FEDERAL AGENCIES INVESTIGATE POSSIBILITY THAT MONEY SENT BY IMMIGRANTS TO SOMALIA IS USED FOR WEAPONS

For years Somali refugees in the US have wired money home, with amounts reaching into the millions of dollars.  Now federal officials have begun an investigation into this to determine whether any of the money is being used to buy weapons.  Some Somalis have reported that there is pressure to contribute to an organized collection system that provides money for weapons for militia groups.

Most money sent to Somalia goes to family members who have not been able to leave the country, which has been in a state of war since the early 1990s.  Such humanitarian purposes are completely legal.  However, if a person knows that their money will be used to buy weapons, that is against the law.

About $75 million has been sent to Somalia from the US over the past four years, and their fund raising efforts are much more organized that other immigrant groups.  There are two primary reasons for this:  first, a strong sense of family, and second, Somalia has long been a country without any social safety net.

< Back | Next >

Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.