UK freezes illicit cash after Assad's niece found living in London
It is unknown how the young woman managed to circumvent sanctions to study in the UK
The UK press reported that British police had taken steps to seize around £25,000 ($32,500) from a bank account belonging to Aniseh Shawkat.
Shawkat is a Syrian national, and the niece of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, the youngest daughter of Assad's sister Bushra and Assef Shawkat, a well-known Syrian defense chief.
A military man known for his loyalty to Hafez al-Assad, and his close links to the Assad clan, Assef Chawkat was head of military intelligence then became deputy defense minister in 2011, just as the civil war started.
He was killed in 2012 in a rebel suicide bombing outside the National Security Bureau in Damascus.
Bushra al-Assad is the eldest of Bashar's siblings, a trained pharmacist, who is often portrayed as a major player in the regime's affairs. She is often described as 'formidable' in the media, and known for her sharp analytical skills as much as characteristic ruthlessness. She currently lives in Dubai.
She was one of 12 members of the Assad family put under EU sanctions in 2012 for “benefiting from and associated with” her brother’s regime. The sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze, which should apply to the money that Aniseh Shawkat holds in her UK bank account.
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The money is currently frozen, with the UK's National Crime Agency seeking a court order that would allow it to be seized.
Aniseh Shawkat graduated from the London College of Communication (LCC), a school part of London's University of the Arts, with a BA in spatial design. She is reportedly currently enrolled in a masters program, although a spokesperson refused to give any further information.
“It was known who she was, but she kept it very quiet,” a source at the LCC told the Evening Standard. “She used to change the spelling of her name as well, which was a bit odd. Her cousin [Hafez al Assad] visited her once too. He was quite recognizable,” the source added.
Assad has managed to hold on to power despite the civil war that has raged in Syria for the past eight years. Despite this affair showing that there is still disapproval of his rule internationally, it looks more and more like the family has managed to weather the storm that took over their rule in the Middle-Eastern country.