There has been a resurgence of the militant group in Africa Photo Pexels
South Africa – “Our question is why? We don’t understand. This is a complete surprise”, said Nufael Akbar, businessman, after being sanctioned even though he was never charged or convicted of any crime. On Monday the US Treasury announced it was sanctioning four people who they believe are members of an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria cell operating in Durban. They also sanctioned eight companies linked to the individuals allegedly part of this cell.
In the statement released by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), they believe these individuals have provided technical, financial, or material support to the terrorist group. The statement also described Durban businessman, Farhad Hoomer, as an ISIS cell leader who continues to pursue Isis’s objectives in southern Africa. Hoomer has maintained his innocence in the matter and was caught by surprise at these new sanctions.
“There was a surprise that the sanctions were reimposed on my companies. Two of my companies actually. It was imposed on my daughter’s father-in-law, Nufael Akbar, as well. We don’t know what the FBI and CIA is actually up to. Where they are getting their information from, we have no idea. You look at my police clearance, which I get every year, it shows I have no criminal records whatsoever but I’m getting sanctioned by the US.”
Family members being targeted by the US
In 2018 Hoomer along with Mohamad Akbar and Umar Akbar, who have also been sanctioned by the US Treasury, were arrested by South African authorities along with Hoomer for their alleged involvement in the Verulam mosque attack. Although 21 charges were laid against Hoomer, none of them could be proven.
Akbar firmly believes his brother, Yunus Mohamad Akbar, and his family is being targeted by the US due to being associated with Hoomer.
“It is a surprise. With Farhad being an associate, in terms of family, I think they just used this to witch hunt us. We haven’t been convicted of anything. I don’t have a criminal record in South Africa. I’ve travelled to many parts of the world and had no trouble. It does come as a shock for them to come out and say our companies were supporting Islamic State financially, is absurd actually. If you are charged and convicted then you can understand. We haven’t been charged and now our companies are being targeted. Our question is why? We don’t understand. This is a complete surprise.”
Seeking the help of the South African government
The relationship between South Africa and the US has soured over the last month. This comes after the US released a terrorist warning late October without consulting the government first. This has led experts to believe there will be diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Hoomer, who is not in the country at the moment, hopes to file legal charges against the FBI with the help of the South African when he is back home.
“I’m in Morocco at the moment. When I’m back, I’m going to get my legal team to draw up documents for the FBI and ask the South African government to assist us. Whatever the FBI is doing is illegal, that’s what I feel, and we need the assistance of the South African government to resolve this matter … It has really affected my life. I cannot trade in South Africa. All my companies have been closed down. I’ve got nine kids and three wives and I’ve got no income at the moment.”
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The impact of the sanctions on their families
The US has placed sanctions on Akbar’s brother and his two sons, Muhammed and Umar. His sons, who have their own families, have just started their own businesses which, although having nothing to do with Hoomer, will now have to come to a stop, said Akbar
“They are youngsters who just started up their own business and it’s sad because they have to come to a stop. Their bank accounts will be stopped. It is really impacting them. They are married and have got kids. I’ve got seven children and a wife who is also pregnant now. Yes, it is difficult but we need the support of the South African government. We are going to get legal advice from our legal team and we are going to take it from there.”
Since March of this year Hoomer has been hit with sanctions and been in limbo. Hoomer would like the South African government to assist in reopening his bank accounts as the sanctions laid on him has nothing to do with trading in South Africa.
“What we’d like the government of South Africa to do, and will be a great help, is to get the banks to open up our accounts. I don’t think its fair that the banks shut our accounts down and we don’t have any criminal records. If the government can assist us with that, we can just trade and run our lives like normal. The US sanctions is to say that if we have any fund or any business in America, we cannot trade with America. We don’t need to trade with America. There should be a law passed that the sanctions overseas cannot affect businessmen in South Africa.”
The FBI’s treatment of the family
Hoomer also expressed his sadness and frustrations at how his family in Morocco and Tunisia are being treated by the FBI. His Moroccan wife was interrogated for over an hour and Hoomer said the interaction has left his wife and kids traumatised.
“My one wife is from Morocco and the other is from Tunisia. They forced my wife from Morocco to come to the station and interrogated her for one and a half hours. My wife’s family in Tunisia, about five weeks ago, they went to their house and interrogated them for about two hours. The families are terrified overseas. My kids in Morocco are terrified. They asked her not to tell me that they interrogated her.”
According to Hoomer, the FBI has been following him around. Just last week he was forced to leave a hotel after the owner was informed by a car guard that Hoomer’s car was being photographed by the FBI. Despite numerous efforts to get in touch with the FBI, even leaving his number for them with the car guard, he said no one has got into contact with him. Instead, they choose to harass his family and not speak to him directly which has made the situation even worse, he said.
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The next steps for the family
Akbar and Hoomer have vehemently denied having any links to ISIS. Hoomer also believes his constant travelling between Morocco, Tunisia cannot warrant any suspicion as those countries are very anti-terrorist. The best route for them now is to go down the legal route and try to get their lives back, said Akbar.
“To make an allegation like these surely you have to have some kind of evidence to prove that. You cannot make such big allegations and sit back. From here on, we actually going to take some legal action. I think that will be the best route at this point. Get some legal advice and definitely somebody has to pay for this. We are losing a lot of money. We are being inconvenienced. Our families are being inconvenienced quite badly. We need to take legal action and that is our next step.”
For Hoomer, the next step now is to get the South African government involved. After his family was harrased in Morocco, he feels it is the only way to get these matters sorted out as he now fears what else can happen to his family.
The impact of this situation on the Muslim community
With Akbar, his brother and sons being charged, Hoomer wants the the Muslim community to see this as a wake up call and to band together. For too long has the Muslim community been divided and this has made it easy for them to be attacked, he said.
“Sad reality is the Muslim community in South Africa is not united. It started off with me and now it has gone to Nufael and his family and where to next? The FBI and CIA are really taking a chance in South Africa … The Muslims really need to wake up in South Africa and put together a legal team to tackle such matters like this. If we do nothing about it, it’s going to get worse and worse. We need to get together and do something about this.”
Hoomer has a strong belief this attack on him and his family is like a trial run. If this is to carry on, he fears Muslims in other parts of the world will also be subjected to such. What has disappointed Hoomer is the fact that Jamiat and other Ulama branded him “guilty” before his court case was concluded in 2018.
Akbar echoed support for Hoomer’s statement believing if a stand isn’t taken now, it will only become worse in the future, he said.
“By isolating themselves from the situation we are in now, is not going to help them. They need to stand by and say we need to stand by the brothers, they are innocent and we need to stand by them instead of isolating themselves. They are the ones who will become victims one day. In a legal sense, they don’t have to contact us in any way. Nobody needs to be implicated, nobody needs to give their names but show support.”
