were flagged after unusually large sums were transferred from abroad, with investigators pointing to the United States as a possible source. Some of the transactions were made as recently as November last year.
The move followed a decision by the Counter-Financing of Terrorism Inter-Ministerial Committee, which placed the individuals on Kenya’s Domestic Terrorism Sanctions List, triggering immediate asset freezes and restrictions on access to the financial system.
According to the FRC, several of those named are linked to extremist groups, including Al-Shabaab, ISIS and the Allied Democratic Forces, with roles ranging from recruiting fighters to procuring weapons and moving funds across borders.
Authorities said some of the money was routed through countries such as Türkiye and South Africa before reaching Kenya. Banks holding the affected accounts have been ordered to submit full details of the individuals’ assets in the coming days as investigations continue.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
