Anwar al-Awlaqi Assets Frozen

US: AWLAQI HAS HAD HIS ASSETS FROZEN.

The US government on Friday approved financial sanctions against Yemeni-American Imam Anwar al-Awlaqi who has been identified as a leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The Treasury Department has now frozen Awlaqi’s financial assets.

Sunni Group Bombs Shias

Somehow, the US is to balme for a sunni suicide bombing aginst Shiites....

-Shimron Issachar

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Sunni Muslim rebel group Jundollah has claimed responsibility for the attack near the Grand Mosque in Zahedan, which it says was in retaliation for the execution of its leader Abdolmalek Rigi last month.Iranian clerical leaders have claimed the attack was supported by the U.S. in order to create instability in the Middle East country.

The powerful bombs killed at least 28 people at the holy site, including elite members of the Revolutionary Guard, and were apparently carried out by relatives of Abdolmalek Rigi.

Al Arabiya television reported: ‘The group said the suicide attacks were carried out by Abdolbaset Rigi and Mohammad Rigi… and warned of more operations to come.’

Senior Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi said the U.S. should be held accountable for the ‘terrorist acts in Zahedan’ because of its support for Jundollah.

Cleric Kazem Sediqi said in a sermon broadcast on state radio today: ‘Once more the wicked hand of America appeared out of the sleeves of ignorant and mercenary people.’

The Rest @ Focus

Muslim Brotherhood Incrementalism in Somalia

What follows was published 10 years ago, but it accurately reflects the Muslim Brotherhood's long term agenda and motives for Somalia

1. the Muslim brotherhood promotes unity among factions to increase Islamic Critical Mass

“we should unite upon that which we agree, and excuse each other in that which we disagree.”

2. what follows demonstrates the doctrine of Unity the Muslim Brotherhood tried to spread during the last 10 years. In the the west there is a word used called "incrementalism". The Brotherhood tried this in the lasts 10 years of Somalia, but were set back by al shabaab, who tried to move too fast,, and began destroying Sufi grave- shrines (westernized words). This failure created an anti Salafi Somalian clan war by Sufis It appears that al Sabaab leadership was punished al Qaida or the brotherhood by withdrawing of support.

But confrontation will occur note "Nonetheless, while Sufi Orders and Muslim Brotherhood are tolerant, Salafism is confrontational."

Make no mistake - in 10 years, someone will again go after the shrines and try to being the Sufis into line with Salfi doctrine - it is the doctrine of al Aaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood

-Shimron Issachar

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The Roots of the Islamic Conflict in Somalia

06/04/00by Abdurahman M. Abdullahi (Baadiyow) -

Somali people will commemorate this month, the 50th anniversary of their independence, divided and fighting on the meaning of Islam and Shari’a. The aftermath of 9/11 events and the emergence of the Islamic Courts in 2006 ushered new political reality in Somalia. Jihadist Al-Shabab linked to al-Qa’ida dominates large parts of fertile regions of the Southern Somalia while Transitional Federal government remain hauled under the protection of AMISOM. Amazingly, both the government and its armed opposition claim their strong adherence to Islam and readiness to the application of Shari’a. The prominence of the Islamic discourse that supposedly had to promote peace and brotherhood and continuos in-fighting in the name of Islam puzzles many and demands explanation. This article attempts to sheds some light on the three major trends of Islam in Somalia putting the finger where the current conflict in the name of Islam lies.


1. Traditional Islam.

There are no disagreement between main stream Muslims that basic sources of Islam are the Qur’an and the Sunna of the Prophet. However, these sources were interpreted by various scholars in different times and spaces and produced various schools of thought in theology and jurisprudence.

Moreover, Sufi Orders strongly appeared in the Muslim world since 9th century and took greater role in spreading Islam particularly in Far East Asia and Africa. When the message of Islam reached many nations with diverse cultures, some elements of their cultural norms and customs were considered part of the Islamic jurisprudence.

Also, some un-Islamic elements of these cultures were accommodated by some Sufi Orders. Regarding Somalia, Islam follows three main persuasions: Ash’ariyah theology, Shafi’i Jurisprudence and Sufism.

Thus, Somali society espouses taqlid (imitation) and follows strictly these three persuasions. Besides that, these three persuasions are preserved through traditional Islamic institutions comprising educational establishments and centres of the Sufi Orders where a master-disciple intimate relationship is nurtured.

This relationship is the core foundation of Sufism and preserved through various social functions. The most important functions are “Mawliidka” (commemoration the Prophet’s birth day), “Xuska” (offering charities to the soul for the deceased parents) and “Siyaaro” (offering homage to the respected teachers and visiting their tombs).

The Ash’ariyah theology (Al-caqiida) adhered by the Somalis was founded by Abu al-Hasan Al-Ash’ari (873–935) in reaction to the extreme rationalism espoused by the school of Mu'tazilah.

The Ash’ari theology and its methodology were accepted as the standard for mainstream Sunni theology by the scholarly community in their own times and in every generation afterwards. It was mainly based on to defend Islam from the extremes of excessive literalism and excessive rationalism, maintaining the middle and moderate way of Islam. Without getting into further discussion, just to point out the nutshell of the debate, the most controversial issues are how to comprehend the divine attributes and the way of consigning the meaning to Allah.

The preferred position of the Ash’ari theology is based to affirm what attributes Allah has affirmed for himself and negate what Allah has decisively negated for himself, which is any similitude whatsoever between the Creator and creation as affirmed by “there is absolutely nothing like unto Him..” (42:11).

One of the prominent scholars of Ash’ rites is Abu-Hamid al-Ghazzali (1058–1111) who articulated moderate Sufism combining it with al-Ash’ariyah theology. Sufism in Somalia belongs to that moderate Sufism rooted in the Al-Ghazali way and exercises significant missionary impact all over Somalia.

Its tremendous influence is conducted through its two main brotherhoods: Qadiriyah and Ahmadiyah (Salihiyah is a branch of Ahmadiyah). Somalia also adheres to the Shafi’i school of Jurisprudence, one of the main four schools of Sunni jurisprudence.

This is the nature of Islam adhered by the overwhelming majority of the Somalis and advocated by the Sufi Orders and Ahl Al-Sunna wa Al-Jama umbrella organization. The shortcoming of the traditional Islam is the lack of agenda to effectively counter secularism and westernization in the Muslim societies, the gap that modern Islamism claim to fill.

Modern Islamism in Somalia.

Modern revival of Islam addresses multiple strains in the society inflicted by colonialism and modernity. Its proponents advocate application of Shari’a in all aspects of life and snub secular idea of the state. Streams of ideas and groups belonging to this category are numerous and diversified.

However, in Somalia, two main conceptions of Islamism are more visible. These are Salafism represented mainly by Al-Itihad and Muslim Brotherhood represented mainly by Islah. Here, it is relevant to explore their core ideas in relation to the traditional Islam.
a. Salafism versus traditionalism.

Salafism in Somalia stands completely opposite to the traditional Islam. Its adherents identify the primary obstruction that caused the decadence of the Muslims is the pernicious innovations (bida’) introduced to Islam. Therefore, in placing overriding emphasis on preaching idealized “Tawhid” (monotheism), they always focus their condemnation on many traditional Muslim practices as innovations and “shirk” (polytheism).

This school adheres to what is termed Salafia theology, which arrived to Somalia with the increased influence of Saudi Arabia through students educated in its Islamic universities and migrant labor. These students learned the teachings of Sheikh Mohamed Abd Al-Wahhab, often referred to by adherents as Salafi and Wahhabi by its detractors.

Adherents of Salafia theology in Somalia also introduced some elements of Hanbali Jurisprudence learned in Saudi schools and replaced it in the public spaces with the predominant Shafi’i jurisprudence.

This undertaking created conflict between Salafism and traditional Islam. Moreover, they consider their principal duty to be spreading “al-Aqidah al-Sahiha” (the right theology) considering Ash’ariyah theology as inaccurate.

Accordingly, they believe that their theology is the only right one because it is the theology of the first three generations of Muslims where they draw their name “al-salafia” (followers of the early pious generations of the Muslims).

This mode of thinking breeds intolerance, internal conflict and extremism. Moreover, the Salafis consider Sufism a dangerous heresy and are engaged in an uncompromising conflictual campaign against them. In that way, Salafism, as projected in Somalia, is not a reform movement, but a revolutionary approach that aims to obliterate and completely change traditional Islam as practiced in Somalia.

This stream of thought is followed by Al-Itihad and its derivatives like Al-Itisam, Al-Shabab, Hizb Al-Islam and others. Even though Salafism in Somalia are not monolithic, its extreme version is evident in the destruction of the tombs of the prominent Sufi scholars and its desecration.

Often, within Salafi ideology, Takfir ideology permeates which permits its adherents to easily kill other Muslims in simple pretext of labeling them “apostates”. This combined version of Salafism and Takfir is highly evident in Al-Shabab belief and practices.

b. Muslim Brotherhood versus traditionalism.

In the middle of the traditional Islam and Salafism stands Muslim Brotherhood that adopted the slogan “we should unite upon that which we agree, and excuse each other in that which we disagree.”

The tolerance of the Muslim Brotherhood emanates from its worldwide program based on the gradual reform of the Muslim societies. These Muslim societies adhere to different schools of Jurisprudences, theologies and various forms of Sufism. Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928 wrote that “differences on the branch matters of Islamic Jurisprudence should not be allowed to cause division, contention, or hatred within the ranks of the Muslims.”

In that context, followers of Muslim Brotherhood methodology avoid divisive Islamic discourses on the doctrinal matters and legal aspects within its society.

Being open to the diversity of Islamic theology and practices, they are tolerant to the different theological views on Islam and deplore rigid preoccupation with minor nuances of religious doctrine.

They believe that Sufism and other traditional practices should be accommodated and that focus in the Islamic activism should be directed toward social and political issues rather than on theological hair-splitting.

This means that Muslim Brotherhood does not contravene with the Ash’ari theology, Shafi’i Jurisprudence and Sufism, which constitute the basic components of the traditional Islam in Somalia.

However, they work to purge un-Islamic practices in the societies through educational process in a tolerant atmosphere that does not ruin community cohesion and avoids religious disputes.

Its main program is to create an environment of cooperation between various Islamic groups and organizations in the benefit of the bigger goal, the Islamization of the society and the state.

Concluding, the three Islamic trends – traditional Islam, Salafism and Muslim Brotherhood- are present in Somalia. These Islamic orientations at times confuse the public and non-experts who lump them as monolithic Islamists (wadadadda, Islamiyiinta).

Nonetheless, while Sufi Orders and Muslim Brotherhood are tolerant,

- Salafism is confrontational.


It has engaged in bloody confrontations with clannish factions in 1991, 1992 and 1995-7. The last case of their confrontation is the war between Al-Shabab and Hizbu Al-Islam on the one hand and Ahl Al-Sunna wa Al-Jama representing traditional Islam on the other. Indeed, the roots of the Islamic conflict in Somalia lies with the ideology of Salafism as practiced in Somalia!


Abdurahman Baadiyowabdurahmanba@yahoo.com

Al-Shabab leader threatens more Uganda attacks By MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN Associated Press Writer

The leader of the al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group that claimed responsibility for twin bombings in Uganda during the World Cup final threatened further attacks in a new audio message released Thursday. The leader of al-Shabab _ Sheik Muktar Abu Zubayr _ also thanked the militants who carried out Sunday's twin bombings in Uganda that killed 76 people. It was the first time al-Shabab had struck outside Somalia's borders. In the audio message played on Mogadishu radio stations, Abu Zubayr told Uganda's president that more attacks would be carried out. "I say to the Ugandan president what has happened in Kampala was only the beginning. We will keep revenging what your soldiers remorselessly did to our people. Your tanks destroyed the remains of our buildings in Mogadishu and we will also revenge that," Abu Zubayr said. The bombings on Sunday ripped through a restaurant and rugby club as crowds watched the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands on television. Al-Shabab said the bombings were revenge for Uganda's deployment of peacekeepers in Mogadishu with the African Union force, known as AMISOM. Al-Shabab battles African Union and Somali forces in the streets of Mogadishu daily, in an effort to topple Somalia's weak, U.N.-backed administration. Those attacks often miss their military targets and the crossfire kills scores of civilians, "What is called AMISOM has committed a nasty massacre in Mogadishu, worse than the ones committed before by the Ethiopians and Americans: constant shelling at poor civilian populations, tanks leveling what remained of Mogadishu buildings and machine-guns shot at public vehicles. All those were the habits of AMISOM," Abu Zubayr said. Abu Zubayr also thanked the militant team that carried out the attacks. He said they were members of the Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan contingent, named after the militant killed in a U.S. commando raid in rural southern Somalia last September. Nabhan was wanted for the 2002 car bombing of a beach resort in Kenya and an attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner. Meanwhile, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said at a news conference that his country is committed to sending 2,000 more troops to Somalia if the East African regional bloc known as IGAD agrees. He also called for African Union members to send up to 20,000 troops to Somalia "as soon as possible." There are currently more than 5,000 AU troops in Mogadishu from Uganda and Burundi. After the twin bombings in Kampala, al-Shabab also threatened to attack Burundi. U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley on Thursday praised Uganda and Burundi's commitment to the peacekeeping mission in Somalia. "We commend the critical role that Uganda and Burundi continue to play to bring regional security to the unstable areas in east and central Africa, particularly through their leadership of the A.U. mission in Somalia," he said. Crowley added that more than 60 FBI agents arrived Wednesday in Uganda to help investigate Sunday's bombing. "They are fully engaged in the investigation in support of Uganda authorities, will be there for several days, as we continue to determine who is responsible and what happened in that tragedy on Sunday," he said. Uganda hosts an African Union summit later this month where Somalia force levels will be discussed. Museveni told Ugandans not to blame the Somali community in Kampala for Sunday's attacks amid reports of rising tensions between Ugandans and Somalis. "Not all the Somali people are dangerous," the Ugandan president said. "There could be some elements who are dangerous but the majority are good." Museveni vowed to find the terrorists who carried out the attacks and "eliminate them." Over the last two years, foreign fighters numbering in the low hundreds with experience in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq have joined al-Shabab, according to international officials, raising the group's level of militant expertise. Somali-Americans have been recruited and taken part in suicide bombings. The U.S. branded al-Shabab a terrorist organization in 2008, more than a year after Ethiopia sent troops into Somalia and touched off an Islamist and nationalist insurgency that still rages.

The Rest @ the AP

Abou El-Abbes, Abdelhalim Grig-Ahsine of AQIM Captured

Algiers - A senior member of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), Athmane Touati, alias Abou El-Abbes, has surrendered to the security services in Algeria, a security source said on Monday.

The security services "succeeded on May 25 2010 in obtaining the surrender" of Touati, an Aqim officer in the central zone east of Algiers, and a member of the leadership of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, the source said, according to the APS news agency.

This radical Islamist, born in Bordj Menail near Boumerdes, 50km from Algiers, turned himself in after being persuaded by his wife to abandon the armed groups he had joined in 1993, APS said, without giving further details or saying where he had surrendered.

The security services the same day "obtained repentance" from another radical Islamist, Abdelhalim Grig-Ahsine, who had also been active in the central region after joining the insurgents in 1993.

Aqim, which grew out of the GSPC whose predecessors waged a low-level civil war in the 1990s and first years of this century - is led by Abdelmalek Droukdel. He loses with Abou El-Abbes "a third essential aide" in two months, according to the security source.

Ahmad Mansouri Ahmed, known as Abdeldjebbar, who led the El-Farouk cell, surrendered last April 16, and two days later Lounis Mokadem, alias Abou Naamane, the former head of Aqim's medical commission, surrendered, after being a guerilla since 1996.

The Algerian security services argue that the defection of these "veterans" of armed groups, who were all "considered members of the hard line of GSPC/Aqim," reflects "the state of collapse and flight" in armed Islamic groups in Algeria.

Thousands of former Islamist guerrillas laid down their arms when President Abdelaziz Bouteflika offered an amnesty, then he proposed a "charter for peace and national reconciliation" in 2005, during his second term. This has ended the civil war in Algeria, though sporadic conflict continues.

The Rest @ SAPA
- SAPA

Yusuf Ali Nur Martyred by al Shabaab

Al Shabaab Militants Execute Christian Leader in Somalia
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 18:25 Simba Tian

Islamic extremists run into 57-year-old Yusuf Ali Nur after battle with rival group.
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5 (Compass Direct News) - Islamic militants yesterday killed another leader of the underground church movement in Somalia, sources said.

Before he was fatally shot on Tuesday (May 4) in Xarardheere, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Jowhar, 57-year-old Yusuf Ali Nur had been on a list of people the Islamic extremist al Shabaab suspected of being Christian, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told Compass. Al Shabaab, said to have links with al Qaeda, has vowed to rid Somalia of Christianity.

The militants fighting the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Mogadishu had been engaged in a two-hour battle with a rival rebel group, the Ahlu Sunna Waljamer, which had taken control of the Xarardheere area, before they came across Nur. Nur had lived in Xarardheere since leaving Jowhar in July 2009.

Eyewitnesses said that after al Shabaab took control of the area, they went from house to house looking for enemy fighters when they arrived at Nur's rented home at about 10:30 a.m. Sources said that upon finding Nur, one of the militants remarked, "Oh! This is Yusuf, whom we have been looking for," before they sprayed him with bullets at close range.

Nur is survived by his wife, whose name was withheld for security reasons, and three children, ages 11, 9 and 7.

This latest death comes after several execution-style murders of Somalis suspected of being members of a suppressed yet resilient underground faith movement in Somalia. A number of Christians have been beheaded by the radical Islamists out to topple the fledgling TFG and introduce a strict version of sharia (Islamic law).

Al Shabaab, which controls large parts of central Somalia, recently banned radio stations from playing music and outlawed bell ringing that signals the end of school classes "because they sound like church bells."

Nur, who had worked on a farm while in Jowhar, had long being monitored by al Shabaab, the sources said. After settling in Xarardheere, he became the head teacher of Ganane Primary School and also taught English. The al Shabaab militants object to the use of English, preferring Arabic, and even after relocating to Xarardheere Nur realized he was in danger of the militants finding him, sources said.

Ganane is a private school owned by wealthy Somali proprietors.
In 2009 Islamic militants in Somalia sought out and killed at least 15 Christians, including women and children. This year, on Jan. 1 al Shabaab members murdered 41-year-old Mohammed Ahmed Ali after the Christian had left his home in Hodan, on the outskirts of Mogadishu.

On March 15, al Shabaab rebels shot Madobe Abdi to death on March 15 at 9:30 a.m. in Mahaday village, 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Jowhar. Abdi's death was distinctive in that he was not a convert from Islam. An orphan, Abdi was raised as a Christian
Advocacy group International Christian Concern has reported that three members of al Shabaab killed Somali Christian Mu'awiye Hilowle Ali in front of his home in Afgoye on March 23, executing him with close-range shots to his head and chest.

The transitional government in Mogadishu fighting to retain control of the country treats Christians little better than the al Shabaab extremists do. While proclaiming himself a moderate, President Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed has embraced a version of sharia that mandates the death penalty for those who leave Islam.

The Rest @ Right Side NEws

Iranian State Reporter Arrested for Arms Trafficking

Italy frees Iranians 'jailed over arms trafficking'

Italian anti-terrorist prosecutor Armando Spataro (right) views a selection of the weapons that were seized in March 2010. Italy has freed two Iranians who were arrested on suspicion of trafficking arms to the Islamic republic, according to Tehran's ambassador to Rome.

AFP - Italy has freed two Iranian men jailed since March on suspicion of trafficking arms to the Islamic republic but is keeping them under house arrest, Tehran's ambassador to Rome said on Friday.

Ali Damirchi-Lou and state television reporter Hamid Masoumi-Nejad were released from jail on Thursday and "placed under house arrest," Ambassador Mohammad Ali Hosseini told Fars news agency.

The Rest @ France24

Masoumi-Nejad's release was announced Thursday on state television by Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, who is charge of expatriate affairs, but there had been no immediate word on Damirchi-Lou's fate.

Masoumi-Nejad was freed "after efforts by the expatriate Iranian's council, the presidential office and the foreign ministry," Malekzadeh said.

Iran's ambassador to Italy also said that a Milan deputy prosecutor told him that "Masoumi-Nejad will be able to resume his reporting job although he is under house arrest." He did not elaborate.
The Italian news agency Ansa on Thursday confirmed that Masoumi-Nejad had been released and placed under house arrest, adding however he would be allowed to go to work.

Masoumi-Nejad -- who worked as a reporter for state television in Rome -- was arrested along with Damirchi-Lou and five Italian businessmen in Turin in March on suspicion of trafficking arms to Iran in violation of UN sanctions.

Tehran insists that the Iranian men are innocent and has repeatedly called for their release.
"We will keep our efforts until we secure their innocence verdict and complete freedom," ambassador Hosseini told Fars news agency.

Italian anti-terrorist prosecutor Armando Spataro said in March that the pair worked for Iran's secret services and that two other Iranians, believed to be in the Islamic republic, were sought in the same operation.

Italian police said the businessmen, receiving orders from Tehran, bought weapons in Europe, mainly from Germany.

They allegedly transported the arms through third countries such as Britain, Switzerland and Romania before shipping them to Iran using other companies as cover.

Some shipments passed via the Gulf state of Dubai, according to Italian police.

The scheme fell apart following a simple check by a Romanian customs officials, who confiscated 200 gun sights. Another 100 were seized in London, the police said.