This is a self-financed intelligence operation produced from our intelligence officers in the Tactical Rabbit National Security Division.
DAHABSHIIL INVESTIGATION
DAHABSHIIL is an international funds transfer company headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Formed in the early 1970s, the firm operates from over 24,000 outlets and employs more than 2,000 people across 126 countries. DAHABSHIIL was founded in Somaliland by Mr. Mohammed Saeed Duale, a Somali entrepreneur. 39 Duale passed on the business to his son, Abdirashid Duale, who is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of D AHABSHIIL.
Biography for Abdirashid Duale, CEO of D AHABSHIIL . This Forbes post was created in 2017 and lists Duale’s age as 40. This means that Duale is appx. 44 years of age currently.40
39 https://www.dahabshiil.com/dahabshiil-story/
The DAHABSHIIL headquarters location is in Dubai and the Operations Center is in Hargeisa, Somaliland.41 Somaliland, an autonomous region in Northern Somalia that declared independence in 1991 but fails to receive international recognition, is in the Horn of Africa bordered by the Gulf of Aden, Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia.42
Somaliland is the second and only other location where physical cash pickup locations are available for Dahabshiil services. Ten (10) physical cash pickup locations are offered in the region of Somaliland, including Hargeisa, the Operations Center of D AHABSHIIL .44
41 www.dahabshiil.com/contact/
43 https://www.dahabshiil.com/send-money-to-somalia/
44 https://www.dahabshiil.com/send-money-to-somaliland/
The image above depicts the Dahabshiil Bank location in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The picture was captured by an independent traveler who explores the globe documenting sites. 45
Al Jazeera, Saudi Arabian government-funded international news channel based out of Doha, Qatar, has interviewed Abdirashid Duale in the past.46 Al Jazeera was also mentioned in this report in connection to an Instagram photo that ASHKIR posted on his Twitter account in FEB 2021.
45 https://independent-travellers.com/somalil and/hargeisa/25.php
46 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEsUgYFVErM
In this YouTube video, an interview (23 OCT 2021) conducted by Al Jazeera depicts Abdirashid Duale, CEO of DAHABSHIIL, discussing the importance of remittance payments to Somalia .47 Notable quotes from the video read “We also serve Somalis who are part of the Diaspora” (timestamp 00:39:00) “This company is also helping international organizations shift money into and within Somalia” (timestamp 00:52:00). The “Diaspora” refers to the phenomenon of Somalis leaving their homeland to work internationally, including the United States.
On DAHABSHIIL’s website, in the “United States” section of the “Countries” tab, no physical locations are listed for physical money pickup sites. 48
47 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEsUgYFVErM
48 https://www.dahabshiil.com/send-money-to-united-states/
Although DAHABSHIIL’s company website does not list any physical locations available within the United States for physical cash pickup locations, DAHABSHIIL Transfer Services of Virginia LLC has been located using several OSINT resources. Osman YUSUF has been identified as the Registered Agent for this company. 49
Another OSINT resource has identified DAHABSHIIL Transfer Services of Virginia LLC as existing as an active Limited Liability Corporation located in Falls Church, Virginia. Osman YUSUF is linked again as the Registered Agent of this company. 50
An address of 5983 COLUMBIA PIKE, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22041 -0000 has been listed as the Principal Address for the Organization and the Registered Agent address for Osman YUSUF.51
49 https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_va/S2389965
51 https://www.bizapedia.com/va/dahabshiil-transfer-services-of-virginia-llc.html
A website by the name of DAHABSHIL.NET ( Note: spelling change from DAHABSH IIL to DAHABSHIL) has been located and linked to the DAHABSHIIL discussed above in the “About Us” section of the website.52 The information presented above mentions expansion of the company into “immigrant communities in the U.S. that wanted to send money to their loved ones” that is facilitated by “the strategic alliance and affiliation…with Dahabshiil PVT Somalia”.
On DAHABSHIL INC.’s website, Falls Church, Virginia is again mentioned at the 5983 COLUMBIA PIKE address. Suite 100 is new information. Osman YUSUF is reiterated as an affiliated individual of the company site. An additional individual named Faduma MOHAMOUD is listed. A phone number (703) 379-5550 is provided in addition to fax number (703) 379-3942.53
52 https://www.dahabshil.net/about-us
53 https://www.dahabshil.net/agents
A brief investigation into Osman YUSUF yielded two complimentary results for his affiliation with IBRAHIM TRANSPORT, LLC, a Columbus, Ohio based “Transport Company” with one
(1) truck and one (1) driver. The company contact information is assigned to the address 1262 DOGWOOD DR., COLUMBUS, OH 43228.54 IBRAHIM TRANSPORTATION.COM LLC, also registered to Osman YUSUF, is listed in the Minnesota jurisdiction with address 3121 PILLSBURY AVE. S., MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55408. 55
This address is home of an apartment complex “Charles Horn Towers”.56 Minnesota is home to one of the largest Somali American populations in the United States of America. Both locations and business ventures should be explored in relation to Osman YUSUF of DAHABSHIL in Falls Church, Virginia, in the context of ASHKIR and DAHABSHIIL , and in relation to a possible connection between the OH and MN Somali populations.
54 https://www.quicktransportsolutions.com/truckingcompany/ohio/ibrahimtransport-llc-usdot-2823252.php
55 https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_mn/80f4f997-1886-e911-9175-00155d01b32c
On DAHABSHIL’s website, in addition to the Falls Church, Virginia site, seven (7) offices located in the Columbus, Ohio region are listed with affiliated individuals, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers.57 Curiously, the phone number (614) 428-6030 for the MORSE RD. location is also listed as the fax numbers for the GLOBAL MALL and WESTVIEW PLAZA CENTER locations. At the WEST BRANCH location, (614) 279 -8082 is listed as both a phone number and fax number for the location.
DAHABSHIL locations in Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, Oregon, Maine, Washington, Utah, Indiana, Kansas, Illinois, Colorado, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and North Carolina are listed in addition to the Virginia and Columbus, Ohio offices mentioned above. No other state or city location has as many offices as the Columbus, Ohio location (7) of DAHABSHIL. 58
57 https://www.dahabshil.net/agents
58 https://www.dahabshil.net/agents
Curiously, main locations and complaint phone lines are also tied to Columbus, Ohio.
In the image above, Texas customers are referred to a (614) 527-9300 number for complaints. The (614) area code serves the Columbus, Ohio area as stated previously in the discussion of ASHKIR’s phone line. This image is located on the front page of DAHABSHIL’s website.59
In the “Contact” section of DAHABSHIL’s website, the following graphic lists an address, several phone numbers, and several fax numbers for their “Corporate Head Office” location on 240 BRADENTON AVENUE, DUBLIN, OH 43017. 60
Screenshot of Google Earth view of 240 BRANDENTON AVE in DUBLIN OH listed as “DAHABSHIL Corporate Head Office” in two locations on their website.61
60 https://www.dahabshil.net/contact
SALAAM BANK INVESTIGATION
As shown in the Facebook video screenshot of the Gedo International University advertisement, DAHABSHIIL routing or accounting numbers were flashed across the screen several seconds before SALAAM BANK numbers were displayed . 62
SALAAM SOMALI BANK (SALAAM) is the “first privately owned bank to operate in Somalia”.63 SALAAM offers payroll services, Shariah -compliant personal and business financing services, mobile access to a SALAAM bank account “anytime, anywhere”, home and car financing, and the Salaam Entrepreneurship Fund (SEP). 64
The SALAAM Enterprise Fund (SEP) is a joint effort between SALAAM Bank and HORMUUD Telecom to benefit Somali entrepreneurs. 65
62 https://www.facebook.com/GIuniversity/videos/996416497528915/
64 https://salaambank.so/salaam-enterpreneurship-fund
65 https://salaambank.so/salaam-enterpreneurship
A screenshot of more detailed information about the “young Somali entrepreneurs” the SEP fund, a joint venture between SALAAM and HORMUUD, are targeting. 66
In the “Mobile Banking” section of the SalaamBank.so website, benefits and usage instructions are listed. Note the requirement of having a registered Hormuud Telecom subscription to use Salaam Mobile Banking services. 67
The address for SALAAM Somali Bank is listed above along with a telephone number, email address, website address, and hours of operation. Note the erroneous mistake in the phone number listing on their official company website: phone number is one digit short of a proper ten-digit code.68
Visual of map denoting all twenty-three (23) physical SALAAM Somali Bank locations across Somalia. There are no branches of SALAAM Bank identified in other countries globally according to the map on their website. 69
68 https://salaambank.so/branches
69 https://salaambank.so/branches
Five (5) SALAAM branches are in proximity of AIRPORTS. This information was collected by using the “Branches” section of the SALAAM website and navigating their peripheral locations using Google Maps. 70 If physical cash is being brought to SALAAM Bank from an entity, it will most likely be through the followi ng branches:
1. The GALKACYO Branch is located near the Abdullahi Yusuf Airport.
2. The CADAADO Branch is located near the Cadaado Airport.
3. The BALADWEYNE Branch is located near the BELEDWEYNE Airport.
The“AIRPORT”Branch is located right next to the ADENADDE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
TheBAYDHABABranchislocatednearthe“CareWomen’sandChildrenDevelopment org” which is apparently an Airport according to the symbol denoted on Google Maps.
A runway structure appears to exist at the “Care Women’s and Children Development org”.71
A review by Boniface Mandishona states that the “small but efficient airport” does not have a tarmac runway but is “secure”. A second review by Jean-Michel Delmotte catalogues the presence of a small “coffee shop” and attached an image of a United Nations plane.72
70 https://salaambank.so/branches
71 https://www.google.com/maps/@3.1019685,43.6321043,1341m/data=!3m1!1e3
“Diaspora Banking” refers to banking services provided to non-residents (international) accounts. On SALAAM’s Non-Resident Account page, SALAAM lists that TAAJ or WAAFI are mobile applications that can be used to send (and presumably receive) money.73 No mention of HORMUUD can be seen in this service advertisement.
SALAAM’s Mobile Banking site mentions WAAFI in their “Benefits” section but excludes TAAJ. HORMUUD is again seen as a service requirement for mobile banking capability. 74
73 https://salaambank.so/non-resident-account
74 https://salaambank.so/mobile-banking
WAAFI AND HORMUUD TELECOM INVESTIGATION
The WAAFI platform boasts numerous services, including Mobile Wallet for sending and receiving funds “instantly & securely”, paying bills, calling friends, watching live videos, booking hotels and flights in -app, and online shopping through “integrated payment features”.75
In WAAFI’s Mobile Money page, every service description is identical: “A unique way to transfer directly.Get piece of mind and get your reward.”76
According to WAAFI’s website, three main individuals lead the company. 78 One of these individuals represents the most tangible, visual connection to telecommunication companies of interest, including HORMUUD, GOLIS, and SOMALI Telecom.
Luqmaan Mohamud AHMED accepted the Chairman position at WAAFI in February 2018. He has direct experience at “different levels of management and leadership roles” across GOLIS GROUP. According to this bio, he is the current Acting Chairman of Golis Telecom. WAAFI is used in SALAAM Somali Banking and SALAAM Somali Banking has an intimate relationship with HORMUUD. If WAAFI App is led by a significantly powerful member of the GOLIS GROUP, then GOLIS and HORMUUD Telecom’s must have a relationship.
Abdirizak MUSE is listed as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and boasts more than a decade of experience in the “mobile financial services industry”. His bio is the least descriptive of all three personnel members.
Abdirahman Ali SAID is listed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WAAFI and was appointed to this position in June 2020 per this description. 79 Pending an estimate of when MUSE (CTO) joined the trio, SAID may be the newest member of the WAAFI executive suite. This individual has received academic education in the United States (Scranton, PA: ASB in Business Administration, Finance option), the Uni ted Kingdom (Cumbria: International Business Law), and within both Somalia (SIMAD University: Bachelor of Public Administration) and Kenya (Open University: Certificate in Digital Marketing). This individual “worked many consecutive years at HORMUUD TELEC OM , the largest Telecommunication network in Somalia” in supply chain, client and carrier relations, and international roaming manager.
SAID’s experience “training” with Huawei and ZTE, two massive Chinese telecom companies infamously known for intellectual property theft in the United States and allied nations and who are deemed “national security threats” by the FCC, is alarming.80
ThreeotherindividualsinvolvedinWAAFIwork in“CorporateGovernance”
The Chief of Digital and Information Technology Committee is Ahmed Ali HUSSEIN. 81
80 https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-designates-huawei-and-zte-national-security-threats
Two other named individuals in the “Corporate Governance” side of WAAFI operations are Chief of Audit Compliance Osman IJAZ and Compliance Officer Mahdi OGAS. 82
REMITTANCE/TELECOM PLATFORM: HORMUUD
HORMUUD TELECOMMUNICATION (HORMUUD) is “one of the leading telecommunication service providers in Somalia”. HORMUUD operations are successful and expansive and include telecommunications, mobile money, internet, and other key sectors providing efficient, trusted, and low -cost services. HORMUUD Telecom has created over 30,000 jobs, serving millions of customers. HORMUUD also provides a critical economic and transformative lifeline to the Somali population. ” 83
“Strategic alliances” of HORMUUD Telecom include SALAAM Somali Bank and TAAJ mobile money services.84
83 https://www.hormuud.com/corporate/company/about-hormuud.aspx#
84 https://www.hormuud.com/corporate/company/strategic-alliances.aspx
HORMUUD’s HQ address located Hormuud Tower, Howlwadaag Street, Bakara Market, in Mogadishu, Somalia. 85
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF ALLEGED AL -SHABAAB CONNECTIONS
According to K24 TV, a Kenyan news outlet, Dahabshiil’s deputy manager of South Africa, Abdirizak MOWLANA, was arrested in Nairobi “where he was allegedly recruiting young Kenyan men to Al-Shabaab, a radical Islamic group with ties to the al -Qaeda”. 86 MOWLANA, according to the Kenyan Police Criminal Investigation Department, offered young Kenyans jobs back in Somalia and is believed to have taken young Kenyans to Somalia twice in the past where they eventually joined in the ranks of Al -Shabaab. Other alleged connections between Al- Shabaab, Hormuud, and Dahabshiil have been made, but there is insufficient legitimate documentation to substantiate these claims and warrant their specific inclusion in this intelligence brief. These alleged connections, in addition to na med individuals who are involved in Al-Shabaab’s operations in relation to fiduciary relationships with Hormuud and Dahabshiil, were made by an individual named DAHIR ALASOW. His claims are incredible but lack corroboration of more official degree and clearer citations. Below is an excerpt from a relevant article he wrote in SEP 2020:87
