The UK Home Secretary Alan Johnson issued a statement saying the ban was necessary
Al-Shabab membership will be a criminal offense and will not be allowed to operate in UK lawfully. It will also criminalize sending funds from UK to Al-Shabab.
The Somali government welcomed the ban
UK’s decision to ban al-Shabab as a designated terrorist group coincides with the upcoming visit of Somali President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed to Britain on the coming Monday. President Sheikh Sharif will meet top government leaders in UK, including the Prime Minister Garden Brown and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband to discuss the situation and security challenges of Somalia as well as the support it needs to get from Europe in particular and the international community in general.