Kidnapped Child Soliders make up al Shabaab Mustafa Abul Yaziid Brigade

This report, published on October 22nd, 2010, describe a new Al Shabaab Brigade being formed by pulling children out of school and giving them weapons. The unit, recently put on a demonstration in Mogadishu. This suggests an offensive is being planned. It may be being led by some new Shabbab officers.

-shimron Issachar

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The Al-Qaeda linked insurgent group of Al-Shabaab has recently recruited some senior officers of Al-Shabaab and has presented in Mogadishu, hundreds of freshly trained young Somali generation, trained by the Al-Qaeda foreigner fighters. Those are hiding in the Somali territory are to take part what they call a Holy war (Jihad) against African Union Peace keeping troops, and the troops of the transitional federal government of Somalia.

The recruitment of this generation came after Al-Shabaab began to register large numbers of generations without considering their age. There are under age children not able to carry guns they are to fight with, these children are believed to be forcibly removed from the schools and villages in the areas. Those who choose not to are labelled non-believers and can be executed by beheading.

The troops wear the same military clothes and are armed with different weapons, with motorbikes and other military carrier vehicles, the soldiers were announcing Arabic words against AMISOM, AU, UN and the West.

The deputy leader of Al-Shabaab, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow (Abu-Mansour) and the Spokesman of Al-Shabaab Sheikh Ali Mohamud Raghe (Sheikh Ali Dhere) were in the area where the fresh troops presented military marches and commando presentations in front of thousands of people who gathered at the area. They also named these soldiers the brigade of “Mustafa Abul Yaziid”.

The seniors who were addressing to the soldiers and the people who support them told that this brigade will revenge for the Mustafa Abul Yaziid, one of Al-Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan who died in the past month in a joint offensive carried out by the American and Afghan troops, also they have told that these troops will be destroyed with their military experience and civilian support, along with the unstoppable power of the African Union Peace Keeping troops in Somalia.
Tags

The Rest @ Demotix

European Bank for Development and Reconstruction and BeltechExport

European Bank for Development and Reconstruction seems to be interested in Beltechexport, a Belorussian arms manufacturer, recently under US Sanctions for trafficking arms with Iran.

The bank is active in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Eastern Europe
193.128.202.132 came to visit 23rd November 2010 13:29:15
Through Google UK

shimronletters.blogspot.com/2010/09/beltech-export-and-others-under-us.html

So they at least The bank now cannot say they didn't know.

Shimron Issachar

AQIM is Jihad Against Muslims, says ex Fighter

A Mauritanian member of the regional terrorist group says he surrendered to the army because he was convinced by the African country's policy of dialogue.

Ahmed Ould Weiss, an ex-jihadist of Al Qaeda in North Africa (AQIM), on Nov. 5 surrendered to the Mauritanian army. On Wednesday, he said he surrendered because of the decision by the authorities to start dialogue with the Islamists and the promise of the presidential pardon.

"My decision was motivated by the dialogue that was launched in Mauritania which resulted into the release of fellow fighters as well as the speech by the president of the Republic, in which he promised to forgive those Mauritanians who had been forced into these jihadist organizations and later decided to abandon the extremist activities," Weiss told national television.

He added that he surrendered to the authorities because he wanted to abandon the retrogressive activities by AQIM, since they go against Islamic teachings and hostile to the national interests.

Other reasons, he said, include "the improved political climate in the country which respects Islam and Muslims. The new political climate also allows freedom of preaching and spreading of the religion."

Weiss said he had gone to AQIM hoping that he would participate in a Jihad to "save" his religion. However, he found himself "disappointed" discovering "that the information I had been given before my departure was false. I was surprised that the weapons of this group were used against Islam and Muslims."

"All these reasons encouraged me to take the decision of returning to the country and voluntarily handing myself over to the authorities," he admitted on state television.

Born in 1979, Izid Bih Ould Weiss joined AQIM in 2008 to fight under the Al-Ansar katiba (unit), which was headed by a Malian national, Abdel Karim Targui.

In this unit, he was trained on how to handle explosive weapons as well as on other guerrilla war techniques.

He was released on Nov. 7 after the security services withdrew his arrest warrant.

The Rest @Xinua-english

Iran follows Arms Shipments with Drugs to Nigeria

Nigerian officials say they have seized heroin worth nearly $10m (£6.25m), concealed in engine parts shipped from Iran.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said agents made the seizure at Apapa seaport in Lagos.

The haul comes just days after Nigeria reported Tehran to the UN Security Council over an illegal arms shipment from Iran that was intercepted.

West African ports are key transit hubs for drugs heading to Western markets.

NDLEA spokesman Mitchell Ofoyeju said the agency had received "strong intelligence" from "foreign collaborators" four months ago, so it had been monitoring the consignment before it arrived in Nigeria.

"The NDLEA... decided to get a welder to cut open the engine parts and behold, we found hidden inside them 130kg (20 stone) of heroin," said Mr Ofoyeju.

A customs spokesman told AFP the drugs were brought into Nigeria aboard a foreign vessel, the MV Montenegro.

Three Nigerians have been arrested in connection with the drugs shipment.

In October, Nigerian security forces found a shipment of weapons at the same port.

Rocket launchers, grenades, explosives and other weapons were found in containers labelled as building materials shipped from Iran.

Iran said the weapons were the subject of a "misunderstanding", which had been cleared up.

The Rest @ the BBC

AQIM Warns France: Deal With Usamma Ben Ladden

France told to deal with bin Laden over hostages
(AFP) – 1 day ago

PARIS — France said Friday it was working to authenticate a videotape warning Paris to deal directly with Osama bin Laden concerning five French hostages held by an Al-Qaeda offshoot in Africa.

Abdelmalek Droukdel, the head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), said in the videotape message that bin Laden alone could negotiate the release of the hostages held by AQIM since September.

Droukdel, alias Abou Moussaab Abdelouadoud added in his message broadcast on Al-Jazeera Arabic Television on Thursday that "any form of negotiations on this issue in the future will be done with no one other than our Sheikh Osama bin Laden... and according to his terms".

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said that the videotape "is being authenticated now."

He told AFP that France was "fully mobilised" in an effort to secure the release of the five French hostages who were seized in Niger in September along with a Togolese and a Madagascan and are believed to be in captivity in neighbouring Mali.

According to a translation of the videotape by US monitoring group SITE Intelligence, AQIM chief Droukdel also said: "(If you) want safety for your citizens who are held captive by us, then you have to hasten and take your soldiers out of Afghanistan according to a specific timetable that you announce officially."

Bin Laden, in a recording aired by Al-Jazeera in late October, also said that France's security would be compromised if it does not pull its 3,750 soldiers out of Afghanistan.

France said for the first time Wednesday that it was in touch with the AQIM kidnappers.

"Of course there are all kinds of contact" with the hostage-takers, new Defence Minister Alain Juppe told Europe 1 radio, without giving more details.

"All the (French) authorities, the defence ministry, the foreign ministry, everyone is being extremely vigilant to make the necessary contact," he said.

Asked if the hostages were believed to be safe, Juppe added: "Currently there is every reason to believe they are."

The Rest @ AFP

Swedish al Ansar visitor data

Swedish IP Adress 85.225.42.239 looking for Al Ansar forum (islamist-mujajadeen site)and information about Al Shabaab in Somalia.
19th November 2010 07:02:48

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http://www.google.se/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=13&ved=0CCoQFjACOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshimronletters.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fal-ansar-forum.html&rct=j&q=ansar%20forum&ei=tiDmTMG-FY_rOfyOyLMK&usg=AFQjCNGJ3CR9YqYEfkmJalsSGmN0ciUIeg&sig2=aT35bZkDi00C48z2


85.225.42.239 [Label IP Address]
Country Sweden
Region Ostergotlands Lan
City Linköping
ISP Bredbandsbolaget Ab


19th November 2010 07:02:48 Page View www.google.se/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=13&ved=0CCoQFjACOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshimronletters.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fal-ansar-forum.html&rct=j&q=ansar%20forum&ei=tiDmTMG-FY_rOfyOyLMK&usg=AFQjCNGJ3CR9YqYEfkmJalsSGmN0ciUIeg&sig2=aT35bZkDi00C48z2AOBVew&cad=rjt
shimronletters.blogspot.com/2010/10/al-ansar-forum.html
19th November 2010 07:03:04 Page View shimronletters.blogspot.com/2010/10/al-ansar-forum.html

shimronletters.blogspot.com/search/label/Shabaab
19th November 2010 07:03:09

Page View www.google.se/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=13&ved=0CCoQFjACOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshimronletters.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fal-ansar-forum.html&rct=j&q=ansar%20forum&ei=tiDmTMG-FY_rOfyOyLMK&usg=AFQjCNGJ3CR9YqYEfkmJalsSGmN0ciUIeg&sig2=aT35bZkDi00C48z2AOBVew&cad=rjt

shimronletters.blogspot.com/2010/10/al-ansar-forum.html
19th November 2010 07:03:11 Exit Link http://ansar1.info/showthread.php?s=06104fc025b7e0b307701dec3b7832e3&t=23220


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Al Qaeda Trafficking Drugs to Europe from South America

This is old news to many but there are more detials to this story which are not written about in the following article. Find them here on this site.

Check out Brugges, Belgium airport.

They know tail numbers, flight schedules, and the airports used.

Shimron Issachar

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Officials said U.S. intelligence first spotted AQIM's use of Boeing 727 jets for drug smuggling as early as 2006. They acknowledged that the threat was played down in the U.S. government, particularly by the Homeland Security Department.

AQIM has significantly expanded its use of jets to fly tons of cocaine and weapons to such countries as Mali and Mauritania. Officials said the weapons were used for Al Qaida's war against Algeria and Western interests while the cocaine was meant to finance insurgency operations.

"The planes have been owned by South American smugglers and terrorists, and AQIM operates flights, cargo transfer and smuggling to Europe," the official said. "AQIM could use the planes for their operations once they land in North Africa."

The Rest @ World Tribune

Viktor Bout is In US Custody

By Samuel Rubenfeld

Viktor Bout, the alleged Russian arms dealer whose reported escapades inspired the film “Lord of War,” pleaded not guilty in a New York court to charges that he agreed to supply Colombian terrorists with weapons with the intent to kill Americans.

The plea came only hours after Bout was extradited from Thailand, after two years of legal wrangling. Bout, a former Soviet air force officer, arrived Tuesday night at Westchester County Airport in New York.

Bout runs an air-cargo business that he has said specializes in bringing legitimate cargo into conflict zones, but U.S. authorities labeled him as the world’s most notorious arms dealer for using his business to fly weapons across the world.

Suspected clients include Liberia’s Charles Taylor and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi; Bout’s life was the subject of a bestselling book.

“The so-called ‘Merchant of Death’ is now a federal inmate,” said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara at a press conference, referring to a nickname Bout received for his activity over the years. “No one is beyond the reach of the law.”

At the press conference, Bharara said Bout was secretly recorded advocating that his weapons be used to kill Americans and that he supported FARC’s goals.

He was added to the specially designated nationals list at the Office of Foreign Assets Control in July 2004 for weapons trafficking activity in Liberia, and the indictment says 30 more companies and four individuals linked to him were added in April 2005.

According to the indictment, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency agents, working undercover with confidential sources posing as agents of the Colombian rebel group FARC, convinced Bout to sell them weapons including 700 to 800 surface-to-air missiles, 5,000 AK-47 firearms, unmanned drones and land mines, for the purpose of killing Americans. The conspiracy with the agents lasted from November 2007 through March 2008, when he was arrested at a hotel in Bangkok.

He was charged with conspiring to kill U.S. nationals, conspiracy to kill American officers and employees, conspiring to use and acquire anti-aircraft missiles, and conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted on all four counts, Bout faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, or a minimum of 25 years in prison.

His extradition from Thailand was fought to the end by the Russian government, and it could imperil U.S.-Russian relations. The Russian Foreign Minister called the extradition an “extreme injustice,” saying his government will defend him “by any means.”

Also at the press conference, Bharara announced the guilty plea of Andrew Smulian, who faced the same four counts as Bout’s associate. He agreed to cooperate with the investigation, and faces a maximum of life in prison, or a minimum of 25 years.

“Viktor Bout has been indicted in the United States, but his alleged arms trafficking activity and support of armed conflicts in Africa has been a cause of concern around the world. His extradition is a victory for the rule of law worldwide,” said Attorney General Eric Holder in a statement.

Read the indictment below:

Indictment document

The Rest @ the Wall Street Journal

Viktor Bout Leaves Thailand in US Custody

Published: 16/11/2010 at 02:01 PM
Online news:

Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout left Thailand aboard a US government jet at 1.27pm on Tuesday, police said.

About 50 police, including snipers, were at Don Mueang airport to ensure his extradition was incident free.

The 20-seat plane was also carrying two pilots and six officials from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, according to police.

The Rest @ Bankok Post

Robow and Godane Divided

Opinion by Adan Diini appears propose the idea of a Coup attemp underway by Robow, trying to take over al Shabaab, or creae a breakaway group.....

-Shimron Issachar
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By : Adan Diini

Different sources have confirmed that the most powerful rebel Islamist movement in Somalia (alshabaab) are in the brink of splitting into two rival groups, after sharp dispute broke out between two of their senior leaders who apparently had disputes over power sharing arrangements and the absence of clear Political Strategy within the movement, also disputes concerning allegations of cronyism and misuse of funds have been subsequently reported to be one of the crucial elements of this developing dispute.

According to government security sources, the dispute between the two leaders broke out after mysterious disappearance of senior Al’shabaab military leader believed to be foreigner; sources also suggested that he was killed at the hands of Amniyaat elements of Al’shabaab who took their orders directly from Godane.

According to valuable information conveyed by sources close to the islamists, the recent difference between Sheikh Mukhtar Abu Zubair (.a.k.a Ahmed Godane) and his deputy Sheikh Muktar Roobw Abu Mansur have reached breaking point, which could cause severe implications in cities controlled by the movement such as Kismayo and Baldwine and more importantly the capital Mogadishu.a according to reports Hiiraan (central Somalia) and Lower Juba (South) doubts and tensions are rising among al-shabaab leaders and fighters.

• Gunmen loyal to Shiekh Roobow are reportedly begun to withdraw secretly heading for the areas inhabited by Shiekh Robow’s clan (Rahanwein a.k.a Digil and Mirifle) in Bay & Bakool regions.
• This Step leaves Godne fighters in a dangerous critical condition due to the fact that they haven’t any remaining strongholds other than the Hawiye-clan dominated areas in south and central Somalia and Mogadishu it self.
• The lack of unity among Al'shabaab elements led to the recent Al'shabaaab's remarkable turn-back which can be obviously seen during the ongoing confrontations against the TFG and AMISOM troops in Mogadishu.
• Sources within the ismalists have confirmed that it appears that Al'shabaab fighters are suffering from disorder and uncertainty in thier ranks, thus, they are on defensive position contrary to their known habit in the fighting.

The leaders of Al'shabaab Differed several times since the establishment of the group in late 2007, Close-souces within the islamists are saying that the current dispute revolves around power and alleged systematic negligence by Godane of wounded Ah'shabaab fighters who said to be numbered in hundreds in Mogadishu alone.

This came as a final blow to the already tense relations between them. This controversy threatens to start the end of Al'shabaab Al Mujahedeen Movement as a single united movement.

It is difficult though to end the current dispute without the two leaders weakening each other, which in turn would weaken the unity inside this violent radical movement which refuses to engage in any negotiations with the fragile Somali government.

Ismamists sources whom I spoke with also said that the difference between the two men intensified when unification agreement between the two biggest insurgency groups was canceled unilaterally by Godane and his advisors(mostly forign fighters).

• This unification and standardization agreement was primarily concluded by the leaders of Hizbul-Islaam with Shiekh Roobow representing Al'shabaab's interests in this agreement.
• Under the Canceled agreement new Islamic Party with new name will emerge and Al'shabaab would take the newly formed party presidency position among other important military and financial positions.
• After the unilateral cancellation of the agreement, Sheikh Robow was angered and he was reported once saying that Godane is intended to undermine his influence and popularity among Al'shabaab fighters.

Moreover, new cracks appeared between the two men after Al'shabaab's failure to finish the weak TFG government during the holy month of Ramadan’s fighting (named by al'shabaab leader "The end of the aggressors"), Al'shabaab sent hundreds of fighters to the capital to overthrow the Somali government and force the African Union forces to leave, However, they failed miserably in that.

Powerful sources also confirm that most of the injured or died fighters in this offensive were of Digil & Mirifle Clan (a.k.a Rahanwein), which represents more than 60-70 percent of Al'shabaab's overall combat power, although they do not receive adequate attention.

The Clan's elders asked Sheikh Roobow to explain why their tribes men are in the front lines while most of the senior positions are dominated by people from north of Somalia(Somaliland), and why proper medial treatment is not given to their tribes men when they sustain injuries.

Observers had expected for some time that disagreement between the two men is immanent because of the sharp differences in their personalties, Shiekh Roobow is reportedly liked and admired by most of Al'shabaab fighters, While in contraray Godane is barely known by his fighters as he rarely unveils his face.

And he was never seen engaged in fighting activities along side his fighters. Shiekh Roobow however is well known for his violent adventures in dangerous front lines;

• also he publically enjoys finishing-off wounded government soldiers using small sharp knife he always carries around his whist,
• recently he has sustained minor injuries while engaged in bloody fighting against TFG and AMISOM.

Also in a relevant development, Hizbul-Islaam commander in Mogadishu said that he noticed rising numbers of Al'shabaab fighters trying to leave al'shabaab and asking to join Hizbul-Islaam but their request was rejected by Hizbul-Islaam leaders due to the sophisticated relation ship between the two insurgency groups,

also he suggested that Shiekh roobow's next move could be establishing new alliance with Hawiye-clan to create new Islamist movement which will be totally independent from Al'shabaab influence, also alternatively its very likely that if this disputes are not promptly contained it could lead to golden opportunity for Hizbul Islaam leaders who can use this opportunity to widen their organization at A’shabaab expense.

There are already rapidly spreading rumers in Mogadishu that Sheikh Robow and Shiekh Aweis of Hizbul’islaam have already met and discussed possible unity between their factions to form a large dominant Islamist movement in Somalia.

• It is believed though that the corner stone of this new strategy will be Al’shabaab members who hail from the influential Hawiye Clan.
• If they accept to be fully allied with Shiekh Robow and withdraw their recognition for Godane as the unquestionable leader of al'shabaab, this will accelerate the end of political and military influence of Godane among Al'shabaab fighters.

Shiekh Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansoor is one of the top leaders of Al’shabaab, who had received military training in Al-Qaida and Taliban Camps in the early nineties. he is wanted by the C.I.A and the Ethiopian security for allegedly being involved in various terrorism activities.

He was dismissed from his post as Al’shabaab’s spokes man and was appointed as Sheikh Ahmed Godane’s Deputy although he remained practically inactive. By : Adan Diini adan.diini@gmail.com

AQIM Tries to Reconnect Communication to France

The following was posted on November 1st, 2010, to the Algerian Independant Newspaper El Kabar, and seems to have been immedeately pulled.

It is likely a plant by somone interested in facilitating negotiation between France and AQIM concering ransom for hostages, since recent negotiations between France and AQIM have not gone well.

Mathieu Guidere and the orignial writer of the article could be checked out;

IP records can be tracked back getting access to Google Analytics account
UA-3762523-1 which holds a record of all IP addresses who posted and visited the cache.

Shimron Issachar

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Abu Zeid, also known as Abid Hammadou, who commands one of two squads of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is likely to become the new leader of AQIM after the death of the current leader, namely Abdelmalek Droukdel, alias Abu Musab Abdelouadoud.

“This guy is on the rise,” said Mathieu Guidere, a North African terrorism specialist at the University of Geneva and author of several books on Islamic radicalism.

M.Guidere added that the recent threat of leader of Al-Qaeda Osama Bin Laden against French and European interests, and French ones in particular in the Sahel region, reflects that Bin Laden trust Abu Zeid as a leader.

In this context, the Swiss expert predicts a happy-ending of the French hostage crisis, detained by Abu Zeid in Mali. M. Guidere explained that Islamic Sharia prohibits the execution of hostages in case of the existence of negotiation cannels.

He further indicated that the French hostages are likely to be released by exchanging them with AQIM detainees at Sahel countries, adding that negotiations are to be long.

The Resthref="http://www.elkhabar.com/">El Kabar

Hawiye elders Spokesman Ahmed Diriye Ali