Following her publicly declared support for Hormuud, Ilhan drew criticism for supporting the wrong side of Somalia (Al-Shabaab terrorists’) and not focusing on the radicalization of Jihadists in her own constituency.1 Ilhan’s support steeped the company into American politics, bringing it into sharp scrutiny and criticism, which centered on a 2018 United Nations Security Council report that sanctioned as the "chief financier of the Al-Shabaab”. Hormuud Telecom sunk deeper into the mire on September 5, 2019 following reports accusing it of sponsoring Al-Shabaab operatives

"TV-ga Fox News ee Mareykanka oo Hormuud Telecom ku sifeeyay Shirkad,” Fox News, September 7, 2019; retrieved on September 8, 2019.

iii

Reaping the Whirlwind

to destroy 13 base station masts in a site belonging to the Kenya telecommunications giant, Safaricom, at Jabi in Mandera along Kenya-Somalia border in what was perceived as retaliatory attacks.2 The company was also adversely mentioned as having used its office in Nairobi to provide intelligence and logistical support to Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked the Dusit D2 complex in Nairobi on January 16, 2019. Reaping the Whirlwind: Hormuud Entrepreneurs and the Resurgence of Al-Shabaab, a report by the International Policy Group’s (IPG), examines the connection between Hormuud telecom and the Al-Shabaab economic empire in Somalia.

The report traces the radical Islamic roots of Hormuud and its officials and investors. It sheds light on a complex process of ‘corporate capture’ that enabled Hormuud entrepreneurs to use Al-Shabaab protection to make a fortune and monopolize the telecommunication industry. In turn, Al-Shabaab captured Hormuud as diadem in it economic empire providing huge taxes while access to its technology has guaranteed the group’s power, wealth and survival. Hormuud’s finances and technology has spurred Al-Shabaab’s recent resurgence signified by its increasing and bold attacks across the country. But Hormuud has also suffered severe attacks from Al-Shabaab demanding taxes and control of its technology. It has also been caught between a rock and a hard place in the supremacy wars between Al-Shabaab and Islamic State rivals in Somalia. The future of Hormuud depends on decisively severing relations with Al-Shabaab and redirecting its taxes, financial support and technology to the government and Somali society. In realizing this, the report proffers the following five recommendations:

"Telecom Destroys 13th Kenya’s Safaricom BTS Mast Site, was Involved in Dusit D2 Terrorist Attack,” Strategic Intelligence, September 6, 2019, Accessed September 9, 2019.