Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Countering Terrorist Finance: Kenya is a member of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-
Money Laundering Group, a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. The
FATF had previously highlighted the deficiencies in Kenya’s anti-money laundering/combating
the financing of terrorism regime and intimated possible countermeasures against Kenya. In
response, Kenyan authorities developed and made significant progress on an action plan to
address those deficiencies, including the establishment of the Financial Reporting Center (FRC)
in April and adoption of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in October.
By December, the FRC was up and running with investigators receiving and reviewing
suspicious transaction reports and investigating potential money laundering violations. The
establishment of the FRC combined with the passage of the POTA demonstrated a strong enough
commitment on the part of the Kenyan government that FATF did not invoke countermeasures.
Nonetheless, FATF emphasized, and Kenyan authorities acknowledged, that Kenya still has
much work to do on its Action Plan with the FATF, most notably in developing the institutional
capacity and regulatory structures to implement the POTA as well as track, seize, and confiscate
the assets of al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups. FATF has also identified some concerns with
the new law. For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, we refer you to
the 2013 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money
Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.
Regional and International Cooperation: Kenya is a member of the AU, the Inter-
Governmental Authority on Development, the Community of Eastern and Southern Africa, and
the East African Community. The Kenyan government coordinated with these groups
significantly during its military campaign against al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. Kenyan law
enforcement agencies worked closely with the international community, including the United
States, to increase their counterterrorism abilities, secure porous land borders, and improve
maritime security. Kenya hosted numerous trainings involving law enforcement professionals
from neighboring nations to build counterterrorism capacities and increase regional cooperation.
Kenya also cooperated with the United States and other nations to secure especially dangerous
pathogens and enhance the Kenyan government’s capability to prevent the sale, theft, diversion,
or accidental release of chemical, biological or radiological weapons-related materials,
technology, and expertise.
MALI
Overview: Following the March 2012 coup that toppled the elected government of President
Amadou Toumani Touré, northern Mali – representing 10 percent of Mali’s population and over
half of its territory – was taken over by terrorist groups including al-Qa'ida in the Islamic
Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Ansar al-
Dine (AAD). The interim Government of Mali requested international support to reunite the
country and combat the terrorist threat. At year’s end, the UN, the AU, and the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were working with the United States and
European partners to prepare and conduct a Malian-led and ECOWAS-supported military action
to recapture the north and combat terrorist groups.
Consistent with the legislative restriction on assistance to the government of a country whose
duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup d’état, all U.S. assistance to the
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