Dahabshiil has for some time been closely associated with al-Shabaab, and it is a longtime financial supporter of the group and its terrorist activities. For example, according to a United Nations report, Dahabshiil financed "a large scale assassination operation" in Mogadishu by the Amniyat, al-Shabaab's elite intelligence unit, which involved a "wave of assassinations of national intelligence officers and members of the Federal parliament." Warsame was an outspoken critic of the company, writing a protest song playing off the business’ name, which means "gold smelter.” She instead called Dahabshiil a "blood smelter” and urged Somalis not to do business there. A music video by Warsame featured a rifle dripping with blood next to the company’s name.

One of Ms. Warsame’s better known songs was a protest against Dahabshiil and its support of Al-Shabaab. The song, called "Dhiigshiil ha dhigan,” contains a play on words. The name of the defendant, "Dahabshiil,” means "gold smelter.” Ms. Warsame changed this to "Dhiigshiil,” which means "blood smelter.” The translation of the title is "Don’t Do Business With The Blood Smelter.” The lyrics she sang include these:

They call him "Blood Smelter” to manipulate the public

He has lot of money to make sure Mogadishu will never be at peace He is the enemy of Somalia
Somalis, do not deposit your money to his banks
He is real tribalism; he is destroying our land
The money he is making from us will kill our children
Somalis, do not deposit your money to his banks

 

According to the lawsuit, Dahabshiil "placed a multimillion-dollar bounty” on Warsame as a result of the song. She was killed in July 2014 by two Al-Shabab operatives in Mogadishu; they were sentenced to death and executed in May.

Plaintiff Harbi Hussein is a citizen of the United States domiciled in the State of Minnesota. He brings this lawsuit on behalf of himself and as a representative of the estate of his mother Saado Ali Warsame, also a U.S. citizen.

The lawsuit demands damages for pain and suffering by Hussein because of the loss of his mother. He declined a comment through Arisohn.

Arisohn, whose New York-based law firm has handled terror financing cases for nine years, said others could be out there.

"We are working hard to unearth all of the institutions who are financing terrorism, and I think it’s incumbent on the government and private citizens alike to investigate these matters and make sure that financial institutions like Dahabshiil are putting in place the safeguards that they are supposed to have,” Arisohn said.

Dahabshiil did not respond to a request for comment.

Arisohn said he intends to get the case to trial as quickly as possible on behalf of Hussein.

"It’s devastating whenever you lose a parent, but to lose your mother who was bravely trying to help a country in dire need and was assassinated, it truly is devastating,” he said.

Source: Newyork Court Case 1:15-cv-09623 Document 1 Filed 12/09/15