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There are several groups with shabaab in their name claiming to support the revolution in Libya. Keep in mind that "Al shabaab" means "the youths" in Arabic. The Terrorist Group al Shabaab recently in hiding in Somalia, affiliated with al Qaida happened to include that word in their group name.
Those from the Somalia al Shabbab who recently appeared in Libya, for example are not affiliated with a recent Egyptian "al shabaab" group who support "their brothers in Libya and Syria"
-Shimron Issachar
Showing posts with label al shabaab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label al shabaab. Show all posts
Sunday, November 04, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Hammi Feels Threatened by al Shabaab
An American who quickly rose through the ranks in Shabaab, al Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, now says he fears the terror group may kill him.
Omar Hammami, who is also known as Abu Mansour al Amriki ("the American"), released a short, 1:09-minute-long video in which he said he fears Shabaab may kill him due to differences with strategy and the implementation of Islamic law.
Hammani's statement was posted by a jihadist known as "somalimuhajirwarrior," or "foreign Somali warrior," on a YouTube website earlier today, the SITE Intelligence Group reported.
"To whomever it may reach from the Muslims, from Abu Mansour al-Amriki, I record this message today because I feel that my life may be endangered by Harakat Shabaab al-Mujahideen due to some differences that occurred between us regarding matters of the Shariah [Islamic law] and matters of the strategy,"
according to a transcript of the statement that has been provided by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Hammami does not explain the reason for the dispute. Rumors have persisted of divisions in Shabaab over the influence of foreign fighters in the terror group.
The following are the comments posted beneath the video, kept here is as an archive - (sometimes comments disappear from you tube)
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, Fitna is everywhere, also on the Ard ul Izzah, my brother I dont think Mujahideen would kill their own brother only because of differences in opinion or understanding, have sabr and keep trust in Allah. And if they execute you because they have a reason according to Shariah (for example like the execution of Ebuzer in Khurasan) then may Allah accept you from among the Shuhada. "Verily, with hardship there is relief" (Qur'an 94:6)
@caqiidah أخي هناك مقاطع لجورج بوش مركبة هنا على اليوتيوب يقولونه فيها ما لم يقل بصورة فكاهية جدا ,ومن خلال تركيب المقاطع بشكل لا يدعك تشك في أنه هو من قالها , فلن يعجز هؤلاء عن الإتيان بتركيب كلمات الأخ بهذه الصورة مع الحرص على قصرمدة المادة لتقليل احتماليات انكشاف الملعوب. هذا والله أعلم. ALSHAMAQMAQ 1 day ago
And would a true mujahid make a video like this? seems like he doesnt care much for his brothers in somalia who have taken care of him for so long and who have more than enough problems to deal with (kenya, ethiopia, amnisom, the tfg, not to mention their ultimate enemy the US) This video makes it really simple: either the entirety of shabab is with the kuffar or it is just Abu Mansour. i think the latter makes much more sense joerendo3 1 day ago @AbulHarith
14 come on look what happens to everyone he's been around - Saleh Nabhan, Harun Fazul, Bilal Berjawi, many of the mujahiroun from the US... they have all met untimely and very suspicious deaths. how do you think the kuffar finds these people? the kuffar dont have magic, but they do have money for spies. joerendo3 1 day ago
a Akhi, By this video you have singlehandedly managed to tarnish the image of Islam by alleging (without a shred of evidence) that the Mujahideen - the very people who aim to establish the Caiphate - are killers of innocent Muslims simply because you disagree with them on strategy. Wallahi you have bought nothing but sadness to the Muslims with this video while you have made the kuffar greatly rejoice...... May Allah forgive you my Brother! xasan1985 1 day ago
Hammani's statement was posted by a jihadist known as "somalimuhajirwarrior," or "foreign Somali warrior," on a YouTube website earlier today, the SITE Intelligence Group reported.
"To whomever it may reach from the Muslims, from Abu Mansour al-Amriki, I record this message today because I feel that my life may be endangered by Harakat Shabaab al-Mujahideen due to some differences that occurred between us regarding matters of the Shariah [Islamic law] and matters of the strategy,"
according to a transcript of the statement that has been provided by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Hammami does not explain the reason for the dispute. Rumors have persisted of divisions in Shabaab over the influence of foreign fighters in the terror group.
- Shabaab officially merged with al Qaeda in early February after years of operating closely together. Hammami may have been estranged from Shabaab for several months.
- SITE notes that Hammami's "last release, an English-language audio lecture titled, 'Lessons Learned,' released in October 2011, was not issued by the Shabaab's media arm, al-Kata'ib, nor did it appear on Shabaab-affiliated websites, but was instead posted by a member of the Ansar al-Mujahideen English Forum (AMEF)."
- Hammami has served as a military commander, propagandist, "recruitment strategist, and financial manager" for Shabaab, and is closely linked to al Qaeda, according to the US government. Hammami is on the US's list of specially designated global terrorists.
The following are the comments posted beneath the video, kept here is as an archive - (sometimes comments disappear from you tube)
SM is surprised by the video of Abu Mansoor #AlAmriki that surfaced on the internet recently claiming that his life is ‘endangered by HSM.
A formal investigation is just underway and HSM is still attempting to verify the authenticity as well as the motivations behind the video.
We assure our Muslim brothers that #AlAmriki is not endangered by the Mujahideen &our brother still enjoys all the privileges of brotherhood.
HSM Press Office.
Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, Fitna is everywhere, also on the Ard ul Izzah, my brother I dont think Mujahideen would kill their own brother only because of differences in opinion or understanding, have sabr and keep trust in Allah. And if they execute you because they have a reason according to Shariah (for example like the execution of Ebuzer in Khurasan) then may Allah accept you from among the Shuhada. "Verily, with hardship there is relief" (Qur'an 94:6)
@caqiidah أخي هناك مقاطع لجورج بوش مركبة هنا على اليوتيوب يقولونه فيها ما لم يقل بصورة فكاهية جدا ,ومن خلال تركيب المقاطع بشكل لا يدعك تشك في أنه هو من قالها , فلن يعجز هؤلاء عن الإتيان بتركيب كلمات الأخ بهذه الصورة مع الحرص على قصرمدة المادة لتقليل احتماليات انكشاف الملعوب. هذا والله أعلم. ALSHAMAQMAQ 1 day ago
And would a true mujahid make a video like this? seems like he doesnt care much for his brothers in somalia who have taken care of him for so long and who have more than enough problems to deal with (kenya, ethiopia, amnisom, the tfg, not to mention their ultimate enemy the US) This video makes it really simple: either the entirety of shabab is with the kuffar or it is just Abu Mansour. i think the latter makes much more sense joerendo3 1 day ago @AbulHarith
14 come on look what happens to everyone he's been around - Saleh Nabhan, Harun Fazul, Bilal Berjawi, many of the mujahiroun from the US... they have all met untimely and very suspicious deaths. how do you think the kuffar finds these people? the kuffar dont have magic, but they do have money for spies. joerendo3 1 day ago
a Akhi, By this video you have singlehandedly managed to tarnish the image of Islam by alleging (without a shred of evidence) that the Mujahideen - the very people who aim to establish the Caiphate - are killers of innocent Muslims simply because you disagree with them on strategy. Wallahi you have bought nothing but sadness to the Muslims with this video while you have made the kuffar greatly rejoice...... May Allah forgive you my Brother! xasan1985 1 day ago
Monday, March 12, 2012
Al Shabaab Taxes Drug Trafficking, now that Khat is an International Market
nalysts believe that this benign-looking plant popular in the Middle East may be funding the Al Shabaab terrorist organization in southern Somalia.
A very popular narcotic in the Middle East, khat maybe be funding the terrorist organization Al Shabaab in Somalia, CNN reports. Chewing the red stems of Catha edulis produces mild euphoria and an alertness akin to that produced by caffeine, and it is openly and widely use in the Horn of Africa. In Yemen, growing Khat uses more water than the country can afford and takes priority over more sustaining crops. Now Dutch officials are banning khat in the Netherlands, where a large Somali community imports large quantities of the plant from farmers in Meru County, Kenya. Government spokespeople insist that this decision was taken to protect against grave economic, health, and social concerns, but analysts believe that funds generated by the trade are funneled to Al Shabaab and that the Dutch aim to curtail that.
Crippled Kenyan farmers
CNN reports that the pending ban will have a devastating impact on Kenyan farmers. “If the ban is accepted or if it is enforced, the whole Meru county, the economy of the Meru county will be crippled,” Kenyan farmer Edward Mutuura told CNN.
He exports most of his crops to the Nertherlands and worries that the entire population of Meru county will be “totally crippled” if the ban goes through. Emmanuel Kisiangani of the Institute of Security Studies explained to CNN that legitimate business owners export their crops, but people sympathetic to Al Shabaab’s cause send money to them.
Meanwhile, a UN report details how the violent group receives funds by taxing khat that is exported to Somalia. Dutch officials deny any security motivations behind their decision to ban khat, which is illegal in the rest of Europe and the United States. It is still legal in the United Kingdom.
Enabling terror
People who abuse the narcotic are reported to become violent, suicidal, and may even experience manic episodes and hallucinations, and constant users tend to abandon their daily responsibilities, which leads to economic troubles in the home.
Jessica Lincoln and Frans Barnard told CNN that although intelligence agencies suspect links between the international trade of khat and terrorist organizations linked to Al Qaeda, it has proved very difficult to prove since it is hard to trace the money.
But an anti-khat activist based in the UK, Abukar Awale told the paper that Al Shabaab recruits young British addicts to facilitate parts of the multimillion trade and claims that if Britain does not ban imports and sales, they are effectively enabling terror in Somalia.
Tafline Laylin writes for GreenProphet, from where this article is adapted.
The Rest @ Cutting Edge News
A very popular narcotic in the Middle East, khat maybe be funding the terrorist organization Al Shabaab in Somalia, CNN reports. Chewing the red stems of Catha edulis produces mild euphoria and an alertness akin to that produced by caffeine, and it is openly and widely use in the Horn of Africa. In Yemen, growing Khat uses more water than the country can afford and takes priority over more sustaining crops. Now Dutch officials are banning khat in the Netherlands, where a large Somali community imports large quantities of the plant from farmers in Meru County, Kenya. Government spokespeople insist that this decision was taken to protect against grave economic, health, and social concerns, but analysts believe that funds generated by the trade are funneled to Al Shabaab and that the Dutch aim to curtail that.
Crippled Kenyan farmers
CNN reports that the pending ban will have a devastating impact on Kenyan farmers. “If the ban is accepted or if it is enforced, the whole Meru county, the economy of the Meru county will be crippled,” Kenyan farmer Edward Mutuura told CNN.
He exports most of his crops to the Nertherlands and worries that the entire population of Meru county will be “totally crippled” if the ban goes through. Emmanuel Kisiangani of the Institute of Security Studies explained to CNN that legitimate business owners export their crops, but people sympathetic to Al Shabaab’s cause send money to them.
Meanwhile, a UN report details how the violent group receives funds by taxing khat that is exported to Somalia. Dutch officials deny any security motivations behind their decision to ban khat, which is illegal in the rest of Europe and the United States. It is still legal in the United Kingdom.
Enabling terror
People who abuse the narcotic are reported to become violent, suicidal, and may even experience manic episodes and hallucinations, and constant users tend to abandon their daily responsibilities, which leads to economic troubles in the home.
Jessica Lincoln and Frans Barnard told CNN that although intelligence agencies suspect links between the international trade of khat and terrorist organizations linked to Al Qaeda, it has proved very difficult to prove since it is hard to trace the money.
But an anti-khat activist based in the UK, Abukar Awale told the paper that Al Shabaab recruits young British addicts to facilitate parts of the multimillion trade and claims that if Britain does not ban imports and sales, they are effectively enabling terror in Somalia.
Tafline Laylin writes for GreenProphet, from where this article is adapted.
The Rest @ Cutting Edge News
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Al Shabaab Counter Attacks in Kenya
A series of explosions at a bus station in the Kenyan capital Nairobi has killed at least three people and wounded 40 others, the Kenyan Red Cross has said.
The Red Cross reported on its official twitter account that eight out of the 40 injured admitted to hospital on Saturday, are in a critical condition.
Witnesses reported that people in a moving car hurled three grenades at the terminal in Nairobi, Charles Owinom the police spokesman, said. Witnesses told the Reuters news agency they believed there had been up to four blasts, but there was no official confirmation of multiple explosions.
Kenyan police immediately blamed the Somali group al-Shabab for the attacks.
"This is a cowardly act by al-Shabab elements," Charles Owino, police spokesman told reporters at the bus station.
"But we will not relent in the war. We will get them and we will continue with the war."
Kenyan troops are currently fighting the Shebab in neighbouring Somalia. "We can confirm that indeed three people have been killed, 21 injured," he added.
The blasts are the latest in a string of small arms, bomb and grenade attacks that have killed scores of people since Kenya sent troops across the border into neighboring Somalia in October.
During those attacks, grenades were thrown into a bar and another bus station, both not far from the scene of Saturday's attack, killing one person and wounding more than 20.
The Rest @ al Jazera
The Red Cross reported on its official twitter account that eight out of the 40 injured admitted to hospital on Saturday, are in a critical condition.
Witnesses reported that people in a moving car hurled three grenades at the terminal in Nairobi, Charles Owinom the police spokesman, said. Witnesses told the Reuters news agency they believed there had been up to four blasts, but there was no official confirmation of multiple explosions.
Kenyan police immediately blamed the Somali group al-Shabab for the attacks.
"This is a cowardly act by al-Shabab elements," Charles Owino, police spokesman told reporters at the bus station.
"But we will not relent in the war. We will get them and we will continue with the war."
Kenyan troops are currently fighting the Shebab in neighbouring Somalia. "We can confirm that indeed three people have been killed, 21 injured," he added.
The blasts are the latest in a string of small arms, bomb and grenade attacks that have killed scores of people since Kenya sent troops across the border into neighboring Somalia in October.
During those attacks, grenades were thrown into a bar and another bus station, both not far from the scene of Saturday's attack, killing one person and wounding more than 20.
The Rest @ al Jazera
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) based in London warns in a report about a threat to the UK from the so-called ‘lone wolves’ who are terrorists coming back home after fighting together with extremist groups abroad, in particular, in Nigeria,Yemen and Somalia
The report also warns that the UK’s counter-terrorism spending and staffing levels could face serious cuts
after the end of the London-2012 Olympic Games. “Major decisions are being postponed until the event
has ended in August, with an overriding priority to complete the Games without major incident,” RUSI
expert Tobias Feakin says.
The threat from far-right terrorism in the UK is extremely acute at present and this is confirmed by a report
by the Home Affairs Committee of MPs who believe that the government strategy of fighting radicalisation
is neglecting the threat to the UK from extreme far-right terrorist groups with links to similar organizations
in Europe. It is always easy to blame other countries but British authorities should first of all pay attention
to the growth of extremism inside the UK.
Speaking frankly, the authorities themselves put a ‘delay-action mine’ under the UK when, in the
framework of the counter-extremism programme adopted in 2007 by the Labour government, they began
to allocate 63mln pounds annually to support various Muslim groups which were often of dubious origin
and pursued radical aims. It is not a coincidence that in this connection the British capital is often called
Londonistan and a nursery for al-Qaeda personnel.
Last year, the WikiLeaks web site published information that 35 terrorists kept in the notorious US
Guantanamo prison had been sent to fight against the West after being brain-washed by British extremist
preachers.
It is not unlikely that among them were Aby Qatada and Abu Hamza who had been granted the
status of refugees in the UK and lived on state benefits, and later sent dozens of extremists from all over
the world to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
It is unlikely that British authorities and special services were unaware of the true nature of those
‘preachers’ activities. Apparently, they knew everything but took no steps to stop those activities.
Moreover, a large sum of money was paid to Abu Qatada for ‘unfair detention’ in accordance with the
Human Rights Law. The money was provided by British tax-payers who may eventually become victims of
these Islamic extremists.
The Rest @ Vinienco
- .RUSI experts estimate that British citizens make up 25% of all foreign militants fighting in the ranks of the Al Shabaab extremist group.
- They are about 50 people who may soon be able to use their war experience in the streets of British cities.
- RUSI experts warn that the return of these militants from overseas could coincide with the release of people convicted of terrorist charges.
- RUSI director Michael Clark warns that the global recession is also instrumental in causing radical moods in a certain segment of the British society.
The report also warns that the UK’s counter-terrorism spending and staffing levels could face serious cuts
after the end of the London-2012 Olympic Games. “Major decisions are being postponed until the event
has ended in August, with an overriding priority to complete the Games without major incident,” RUSI
expert Tobias Feakin says.
The threat from far-right terrorism in the UK is extremely acute at present and this is confirmed by a report
by the Home Affairs Committee of MPs who believe that the government strategy of fighting radicalisation
is neglecting the threat to the UK from extreme far-right terrorist groups with links to similar organizations
in Europe. It is always easy to blame other countries but British authorities should first of all pay attention
to the growth of extremism inside the UK.
Speaking frankly, the authorities themselves put a ‘delay-action mine’ under the UK when, in the
framework of the counter-extremism programme adopted in 2007 by the Labour government, they began
to allocate 63mln pounds annually to support various Muslim groups which were often of dubious origin
and pursued radical aims. It is not a coincidence that in this connection the British capital is often called
Londonistan and a nursery for al-Qaeda personnel.
Last year, the WikiLeaks web site published information that 35 terrorists kept in the notorious US
Guantanamo prison had been sent to fight against the West after being brain-washed by British extremist
preachers.
It is not unlikely that among them were Aby Qatada and Abu Hamza who had been granted the
status of refugees in the UK and lived on state benefits, and later sent dozens of extremists from all over
the world to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
It is unlikely that British authorities and special services were unaware of the true nature of those
‘preachers’ activities. Apparently, they knew everything but took no steps to stop those activities.
Moreover, a large sum of money was paid to Abu Qatada for ‘unfair detention’ in accordance with the
Human Rights Law. The money was provided by British tax-payers who may eventually become victims of
these Islamic extremists.
The Rest @ Vinienco
Monday, February 06, 2012
Al Shabaab suffers 100 Dead at Dalayat, Southern Somalia
Nairobi — At least 100 fighters including eight top Al-Shabaab commanders have been killed in the latest battle in a town northeast of Badhade, Somalia, officials said on Friday. Military spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said the Kenyan helicopter gunships on Friday hit at Al-Shabaab positions, which included 200 Al-Shabaab fighters, one of the largest concentrations of the Al-Shabaab fighters, killing at least 100 fighters and destroying nine technicals and nine trucks used by the fighters.
He said the Kenyan troops advanced into the town of Badhade and Hayo in Southern Somalia, boosting their chances for a successful battle for the port of Kismayu and the town of Afmadhow, a provincial capital and a key hub of the Al-Shabaab, which is one of the main ultimate targets of the operation. 'The operation is likely to shape the future of the operation,' Major Chirchir said in his official Twitter account, minutes after the air-strikes.
The military said the Al-Shabaab fighters were concentrated in the town of Dalayat, from where its top commanders planned a counter attack on the town of Badhade. Chirchir said,
The Rest @ AllAFrica
He said the Kenyan troops advanced into the town of Badhade and Hayo in Southern Somalia, boosting their chances for a successful battle for the port of Kismayu and the town of Afmadhow, a provincial capital and a key hub of the Al-Shabaab, which is one of the main ultimate targets of the operation. 'The operation is likely to shape the future of the operation,' Major Chirchir said in his official Twitter account, minutes after the air-strikes.
The military said the Al-Shabaab fighters were concentrated in the town of Dalayat, from where its top commanders planned a counter attack on the town of Badhade. Chirchir said,
- 'Al-Shabaab strength (was) estimated at over 200.
- The KDF (Kenya Defense Forces) gunships destroyed Al-Shabaab at Dalayat,' a key transit point from the sea frequently used by the group to re-stock its military supplies.
- The KDF military officials also said other attacks against the Al-Shabaab locations took place at Badhade at around 16:45 East African time and a battle damage assessment was still ongoing.
- Kenyan troops have been on the ground in Somalia since Oct. 16, 2011 against the Al-Shabaab militants, which have been mounting armed incursions into Kenya.
The Rest @ AllAFrica
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
AL Shabaab Kidnapp 5 Teenagers
Afgoye — The Al-Qaeda affiliated militants of Al-shabab in Somalia, have abducted at least five teenagers, among footballers in the town of Afgoye, which is just 30-km south of Mogadishu, witnesses said Saturday.
Reports say fighters loyal to hard-line Al-shabab militants have overnight stormed in houses and villages in Afgoye town in Shabelle region of southern Somalia, arresting five young boys, whom they blame of spying UN-backed Somali government.
Relatives of the abducted teenagers by the militants in the town of Afgoye said, they are concerned about the safety of their boys after being taken forcibly from them by the group. The incident sparked off shock and fears among local teenagers who are living under the rebel-held towns in south-central Somalia.
Al-shabab has not made any comments about the matter so far.
Tagged: Arms and Armies, Children, Conflict, East Africa, Human Rights, Somalia
Reports say fighters loyal to hard-line Al-shabab militants have overnight stormed in houses and villages in Afgoye town in Shabelle region of southern Somalia, arresting five young boys, whom they blame of spying UN-backed Somali government.
Relatives of the abducted teenagers by the militants in the town of Afgoye said, they are concerned about the safety of their boys after being taken forcibly from them by the group. The incident sparked off shock and fears among local teenagers who are living under the rebel-held towns in south-central Somalia.
Al-shabab has not made any comments about the matter so far.
Tagged: Arms and Armies, Children, Conflict, East Africa, Human Rights, Somalia
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Craig Benedict Baxam - His Background
A Laurel man, Craig Benedict Baxam, is accused of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization in Somalia, said the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Craig Benedict Baxam, 24, of Laurel, is accused of attempting to join Al-Shabaab, designated by the U.S. state department as a foreign terrorist organization, after serving in the U.S. Army for four years, including deployment to Iraq.
Baxam, who graduated from Laurel High School in 2005, was stopped in Kenya on Dec. 23, said prosecutors, and sent back to the U.S., where he was arrested Friday.
“I never would have picked him for something like this,” said Laurel High principal Dwayne Jones, who was an assistant principal when Baxam attended the school. “There were some others we worried about. But he was a pretty good student, but quiet.”
Jones said Baxam participated in ROTC and the 2004 “It’s Academic” team, a high school quiz program.
Baxam’s initial appearance in court was held Monday afternoon at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s office declined to give further comment on the case, stating that the investigation is still in its earl
The Rest @ Gazzette Net (Maryland, US)
As of Wednesday, 11 January, a judge ordered him held without bail until Tria.
Craig Benedict Baxam, 24, of Laurel, is accused of attempting to join Al-Shabaab, designated by the U.S. state department as a foreign terrorist organization, after serving in the U.S. Army for four years, including deployment to Iraq.Baxam, who graduated from Laurel High School in 2005, was stopped in Kenya on Dec. 23, said prosecutors, and sent back to the U.S., where he was arrested Friday.
“I never would have picked him for something like this,” said Laurel High principal Dwayne Jones, who was an assistant principal when Baxam attended the school. “There were some others we worried about. But he was a pretty good student, but quiet.”
Jones said Baxam participated in ROTC and the 2004 “It’s Academic” team, a high school quiz program.
- In an affidavit, investigators said that Baxam was traveling to Somalia via Kenya to live under Islamic law and fight to defend Al-Shabaab if it was threatened by Western forces.
- The document also said that Baxam was carrying more than $600 to give as an offering to Al-Shabaab.
- The affidavit said that in interviews in Kenya, Baxam told investigators that he knew Al-Shabaab was a designated terrorist organization, and that he was prepared to spend the rest of his life in jail.
Baxam’s initial appearance in court was held Monday afternoon at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s office declined to give further comment on the case, stating that the investigation is still in its earl
The Rest @ Gazzette Net (Maryland, US)
As of Wednesday, 11 January, a judge ordered him held without bail until Tria.
Craig Benedict Baxam, Ex US Soldier, Arrested in Kenya While trying to Join al Shabaab
Seven foreigners including a former US soldier have been arrested in Kenya in the last two weeks over links to Al-Shabaab on December 23rd, 2011..
A British national, Mr Jermaine Grant was also charged at a Mombasa court for being in illegal possession of explosive materials.
Mr Kiraithe said that police were on the trail of 10 Shabaab members who they believed were planning deadly attacks in Kenya.
"There are so many people who have had contact with Al-Shabaab in the past and changed. But the 10 are dangerous."
The spokesman spoke amid reports of an impending terror attack that was spread through SMS. Mr Kiraithe said the SMS is neither from the UN or the police and termed it as fake. Meanwhile, Kenyan troops yesterday killed six Al-Shabaab fighters as they intensified the military operation to dismantle the militant group.One Kenyan soldier was killed in the operation and two others sustained injuries.
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) reported that they encountered the militants as they conducted routine patrols between Tabda and Beles Qooqani, two towns which used to be Al-Shabaab bases but have since been captured by the Kenyan troops.
"Other militants escaped with injuries and are likely to seek medical attention at nearby refugee camps," says a statement signed by the military spokesman, Major Emmanuel Chirchir.
Al-Shabaab however boasted that they had killed seven Kenyan soldiers and destroyed two armoured personnel carriers belonging to KDF.
Peter Leftie, Patrick Mayoyo and Fred Mukinda
The Rest @ AllAfrica.com
- Kenyan soldiers also killed six of the militants in Somalia on Tuesday.
- The seven were arrested as they tried to enter Somalia to join the militant group for training.
- Other suspects were from other European countries, said police spokesman Eric Kiraithe.
- Mr Craig Benedict Baxam, the ex-US soldier was charged in an American court on Monday with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group, CNN reported.
- The TV station said he was arrested by Kenyan authorities on December 23.
A British national, Mr Jermaine Grant was also charged at a Mombasa court for being in illegal possession of explosive materials.
Mr Kiraithe said that police were on the trail of 10 Shabaab members who they believed were planning deadly attacks in Kenya.
"There are so many people who have had contact with Al-Shabaab in the past and changed. But the 10 are dangerous."
The spokesman spoke amid reports of an impending terror attack that was spread through SMS. Mr Kiraithe said the SMS is neither from the UN or the police and termed it as fake. Meanwhile, Kenyan troops yesterday killed six Al-Shabaab fighters as they intensified the military operation to dismantle the militant group.One Kenyan soldier was killed in the operation and two others sustained injuries.
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) reported that they encountered the militants as they conducted routine patrols between Tabda and Beles Qooqani, two towns which used to be Al-Shabaab bases but have since been captured by the Kenyan troops.
"Other militants escaped with injuries and are likely to seek medical attention at nearby refugee camps," says a statement signed by the military spokesman, Major Emmanuel Chirchir.
Al-Shabaab however boasted that they had killed seven Kenyan soldiers and destroyed two armoured personnel carriers belonging to KDF.
Peter Leftie, Patrick Mayoyo and Fred Mukinda
The Rest @ AllAfrica.com
Saturday, January 07, 2012
al-Kataib's New Media Mouth Piece in Somalia
militant Islamist group in Somalia that has declared its allegiance to al-Qa'ida is using a young British man to file video propaganda from the front lines of the country's civil war to try to draw English-speaking Muslims to the Horn of Africa for jihad, The Independent can reveal.
The man, who remains masked throughout his videos, speaks in fluent English with a clear London accent and presents breathless reports of battles that the militant groups have fought against Somali government and foreign forces.
Intelligence sources and terrorism experts believe the man was either born in Britain or spent considerable time here and that he may have even had some media training before heading abroad to join the militant network.
The Independent has collected at least three videos in which the man features.
The documentaries – which were all released through Shabaab's media wing al-Kataib Foundation the – are a vivid example of the slick propaganda now being produced by violent Islamists in the Horn of Africa and their determination to turn the area into a new base for international jihadists.
Britain has become so concerned about the deteriorating security situation inside Somalia that it has convened a summit for February to discuss what to do about the failed state. MI5 head Jonathan Evans has repeatedly warned that the Horn of Africa has become the second most popular terrorist training ground after Pakistan with Brits of Somali, Pakistani, Yemeni, Bangladeshi and North African heritage flocking there.
Whitehall sources believe that there are between three to four people working full time on Shabaab's media wing, one of whom is a Yemeni who previously worked with al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula. A second individual is a British Pakistani – thought to be the reporter who appears in the videos.
The group's latest output represents a tactical shift in the way militant networks are producing their propaganda in that the more recent productions are presented as objective news reports, mimicking the way mainstream news organisations present information.
The Independent sought comment from al-Shabaab through an email account known to be used by the militants for international inquiries.
In a statement the group said their aim was to inspire Muslims in the West: "We are not able to reveal the identity or nom de guerre of the person in question but the aim of our English documentaries is quite simple. With most journalists serving merely as subservient vessels at the hands of warmongers and politicians, the purpose of the Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen's documentary films is to reveal the reality of the current warfare in Somalia to the world and, in particular, to the Muslims living in the Western world."
The statement added: "It is our hope that these English documentaries will enlighten the Muslims by illuminating the reality of the so-called war on terror and help further elucidate the events as they really are on the ground –not as they are erroneously portrayed in the western media."
Shabaab are a brutal off-shoot of the comparatively moderate Islamic Courts Union which brought a semblance of calm to Somalia after 20 years of fighting but was thrown out of in 2006 following a US-backed invasion by Ethiopian troops.
The militant group controls large tracts of southern Somalia and has fought a vicious insurgency against the country's beleaguered and highly unpopular transitional government whose writ extends little further than the capital Mogadishu. They promote a draconian interpretation of Sharia law and have pledged allegiance to al-Qa'ida and its philosophy of waging violent jihad to establish a global Islamic caliphate.
After withdrawing their fighters from the capital in August, they have shifted to more asymmetric tactics such as suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices. A spate of kidnappings hit northern Kenya prompting Nairobi to invade from the south claiming that they would eradicate Shabaab. Ethiopia's military has invaded once more from the north but there has been little sign so far of any palpable military successes against the militants who have called on help in repelling "infidel crusaders".
Fearing Somalia is becoming a new gathering point for international jihadists, the United States has increased drone strikes within the Horn of Africa operating out of bases in Djibouti, southern Ethiopia and the Seychelles.
The exact number of foreign fighters within Shabaab's ranks is currently unknown but western intelligence agencies have watched with alarm as both hardened veterans and new foreign recruits have flocked to the area.
Abdirhman Haji Abdullah, the father of the Somali-British man, gave an interview to BBC Somali in which he claimed his son had been "brainwashed".
"My son was misled into believing that he was fighting in a holy war," he said. "He was brainwashed and taken away from us and he was told that he was going to fight a holy war in Somalia."
The pair were arrested and returned to Britain only because Mr Abdullah went after his son and alerted the authorities.
Intelligence analysts have commented that Somalia has become an attractive destination for international militants because it is much easier to infiltrate than other militant strongholds such as Iraq, the Afghan-Pakistan border and Yemen. Shabaab's increasingly sophisticated propaganda releases, meanwhile, have coincided with the arrival of international jihadists and much of the output from al-Kataib is now squarely aimed at recruiting fighters from overseas.
Earlier this month the group even appeared on Twitter with an account that has been used to release passport photos of slain African Union troops and taunt the Kenyan military with jibes.
Shabaab has made no secret of its desire to welcome foreign fighters. One recent video features masked militants speaking in an array of languages including English, Swahili, Swedish and Urdu. One fighter, who uses the nom de guerre Abu Dujana, claims he is British and speaks with a heavy London accent. Sitting on a white beach, he calls on Muslims "that are living in the lands of disbelief, the lands of oppression, to (migrate) to the land of glory, to the land of (power) to the land of jihad."
The militant group has also released a number of rap-songs by Omar Hammami, a middle class American with Syrian parentage from Alabama who became increasingly devout and travelled to Somalia for jihad. Within jihadi circles he is known as and is frequently lauded by militants as an example that western Muslims should follow.
Following the death of Osama bin Laden, Hammami Abu Mansour al-Amriki , appeared in a video alongside senior Shabaab leaders and read a speech to honour the slain al-Qa'ida founder
Roger Middleton, an expert on Somalia at Chatham House, said he believed Shabaab's use of a British journalist to present their side of the conflict is part of a wider strategy to encourage recruits from the West.
"This guy is turning up more and more often in Shabaab releases," he said. "It's difficult to gauge what kind of effect he has had.
The Rest @ Terror Free Somalia
The man, who remains masked throughout his videos, speaks in fluent English with a clear London accent and presents breathless reports of battles that the militant groups have fought against Somali government and foreign forces.
Intelligence sources and terrorism experts believe the man was either born in Britain or spent considerable time here and that he may have even had some media training before heading abroad to join the militant network.
The Independent has collected at least three videos in which the man features.
- The first – which runs for 11 minutes and is titled "African Crusaders" – was released in June 2010 and only contains the man's voice.
- A second 21 minute long video – "Mogadishu – the Crusader's Graveyard" – was released a month later and shows the young reporter appearing with his face covered in front of burning tank that he claims was destroyed by Islamist fighters.
- He disappeared from Al Shabaab propaganda videos until October this year (2011) when he returned with a new documentary called "Battle for Deyniile – the Burundian Bloodbath". The 33-minute report features footage from the front lines of a recent battle between militants and African Union peacekeepers on the outskirts of Mogadishu in which a number of AU troops were known to have perished. Shabaab fighters display the uniformed corpses of at least twenty fighters that they claimed belonged to the Ugandan and Burundian peacekeeping forces currently in control of central Mogadishu.
The documentaries – which were all released through Shabaab's media wing al-Kataib Foundation the – are a vivid example of the slick propaganda now being produced by violent Islamists in the Horn of Africa and their determination to turn the area into a new base for international jihadists.
Britain has become so concerned about the deteriorating security situation inside Somalia that it has convened a summit for February to discuss what to do about the failed state. MI5 head Jonathan Evans has repeatedly warned that the Horn of Africa has become the second most popular terrorist training ground after Pakistan with Brits of Somali, Pakistani, Yemeni, Bangladeshi and North African heritage flocking there.
Whitehall sources believe that there are between three to four people working full time on Shabaab's media wing, one of whom is a Yemeni who previously worked with al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula. A second individual is a British Pakistani – thought to be the reporter who appears in the videos.
The group's latest output represents a tactical shift in the way militant networks are producing their propaganda in that the more recent productions are presented as objective news reports, mimicking the way mainstream news organisations present information.
- "Instead of featuring a field commander what we're seeing is supposedly a journalist reporting the facts on the ground in a dispassionate way whilst manipulating the narrative to his group's advantage," said Bruce Hoffman, a leading expert on Islamist terrorism at the University of Georgetown.
- "You wouldn't put Shabaab in the top bracket within the pantheon of terror groups when it comes to strategies or tactics. But their communication techniques are highly sophisticated."
The Independent sought comment from al-Shabaab through an email account known to be used by the militants for international inquiries.
In a statement the group said their aim was to inspire Muslims in the West: "We are not able to reveal the identity or nom de guerre of the person in question but the aim of our English documentaries is quite simple. With most journalists serving merely as subservient vessels at the hands of warmongers and politicians, the purpose of the Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen's documentary films is to reveal the reality of the current warfare in Somalia to the world and, in particular, to the Muslims living in the Western world."
The statement added: "It is our hope that these English documentaries will enlighten the Muslims by illuminating the reality of the so-called war on terror and help further elucidate the events as they really are on the ground –not as they are erroneously portrayed in the western media."
Shabaab are a brutal off-shoot of the comparatively moderate Islamic Courts Union which brought a semblance of calm to Somalia after 20 years of fighting but was thrown out of in 2006 following a US-backed invasion by Ethiopian troops.
The militant group controls large tracts of southern Somalia and has fought a vicious insurgency against the country's beleaguered and highly unpopular transitional government whose writ extends little further than the capital Mogadishu. They promote a draconian interpretation of Sharia law and have pledged allegiance to al-Qa'ida and its philosophy of waging violent jihad to establish a global Islamic caliphate.
After withdrawing their fighters from the capital in August, they have shifted to more asymmetric tactics such as suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices. A spate of kidnappings hit northern Kenya prompting Nairobi to invade from the south claiming that they would eradicate Shabaab. Ethiopia's military has invaded once more from the north but there has been little sign so far of any palpable military successes against the militants who have called on help in repelling "infidel crusaders".
Fearing Somalia is becoming a new gathering point for international jihadists, the United States has increased drone strikes within the Horn of Africa operating out of bases in Djibouti, southern Ethiopia and the Seychelles.
The exact number of foreign fighters within Shabaab's ranks is currently unknown but western intelligence agencies have watched with alarm as both hardened veterans and new foreign recruits have flocked to the area.
- In early October two 18-year-old Brits from Cardiff were arrested on the Kenya-Somalia border in what the Kenyan police claimed was an attempt to join up with Shabaab militants.
- One of the teens was of Somali extraction, whilst his friend was believed to be British-Pakistani.
Abdirhman Haji Abdullah, the father of the Somali-British man, gave an interview to BBC Somali in which he claimed his son had been "brainwashed".
"My son was misled into believing that he was fighting in a holy war," he said. "He was brainwashed and taken away from us and he was told that he was going to fight a holy war in Somalia."
The pair were arrested and returned to Britain only because Mr Abdullah went after his son and alerted the authorities.
Intelligence analysts have commented that Somalia has become an attractive destination for international militants because it is much easier to infiltrate than other militant strongholds such as Iraq, the Afghan-Pakistan border and Yemen. Shabaab's increasingly sophisticated propaganda releases, meanwhile, have coincided with the arrival of international jihadists and much of the output from al-Kataib is now squarely aimed at recruiting fighters from overseas.
Earlier this month the group even appeared on Twitter with an account that has been used to release passport photos of slain African Union troops and taunt the Kenyan military with jibes.
Shabaab has made no secret of its desire to welcome foreign fighters. One recent video features masked militants speaking in an array of languages including English, Swahili, Swedish and Urdu. One fighter, who uses the nom de guerre Abu Dujana, claims he is British and speaks with a heavy London accent. Sitting on a white beach, he calls on Muslims "that are living in the lands of disbelief, the lands of oppression, to (migrate) to the land of glory, to the land of (power) to the land of jihad."
The militant group has also released a number of rap-songs by Omar Hammami, a middle class American with Syrian parentage from Alabama who became increasingly devout and travelled to Somalia for jihad. Within jihadi circles he is known as and is frequently lauded by militants as an example that western Muslims should follow.
Following the death of Osama bin Laden, Hammami Abu Mansour al-Amriki , appeared in a video alongside senior Shabaab leaders and read a speech to honour the slain al-Qa'ida founder
Roger Middleton, an expert on Somalia at Chatham House, said he believed Shabaab's use of a British journalist to present their side of the conflict is part of a wider strategy to encourage recruits from the West.
"This guy is turning up more and more often in Shabaab releases," he said. "It's difficult to gauge what kind of effect he has had.
- The general consensus is that the number of British Somalis heading to join Shabaab are in their tens rather than their hundreds. But you do hear stories within the Somali community of young men just disappearing and the family later finding out that they have been killed fighting for Shabaab."
The Rest @ Terror Free Somalia
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Al Shabaab Driven from Beledweyne Near Ethiopian Border
Ethiopian troops and Somali government forces have seized control of a key rebel-held town in Somalia after battling al-Qaida-linked militants.
Somali officials say the fighting began early Saturday after Ethiopian and Somali forces attacked positions held by al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, fighters on the outskirts of Beledweyne, about 30 kilometers from the Ethiopian border.
A resident of Beledweyne told the French news agency that 18 people, most of them militants, died in the fighting.
But al-Shabab denied it was defeated and said many Ethiopian troops were killed in the clashes. The militant group said it carried out a planned withdrawal from Beledweyne after the fighting.
Saturday's assault on Beledweyne marks the third location in Somalia where militants have been challenged. Control of the town has changed hands often in recent months as different militias push to seize control of it.
African Union troops have mostly forced al-Shabab out of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and Kenyan troops are battling militants in the south.
Somalia has been mired in anarchy since warlords toppled military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Somali officials say the fighting began early Saturday after Ethiopian and Somali forces attacked positions held by al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, fighters on the outskirts of Beledweyne, about 30 kilometers from the Ethiopian border.
A resident of Beledweyne told the French news agency that 18 people, most of them militants, died in the fighting.
But al-Shabab denied it was defeated and said many Ethiopian troops were killed in the clashes. The militant group said it carried out a planned withdrawal from Beledweyne after the fighting.
Saturday's assault on Beledweyne marks the third location in Somalia where militants have been challenged. Control of the town has changed hands often in recent months as different militias push to seize control of it.
African Union troops have mostly forced al-Shabab out of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and Kenyan troops are battling militants in the south.
Somalia has been mired in anarchy since warlords toppled military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Scotland Yard to Work With Kenya Investigating Al Shabaab Terror Network
London — A team from the Scotland Yard has been sent to help Kenyan authorities investigate a terror network after a British national was arrested on allegations that he is an explosives expert for the Somali militant group al-Shabaab.
Kenyan police arrested the suspect, who has not been named, in the coastal city of Mombasa, last week. Seven other suspects were also arrested and accused of plotting to carry out attacks in Kenya during the holiday season, a peak time for tourism in the country.
Kenya's anti-terrorism police reportedly raided the suspect's house and seized material and chemicals used for making explosives, including dynamite, detonators and timers, according to the Daily Nation, which first reported the involvement of Scotland Yard.
Police officers also questioned the suspect's wife, a Kenyan of Somali origin.
A Kenyan police spokesman told The Daily Telegraph the name of the suspect was being withheld until Kenyan and British investigators synchronise the case.
Foreign Office sources told The Telegraph that a Briton was "involved" with a group of individuals found with bomb-making equipment in Mombassa. They could not confirm whether the individual was in Kenyan custody.
Scotland Yard sources said a team from the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command had already arrived in Kenya to help the local police.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "British counter-terrorism officials have offered assistance to the Kenyans in this case and a team from the Metropolitan Police is deploying to Kenya to assist in the investigation."
MI5 and MI6 have become aware of an increasing number of young British men arriving in the East African country in order to cross the porous land border into Somalia.
In Somalia they have been joining up with the al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabaab and there have been concerns that they could return to Britain to launch suicide attacks.
Three suspected British al-Shabaab members who had arrived in Kenya through Mombasa were arrested in Garissa County in the North East of the country in May.
The three men were of Bangladeshi origin but holding British passports, according to reports.
The Rest @ AllAfrica.com
Kenyan police arrested the suspect, who has not been named, in the coastal city of Mombasa, last week. Seven other suspects were also arrested and accused of plotting to carry out attacks in Kenya during the holiday season, a peak time for tourism in the country.
Kenya's anti-terrorism police reportedly raided the suspect's house and seized material and chemicals used for making explosives, including dynamite, detonators and timers, according to the Daily Nation, which first reported the involvement of Scotland Yard.
Police officers also questioned the suspect's wife, a Kenyan of Somali origin.
A Kenyan police spokesman told The Daily Telegraph the name of the suspect was being withheld until Kenyan and British investigators synchronise the case.
Foreign Office sources told The Telegraph that a Briton was "involved" with a group of individuals found with bomb-making equipment in Mombassa. They could not confirm whether the individual was in Kenyan custody.
Scotland Yard sources said a team from the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command had already arrived in Kenya to help the local police.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "British counter-terrorism officials have offered assistance to the Kenyans in this case and a team from the Metropolitan Police is deploying to Kenya to assist in the investigation."
MI5 and MI6 have become aware of an increasing number of young British men arriving in the East African country in order to cross the porous land border into Somalia.
In Somalia they have been joining up with the al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabaab and there have been concerns that they could return to Britain to launch suicide attacks.
Three suspected British al-Shabaab members who had arrived in Kenya through Mombasa were arrested in Garissa County in the North East of the country in May.
The three men were of Bangladeshi origin but holding British passports, according to reports.
The Rest @ AllAfrica.com
Al Shabaab Arrests Elders in Bardhere Town in Gedo
Bardhere — The Al-Qaeda inspired militants of Al-shabab have early morning on Thursday detained a number of prominent elders in Gedo province southern strongholds of Somalia, according to witnesses and residents.
The Rest by the Shabelle Media Network. @AllAfrica.com
- Local residents indicated that Al-shabab fighters seized several elders, including a well-known community chief from their houses in their strong held-Bardhere town in Gedo region, which is located close to Somalia's border with neighboring Kenya.
- Mahamud Arahay, one of the intellectuals in Somalia's southern Gedo region confirmed to Shabelle Media in Mogadishu by the telephone, that elders were arrested by Al-shabab militants, while they were departing to El-gadud village in the same region, he added the reason behind the arrests is unclear so far.
- "The imprisoned local elders are not absolutely involved the country's politics or link with one of power struggling sides, they are impartial peace lovers and this is a part of problems against civilians committed in by Al-shabab fighters." Mr.Arahay.
- Al-shabab fighters have not yet commented about the arrests in Gedo region of Somalia.
The Rest by the Shabelle Media Network. @AllAfrica.com
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Accordidng to al Shabaab, the Qur'an sanctions sex with captive and slave women: "And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you" (4:24). They see this is Sharia law.
MOGADISHU, Somalia — The girl’s voice dropped to a hush as she remembered the bright, sunny afternoon when she stepped out of her hut and saw her best friend buried in the sand, up to her neck.
Her friend had made the mistake of refusing to marry a Shabab commander. Now she was about to get her head bashed in, rock by rock.
“You’re next,” the Shabab warned the girl, a frail 17-year-old who was living with her brother in a squalid refugee camp.
Several months later, the men came back. Five militants burst into her hut, pinned her down and gang-raped her, she said. They claimed to be on a jihad, or holy war, and any resistance was considered a crime against Islam, punishable by death.
“I’ve had some very bad dreams about these men,” she said, having recently escaped the area they control. “I don’t know what religion they are.”
Somalia has been steadily worn down by decades of conflict and chaos, its cities in ruins and its people starving. Just this year, tens of thousands have died from famine, with countless others cut down in relentless combat. Now Somalis face yet another widespread terror: an alarming increase in rapes and sexual abuse of women and girls.
The Shabab militant group, which presents itself as a morally righteous rebel force and the defender of pure Islam, is seizing women and girls as spoils of war, gang-raping and abusing them as part of its reign of terror in southern Somalia, according to victims, aid workers and United Nations officials. Short of cash and losing ground, the militants are also forcing families to hand over girls for arranged marriages that often last no more than a few weeks and are essentially sexual slavery, a cheap way to bolster their ranks’ flagging morale. [...]
Somalia is a deeply traditional place, where 98 percent of girls are subject to genital cutting, according to United Nations figures. Most girls are illiterate and relegated to their homes. When they venture out, it is usually to work, trudging through the rubble-strewn alleyways wrapped head to toe in thick black cloth, often lugging something on their back, the equatorial sun burning down on them. [...]
At the same time, aid workers and United Nations officials say the Shabab, who are fighting Somalia’s transitional government and imposing a harsh version of Islam in the areas they control, can no longer pay their several thousand fighters the way they used to. Much as they seize crops and livestock, giving their militants what they call “temporary wives” is how the Shabab keep many young men fighting for them.
But these are hardly marriages, said Sheik Mohamed Farah Ali, a former Shabab commander who defected to the government army.
“There’s no cleric, no ceremony, nothing,” he said, adding that Shabab fighters had even paired up with thin little girls as young as 12, who are left torn and incontinent afterward. If a girl refuses, he said, “she’s killed by stones or bullets.” [...]
“You have no idea how difficult it is for them to come forward,” she said. “There’s no justice here, no protection. People say, ‘You’re junk’ if you’ve been raped.”...
The Rest @ NY Times
MOGADISHU, Somalia — The girl’s voice dropped to a hush as she remembered the bright, sunny afternoon when she stepped out of her hut and saw her best friend buried in the sand, up to her neck.
Her friend had made the mistake of refusing to marry a Shabab commander. Now she was about to get her head bashed in, rock by rock.
“You’re next,” the Shabab warned the girl, a frail 17-year-old who was living with her brother in a squalid refugee camp.
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
Published: December 27, 2011 in the NY Times
Several months later, the men came back. Five militants burst into her hut, pinned her down and gang-raped her, she said. They claimed to be on a jihad, or holy war, and any resistance was considered a crime against Islam, punishable by death.
“I’ve had some very bad dreams about these men,” she said, having recently escaped the area they control. “I don’t know what religion they are.”
Somalia has been steadily worn down by decades of conflict and chaos, its cities in ruins and its people starving. Just this year, tens of thousands have died from famine, with countless others cut down in relentless combat. Now Somalis face yet another widespread terror: an alarming increase in rapes and sexual abuse of women and girls.
The Shabab militant group, which presents itself as a morally righteous rebel force and the defender of pure Islam, is seizing women and girls as spoils of war, gang-raping and abusing them as part of its reign of terror in southern Somalia, according to victims, aid workers and United Nations officials. Short of cash and losing ground, the militants are also forcing families to hand over girls for arranged marriages that often last no more than a few weeks and are essentially sexual slavery, a cheap way to bolster their ranks’ flagging morale. [...]
Somalia is a deeply traditional place, where 98 percent of girls are subject to genital cutting, according to United Nations figures. Most girls are illiterate and relegated to their homes. When they venture out, it is usually to work, trudging through the rubble-strewn alleyways wrapped head to toe in thick black cloth, often lugging something on their back, the equatorial sun burning down on them. [...]
At the same time, aid workers and United Nations officials say the Shabab, who are fighting Somalia’s transitional government and imposing a harsh version of Islam in the areas they control, can no longer pay their several thousand fighters the way they used to. Much as they seize crops and livestock, giving their militants what they call “temporary wives” is how the Shabab keep many young men fighting for them.
But these are hardly marriages, said Sheik Mohamed Farah Ali, a former Shabab commander who defected to the government army.
“There’s no cleric, no ceremony, nothing,” he said, adding that Shabab fighters had even paired up with thin little girls as young as 12, who are left torn and incontinent afterward. If a girl refuses, he said, “she’s killed by stones or bullets.” [...]
“You have no idea how difficult it is for them to come forward,” she said. “There’s no justice here, no protection. People say, ‘You’re junk’ if you’ve been raped.”...
The Rest @ NY Times
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Al Shabaab Money Laundering Results in the Closing of Hawala in the US
Nairobi — Humanitarian groups in Somalia have raised the red flag as foreign banks prepare to pull out of money transfer business as the world seeks to paralyse Al-Shabaab operations.
Franklin Bank -- the last of the US financial institutions in the unregulated money transfer business (hawala) in Somalia -- plans to suspend money wiring services this week, putting at stake millions of dollars remitted from abroad.
Last week, Oxfam Group and the American Refugee Committee said the decision would disrupt aid from family members and well-wishers abroad, affecting 250,000 Somalis in need of urgent life-saving assistance.
"This is the worst time for this service to stop. Any gaps with remittance flows in the middle of the famine could be disastrous," Shannon Scribner, Oxfam America's humanitarian policy manager, said, adding that the $100 million in worth of remittances from US that is received each year in Somalia will be affected.
Franklin took the decision two weeks ago to ditch hawala, an unregulated money transfer service, at the end of this month saying it violates US counterterrorism financing regulations crafted after the September 11, 2001 al-Qaida bombings.
"The US government should give assurances to the bank that there will be no legal ramifications of providing this service to Somalis in need," Ms Scribner said. Under hawala which is widely practised in Islamic countries, a recipient simply claims money from a broker in home city on promise that the sender has deposited similar amount with another hawala broker abroad.
This way, currency worth billions of shillings is exchanged across borders without any documentation as the parties rely on trust embedded in Islamic law to conduct the business.In war-torn Somalia where many residents do not have bank accounts, hawala services have thrived.
In Nairobi, the growing number of hawala merchants in Eastleigh estate is seen as the channel through which billions of shillings sent by Somalis living in the diaspora has found its way into Kenya's real-estate segment.
The Rest @ AllAfrica
Franklin Bank -- the last of the US financial institutions in the unregulated money transfer business (hawala) in Somalia -- plans to suspend money wiring services this week, putting at stake millions of dollars remitted from abroad.
Last week, Oxfam Group and the American Refugee Committee said the decision would disrupt aid from family members and well-wishers abroad, affecting 250,000 Somalis in need of urgent life-saving assistance.
"This is the worst time for this service to stop. Any gaps with remittance flows in the middle of the famine could be disastrous," Shannon Scribner, Oxfam America's humanitarian policy manager, said, adding that the $100 million in worth of remittances from US that is received each year in Somalia will be affected.
Franklin took the decision two weeks ago to ditch hawala, an unregulated money transfer service, at the end of this month saying it violates US counterterrorism financing regulations crafted after the September 11, 2001 al-Qaida bombings.
"The US government should give assurances to the bank that there will be no legal ramifications of providing this service to Somalis in need," Ms Scribner said. Under hawala which is widely practised in Islamic countries, a recipient simply claims money from a broker in home city on promise that the sender has deposited similar amount with another hawala broker abroad.
This way, currency worth billions of shillings is exchanged across borders without any documentation as the parties rely on trust embedded in Islamic law to conduct the business.In war-torn Somalia where many residents do not have bank accounts, hawala services have thrived.
In Nairobi, the growing number of hawala merchants in Eastleigh estate is seen as the channel through which billions of shillings sent by Somalis living in the diaspora has found its way into Kenya's real-estate segment.
The Rest @ AllAfrica
Friday, December 09, 2011
Kenya's Soldiers in Somalia Facing Battle-Hardened al Shabaab, but Make progress
The number of casualties is on the rise as Kenya-backed Transitional Federal Government troops and al Shabaab militias battle for control of large swathes of lawless Somalia. The Garissa District Hospital has admitted 128 injured TFG solders since Operation Linda Nchi was launched in mid October.
Multiple sources confirmed the soldiers have, mainly, gunshot wounds and burns from explosives. “These people came to the hospital in very bad conditions from bullet wounds, burns and deep head cuts, injuries consistent with a situation of fierce gun fighting, use of explosives and other weapons between the TFG solders and the al Shabaab,” one of the sources said. Critically injured troops are flown to Mombasa or Nairobi for special care.
Because of the rising numbers, Kenya Army doctors have fashioned out a wing at the district hospital for the foreign soldiers injured in Somalia. The separate and isolated wing has been established to shield the men from public view because many in Garissa are not comfortable with the high security mounted at the hospital by the army in and outside the hospital. Over 54 TFG soldiers were injured during the deadly one-on-one fight on Monday while over 30 al Shabaab fighters were injured in the clash and taken to Mareray and Afmadhow hospitals for treatment.
According to the Kenyan military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir, out of the 54 injured TFG soldiers, 25 were airlifted to Garissa for treatment. "The attack in Hayo in Central Sector marks the deadliest one on one engagement between TFG and Al Shabaab. In the TFG 11 died, 54 injured, 25 of those injured were airlifted to Garissa and Nairobi for treatment. Over 40 Al Shabaab dead and many more injured. The KDF on 5 December 2011 hit two al Shabaab camps in Afmadhow," Chirchir said on Monday.
Garissa District Hospital has been receiving most of the casualties from from both the Kenyan Defence Forces and the TFG soldiers from the fighting in Somalia against al Shabaab. The injured soldiers are being treated by doctors from the Kenyan military who have established centres and wards at the hospital which is reportedly overwhelmed by the injured. The Shabaab have deployed more fighters in Mogadishu following a spate of bomb explosions in central Mogadishu some of which have been claimed by the al Qaeda-linked group.
More al Shabaab fighters have been deployed in Mogadishu's Baklad area in the middle Shabelle and through Heliwaa in Banadir area while the fighting has been reported in Karan and Huriwa areas of the city. Several TFG soldiers were reportedly injured during an attack by al Shabaab in Mogadishu's Holwadag junction.
Meanwhile, the newly relaunched al Shabaab has now taken its battle to Twitter after opening an account to counter the Kenyan military. The insurgents yesterday began tweeting @HSMPRess where the Harakat Al Shabaab Al Mujahideen press office is now sending tweets. Maj Chirchir on Monday said the group is likely to split into two with one group, Imaarat Islamiya, led by one Muktar. "Al Shabaab likey to split into two ... watch out for Imaarat Islamiya ... Muktar likely to lead the faction," Chirchir tweeted then.
Recent tweets:
Al-Shabaab:@HSMPress: We hereby clarify that we do not recognize the United Nations, or any of its institutions and affiliates, as legitimate authorities
BY DOMINIC WABALA
The Rest @ Blog Foreign Policy
Multiple sources confirmed the soldiers have, mainly, gunshot wounds and burns from explosives. “These people came to the hospital in very bad conditions from bullet wounds, burns and deep head cuts, injuries consistent with a situation of fierce gun fighting, use of explosives and other weapons between the TFG solders and the al Shabaab,” one of the sources said. Critically injured troops are flown to Mombasa or Nairobi for special care.
Because of the rising numbers, Kenya Army doctors have fashioned out a wing at the district hospital for the foreign soldiers injured in Somalia. The separate and isolated wing has been established to shield the men from public view because many in Garissa are not comfortable with the high security mounted at the hospital by the army in and outside the hospital. Over 54 TFG soldiers were injured during the deadly one-on-one fight on Monday while over 30 al Shabaab fighters were injured in the clash and taken to Mareray and Afmadhow hospitals for treatment.
According to the Kenyan military spokesman Emmanuel Chirchir, out of the 54 injured TFG soldiers, 25 were airlifted to Garissa for treatment. "The attack in Hayo in Central Sector marks the deadliest one on one engagement between TFG and Al Shabaab. In the TFG 11 died, 54 injured, 25 of those injured were airlifted to Garissa and Nairobi for treatment. Over 40 Al Shabaab dead and many more injured. The KDF on 5 December 2011 hit two al Shabaab camps in Afmadhow," Chirchir said on Monday.
Garissa District Hospital has been receiving most of the casualties from from both the Kenyan Defence Forces and the TFG soldiers from the fighting in Somalia against al Shabaab. The injured soldiers are being treated by doctors from the Kenyan military who have established centres and wards at the hospital which is reportedly overwhelmed by the injured. The Shabaab have deployed more fighters in Mogadishu following a spate of bomb explosions in central Mogadishu some of which have been claimed by the al Qaeda-linked group.
More al Shabaab fighters have been deployed in Mogadishu's Baklad area in the middle Shabelle and through Heliwaa in Banadir area while the fighting has been reported in Karan and Huriwa areas of the city. Several TFG soldiers were reportedly injured during an attack by al Shabaab in Mogadishu's Holwadag junction.
Meanwhile, the newly relaunched al Shabaab has now taken its battle to Twitter after opening an account to counter the Kenyan military. The insurgents yesterday began tweeting @HSMPRess where the Harakat Al Shabaab Al Mujahideen press office is now sending tweets. Maj Chirchir on Monday said the group is likely to split into two with one group, Imaarat Islamiya, led by one Muktar. "Al Shabaab likey to split into two ... watch out for Imaarat Islamiya ... Muktar likely to lead the faction," Chirchir tweeted then.
Recent tweets:
Al-Shabaab:@HSMPress: We hereby clarify that we do not recognize the United Nations, or any of its institutions and affiliates, as legitimate authorities
BY DOMINIC WABALA
The Rest @ Blog Foreign Policy
Jama Mohamed Miraa Trafficker is a Name That has come up Before
A Nairobi businessman was arrested in Eastleigh and later charged with trying to obtain money by false pretense and altering genuine documents. The man, who also claims to be a pilot at the Wilson Airport and commonly known by his friends as Captain Jama Mohamed, was arrested on Eastleigh's 12 Street on Thursday last week. Police said the man had tried to steal from Barclay's Bank where he presented a forged Bankers Cheque.
- The suspect is said to have entered into a contract with another city businessman, Yassin Mohamed, to transport his miraa from Nairobi to foreign destinations including Netherlands and Somalia.
- According to statements seen by the Star, the suspect is said to have been given a down payment of Sh3.5 million by the businessman in September while the remaining amount was to be paid later.
- The total contract amount was Sh17 million. However, police investigating the case said the suspect was arrested after he presented a fake bankers cheque claiming it was drafted by Yassin.
According to the police, he was to link up his client with Kings Air Services who were to execute the transporting business. He appeared before Kiambu Senior Resident Magistrate Dolphine Okundi where he was charged with obtaining cash by false pretense and making altering a genuine chegue to make it appear a genuine and a valid document. He was given a cash bail of Sh5 million and a surety of a similar amount.
The Rest @ All Africa via Nairobi StarCopyright Nairobi Star. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Al Shabaab Attack on Ahlu-sunna Wal-jama’a in Galgaduud Repulsed
Shabaab militias have yesterday afternoon attacked Dusamareb district in Galgadud region where Ahlu-sunna Wal-jama’a repulsed the assault that was waged on them.
According to some members of Ahlu Sunna Wal-jama’a there were many Shabaab corpses lying in Waberi village in Dusamareb following a clash that erupted between the two sides but the number of injuries and death toll are yet to be established.
Ahlu-Sunna got reinforcement from their collogues in Guraeel area within Galgadud region.
This assault is one of the continuous attacks Shabaab militias have previously waged on Dusamareb district.
The Rest @ Bar-Kulan
According to some members of Ahlu Sunna Wal-jama’a there were many Shabaab corpses lying in Waberi village in Dusamareb following a clash that erupted between the two sides but the number of injuries and death toll are yet to be established.
Ahlu-Sunna got reinforcement from their collogues in Guraeel area within Galgadud region.
This assault is one of the continuous attacks Shabaab militias have previously waged on Dusamareb district.
The Rest @ Bar-Kulan
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Ethiopias Support of Kenya's Offensive is a Mistake
Ethiopia seems to have moved back into to Somalia 's West to support Kenya's offensive. in the South.
This is a mistake, a failure to recognize the history between Ethiopia and Somalia.
Al Shabaab promptly held recruiting rally's in the areas they still hold, inviting the boys that remain to join the tradition of their ancestors and fight against the invading Ethiopians.This will give energy to a dying Al Shabaab. The Same effect could have been gained by moving many Ethiopian troops up to the border to prevent al Shabaab from escaping to the East,,,,,
-Shimron Issachar
***********************************
(Reuters) - Scores of Ethiopian military vehicles pushed at least 80 km into neighboring Somalia on Saturday, residents said, five weeks after Kenya entered Somalia to fight Islamist militants it blames for a wave of kidnappings on its soil.
"The Ethiopian troops, which are in convoys of armored vehicles, come to us today, crossing from Balanbale district on the border," Gabobe Adan, an elder in the town of Guriel told Reuters.
A spokesman for the Ethiopian government, Shimeles Kemal, would neither confirm nor deny the reports. Another Ethiopian official told Reuters that an Ethiopian move to support the Kenyan assault on the al Shabaab group was likely.
Senior Kenyan government ministers have shuttled around the east Africa region this week and travelled to the Gulf to drum up political and financial support for a coordinated campaign to rout the al Qaeda-linked rebels.
Although Ethiopian troops regularly cross the border with Somalia, and it has admitted opening "humanitarian corridors" into the country that it says are for food relief, residents said the numbers and locations of the troops was unusual.
Ethiopia entered Somalia in 2006, with tacit U.S. backing, to oust another Islamist movement that had taken control of the capital Mogadishu and large swathes of the country.
Its army set up a base in Guriel during that operation.
The presence of the Ethiopian troops was hugely unpopular with Somalis, and with some analysts saying it was fanning support for new militant groups, they withdrew in early 2009.
(Writing by Barry Malone; Additional reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa and Sahra Abdi in Nairobi)
The Rest @ Reuters
This is a mistake, a failure to recognize the history between Ethiopia and Somalia.
Al Shabaab promptly held recruiting rally's in the areas they still hold, inviting the boys that remain to join the tradition of their ancestors and fight against the invading Ethiopians.This will give energy to a dying Al Shabaab. The Same effect could have been gained by moving many Ethiopian troops up to the border to prevent al Shabaab from escaping to the East,,,,,
-Shimron Issachar
***********************************
(Reuters) - Scores of Ethiopian military vehicles pushed at least 80 km into neighboring Somalia on Saturday, residents said, five weeks after Kenya entered Somalia to fight Islamist militants it blames for a wave of kidnappings on its soil.
"The Ethiopian troops, which are in convoys of armored vehicles, come to us today, crossing from Balanbale district on the border," Gabobe Adan, an elder in the town of Guriel told Reuters.
- "They were in about 28 trucks and armed battle wagons - the armed vehicles are very big."
- Other residents told Reuters that the Ethiopians had set up a base in Guriel and moved troops to other towns nearby.
A spokesman for the Ethiopian government, Shimeles Kemal, would neither confirm nor deny the reports. Another Ethiopian official told Reuters that an Ethiopian move to support the Kenyan assault on the al Shabaab group was likely.
Senior Kenyan government ministers have shuttled around the east Africa region this week and travelled to the Gulf to drum up political and financial support for a coordinated campaign to rout the al Qaeda-linked rebels.
Although Ethiopian troops regularly cross the border with Somalia, and it has admitted opening "humanitarian corridors" into the country that it says are for food relief, residents said the numbers and locations of the troops was unusual.
Ethiopia entered Somalia in 2006, with tacit U.S. backing, to oust another Islamist movement that had taken control of the capital Mogadishu and large swathes of the country.
Its army set up a base in Guriel during that operation.
The presence of the Ethiopian troops was hugely unpopular with Somalis, and with some analysts saying it was fanning support for new militant groups, they withdrew in early 2009.
(Writing by Barry Malone; Additional reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa and Sahra Abdi in Nairobi)
The Rest @ Reuters
Saturday, November 05, 2011
Eritrea Still Trafficking Point Arms to al Shabaab
The Kenyan military said two planes landed at an al-Shabab controlled airfield in Somalia this week, loaded with arms destined for the al-Qaida-linked group. The news immediately heightened longstanding suspicions that Eritrea is arming Somali militants.
The Kenyan military did not say from where the airplanes came, but that they landed in the south-central town of Baidoa, an al-Shabab stronghold, and that they were carrying weapons for the militant group.
Local media reports were quick to pin the shipment on Eritrea, which has long been accused of supplying al-Shabab.
The Eritrean Foreign Ministry issued a statement Wednesday denying the accusations, calling them “pure fabrications and outright lies.” It also accused its regional rival Ethiopia of being the chief author of a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Eritrea.
But, Rashid Abdi, an analyst with the International Crisis Group says Eritrea has a history of supplying militants in Somalia.
“I think no one doubts that Eritrea has throughout the last four years been supportive of al-Shabab, sending in weapons, sending in trainers and also training hundreds of al-Shabab fighters in some of its military camps," said Abdi. "But, as I said, it is very difficult to confirm this news story that this support has been resumed by Eritrea.”
A United Nations report released in July alleged Eritrea had flown weapons and fighters into Somalia on numerous occasions.
The report also said Eritrea has been funneling about $80,000 per month to people linked to al-Shabab through the Eritrean embassy in Nairobi. Eritrea has consistently denied the accusations.
Why fund al-Shabab? Rashid Abdi says it is all about Ethiopia:
“Eritrea definitely has been supportive of al-Shabab for a long time and this support is not ideological, it is essentially meant to counter Ethiopia's influence in Somalia and during the Ethiopian occupation, that was the height of Eritrea's involvement in Somalia,” he said.
Eritrea and Ethiopia fought an intense border war between 1998 and 2000 and tensions have remained high ever since. Analysts say this prompted Eritrea's alleged support of al-Shabab during Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia in 2006.
Now Kenyan troops are pursuing al-Shabab in Somalia, in a cross-border operation that began nearly three weeks ago.
Kenya blames the militants for a spate of recent kidnappings and attacks and has vowed to continue fighting until the threat is eliminated and Kenyans can feel secure.
This week, a spokesperson for the Kenyan army warned of impending military strikes on al-Shabab targets across Somalia, including Baidoa, Afmadow and the port town of Kismayo.
The Rest @ VOA
The Kenyan military did not say from where the airplanes came, but that they landed in the south-central town of Baidoa, an al-Shabab stronghold, and that they were carrying weapons for the militant group.
Local media reports were quick to pin the shipment on Eritrea, which has long been accused of supplying al-Shabab.
The Eritrean Foreign Ministry issued a statement Wednesday denying the accusations, calling them “pure fabrications and outright lies.” It also accused its regional rival Ethiopia of being the chief author of a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Eritrea.
But, Rashid Abdi, an analyst with the International Crisis Group says Eritrea has a history of supplying militants in Somalia.
“I think no one doubts that Eritrea has throughout the last four years been supportive of al-Shabab, sending in weapons, sending in trainers and also training hundreds of al-Shabab fighters in some of its military camps," said Abdi. "But, as I said, it is very difficult to confirm this news story that this support has been resumed by Eritrea.”
A United Nations report released in July alleged Eritrea had flown weapons and fighters into Somalia on numerous occasions.
The report also said Eritrea has been funneling about $80,000 per month to people linked to al-Shabab through the Eritrean embassy in Nairobi. Eritrea has consistently denied the accusations.
Why fund al-Shabab? Rashid Abdi says it is all about Ethiopia:
“Eritrea definitely has been supportive of al-Shabab for a long time and this support is not ideological, it is essentially meant to counter Ethiopia's influence in Somalia and during the Ethiopian occupation, that was the height of Eritrea's involvement in Somalia,” he said.
Eritrea and Ethiopia fought an intense border war between 1998 and 2000 and tensions have remained high ever since. Analysts say this prompted Eritrea's alleged support of al-Shabab during Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia in 2006.
Now Kenyan troops are pursuing al-Shabab in Somalia, in a cross-border operation that began nearly three weeks ago.
Kenya blames the militants for a spate of recent kidnappings and attacks and has vowed to continue fighting until the threat is eliminated and Kenyans can feel secure.
This week, a spokesperson for the Kenyan army warned of impending military strikes on al-Shabab targets across Somalia, including Baidoa, Afmadow and the port town of Kismayo.
The Rest @ VOA
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