Islamic center threatens to close Wells Fargo accounts if bank doesn't resume transfers to Somalia

The director of an Islamic center in Minneapolis says members will close their accounts on May 1 if Wells Fargo doesn't reopen money transfers to the war-torn country, where many Somalis rely on money from friends and family in the United States. The bank decided to shut down transfers to Somalia in 2008. "Really, all I can say is that it was a business decision that was made," a bank spokeswoman tells the Minnesota Daily.

Author:
BMTN Staff
Updated:
Mar 8, 2018
Original:
Mar 21, 2012

The director of an Islamic center in Minneapolis says members will close their accounts on May 1 if Wells Fargo doesn't reopen money transfers to the war-torn country, where many Somalis rely on money from friends and family in the United States. The bank decided to shut down transfers to Somalia in 2008. "Really, all I can say is that it was a business decision that was made," a bank spokeswoman tells the Minnesota Daily.

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The bank that handles most of the money transfers from Minnesota to Somalia plans to shut down the service. Sunrise Community Banks fears the program could be violating federal laws meant to clamp down on funds flowing to terrorist groups. But Somali officials say the money provides an essential lifeline to relatives in the war-ravaged country and that shutting down the service could lead to a serious humanitarian crisis.

Minnesota Somalis are worried after news that the money transfer company that handles most of the community's transactions with Somalia is shutting down amid fears that it may have a hand in routing cash to terrorists. Federal officials say Somalis in America send $100 million a year back to relatives in Somalia, which lacks a formal banking system.

A group of Twin Cities Somalis are frustrated with banks no longer willing to transfer money to Somalia. In response, Somali-American customers are removing their money and closing bank accounts. They want banks to restore the wire service to Africa. Banks fear the money transfers could violate anti-terror regulations.

A Minnesota-based bank is holding off its decision to stop money transfers to Somalia. Sunrise Bank is moving to stop the money wiring service because of the risk of putting money into terrorists hands.

The head of Tawakal Money Express in Minneapolis says emergency wire transfers of less than $500 dollars will be serviced, citing a need for people who say there families in Somalia rely on the funds. Fifteen Minnesota banks halted transfers last week, fearing a violation of terror financing rules.

Somalis are rallying in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon to protest Sunrise Community Banks decision to halt a money transfer service. The bank fears the service was violating federal rules meant to clamp down on the funding of terrorism. But Somalis both here and abroad say the service is crucial to helping relatives in Somalia and that ending it could trigger a humanitarian crisis.

The Star Tribune talks with local Somalis, who are fretting for their families in the war-torn African nation. Many are desperately trying to find other ways to send money to relatives trying to survive in a country with no banks or functional government.

The bank that handles most of the money transfers from Minnesota's Somalis to relatives back home plans to shut down the service on Friday. Sunrise Community Banks says it fears it could violating rules meant to clamp down on the funding of terrorists. But Somalis say their families depend on the money and ending the service could create a humanitarian crisis.

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