Kenyan mosque's past link to Shabaab banker

Leaders of a mosque at the centre of terrorist funding allegations on Sunday confirmed that a suspected al Shabaab financier was an official of Pumwani Riyadha Mosque in Nairobi.

But they denied ever having been involved in terror activities and threatened to sue their bank, which they accused of breaching client confidentiality.

They also claimed many more public figures gave money to their mosque construction project.

Building committee

Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee members said ‘Amiir’ Ahmad Iman was the secretary of the building committee at the mosque but left in 2009 without notice.

In Mombasa, politicians and Muslim leaders defended Tourism minister Najib Balala and Nominated MP Amina Abdallah against allegations in the UN report that they gave money that could have ended up with terrorists.

Kisauni MP Hassan Ali Joho, Mayor Ahmed Muhdhar and Mvita politician Abdullswamad Nassir set a side their political differences with Mr Balala and defended him against the allegations.

Speaking at Madrasatul Islah Al-Islamiyya in Mvita, they said Mr Balala had never associated himself with terrorism.

“We know Najib Balala is clean on this issue and we cannot support what is wrong because of our political differences. Let UN go into Somalia and deal with al Shabaab instead of soiling the image of our leaders,” Mr Joho said.

Mayor Muhdhar said this “was a plot to weaken Islam and frustrated leaders’ efforts to support religious activities in this country and we should now unite to stand as one team.”

Mr Nassir said: “It is very unfortunate that Mr Balala is reported as having helped al Shabaab. I view this as a tactic to stop Muslims from financing their religious activities,”

Mr Hassan Omar of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said Mr Balala was opposed to fundamentalism.

“Of all people, it is unbelievable to read that Balala in funding al Shabaab. We have differed with him on many instances but allow me to defend him on this issue,” Mr Omar told a public forum on new constitution on Sunday at a Mombasa hotel.

The UN Security Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea says ‘Amiir’ Ahmad Iman funnelled funds from the mosque and the Muslim Youth Council to al Shabaab.

The committee also said ‘Amiir’ Ahmad Iman, who is named as the terrorist group’s point man in fundraising through the mosque, was no longer their member.

Mr Hashim Kamau, the secretary of Youth Affairs at Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) and Mr Abdulkarim Mohsin, an elder, said Mr Iman was the secretary of the committee until 2009.

The committee’s vice chairman, Mr Ali Abdulmajid and treasurer Dr Iddi Abdallah in a statement also denied links with al Shabaab.

“He was the secretary at that time and according to our constitution, the secretary and the treasurer are automatic signatories to the mosque accounts,” Mr Hashim said.

But he emphasised that Mr Iman worked within the policies and decisions of the entire committee, which did not authorize funding al Shabaab.

“All the money that Mr Balala and Ms Abdalah donated went into the construction of the mosque which is yet to be completed.

“We have spent Sh30 million so far in the construction and the committee is still fundraising to attain our budget of Sh48 million. And in fact, we are still asking Balala and others to assist us,” he said.

According to Mr Mohsin, the suspect stopped being the secretary of the building committee after missing three sittings.

No longer our member

“Our constitution says that if one misses three consecutive committee sittings, then he automatically forfeits his place. He missed three such meetings and left. He is no longer our member,” he said.

The committee has now threatened to sue Habib Bank, one of the banks where the mosque’s accounts are, accusing it of breaching client confidentiality.

Mr Kamau said a pledge of Sh50,000 on behalf of Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka was made to the mosque but not honoured.