Abu-Faris is a Somalia-based Sudanese extremist who works on behalf of al-Shabaab facilitating the travel of foreign fighters to an al-Shabaab training camp in Somalia. Abu-Faris also facilitates financial assistance for foreign extremists in Somalia.
Since 2007, Abu-Faris has acted as a facilitator for the entry of foreign fighters and extremists into Somalia and has advised them when travel to Somalia is possible. In 2009, Abu-Faris facilitated the travel of foreign fighters to an al-Shabaab training camp outside Kismaayo. In 2010, Abu-Faris facilitated the travel of extremists from Chad to Somalia. Abu- Faris coordinated the travel of such persons to Somalia via Nairobi.
On May 5, 2010, OFAC issued the Somalia Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 551 (75 FR 24394, May 5, 2010) (the “Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13536 of April 12, 2010, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in Somalia” (75 FR 19869, April 15, 2010), pursuant to authorities delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury in E.O. 13536. The Regulations were initially issued in abbreviated form for the purpose of providing immediate guidance to the public. OFAC is revising the Regulations to further implement E.O. 13536 and to implement E.O. 13620 of July 20, 2012, “Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Somalia” (77 FR 43483, July 24, 2012), which amended E.O. 13536. OFAC is amending and reissuing the Regulations as a more comprehensive set of regulations that includes additional interpretive and definitional guidance, general licenses, statements of licensing policy, and other regulatory provisions that will provide further guidance to the public. Due to the number of regulatory sections being updated or added, OFAC is reissuing the Regulations in their entirety.
E.O. 13536. On April 12, 2010, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706) (IEEPA) and the United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), issued E.O. 13536. In E.O. 13536, the President found that the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, and acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, and violations of a United Nations arms embargo, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with that threat.
