Originally published 2011-07-20

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leaders met last week in Mali to launch a new brigade for sub-Saharan Africans, Le Temps d'Algerie reported on Tuesday (July 19th), citing jihadist websites. "Beit El Ansar" will be comprised of fighters from Mali, Nigeria, Guinea, Chad, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

Osama Bin Laden reportedly chose the same name 25 years ago for a brigade of Arab jihadists in Afghanistan.e

The Rest @ Magharebia

Mali Mali Army Occupies AQIM Trenches in the Wagadou Forest

2011-07-19 15:25


Wagadou Forest - Malian forces are building up their defences in the Wagadou forest, braced for a counter-attack by al-Qaeda fighters three weeks after wresting the base back from the jihadi group.

Three units are now hunkering down in the dense forest, backed by two surveillance aircraft - a gift from France - carrying out flyovers every day and two helicopter gunships.

"The abandoned trenches you see here were under construction for the past five months" by members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), Colonel Gaston Damango, head of operations in the forest zone, told AFP.

About 2m deep, the trenches were designed to keep the base supplied with ammunition and allow for jihadists to move around unseen.

"There were some real military strategists amongst them," said Damango.

Situated 500km north-east of the capital Bamako, on the border with Mauritania, the Wagadou Forest was to be used by Aqim as a base from which to carry out attacks in the region and store heavy weapons.

The forest, 80km long and 40km wide, is made up mainly of shrubs and bushes but also includes taller trees with dense foliage that Aqim could use as an observation post.

Anti-tank mines

• The Mauritanian army, which said the base was "a real threat" against its country, carried out a raid on June 24 in which 15 Aqim followers were killed as well as two soldiers.

• The remains of eight burned out vehicles and thousands of spent cartridges scattered on the ground bear witness to the growing intensity of clashes between the Mauritanian army, supported by Mali, and the north African al-Qaeda branch.

• "On the day of the attack, the head of operations from the Mauritanian army asked us to bombard an Aqim position in the south-east of the forest," said Damango."The Malian army fired a total of 15 shells on the enemy position."

To Damongo, it is of little importance whether Aqim members left of their own volition, or were flushed out: "The result is they are no longer there today, that they suffered a defeat."

The two armies carried out weeks of operations to secure the area, both before and after the raid in a joint operation called "Benkan", a word from the Bambara language meaning unity.

The Mauritanian soldiers returned home 15 days ago, but are only a few kilometres away.

• Military engineering Commander Baidi Diakite said one of the aryl’s priorities is demining the area of "very dangerous" Czech-manufactured anti-tank mines laid by Aqim.

Security headache

The arrival of the Malian army in the Wagadou Forest has also benefited the local population who have received medical care and food supplies.

"In several days we have carried out hundreds of consultations and four operations," said doctor, Colonel Sidiki Beret at the hospital of nearby town Niono.

In the nearby village of Diabili, two trucks pulled up and soldiers in Bermuda shorts distributed some of 100 tons of food - a gift from the Malian government which will also benefit Mauritanian villages on the other side of the border.

Keeping al-Qaeda out has become the two countries' biggest security headache, as the organisation carries out armed attacks and kidnappings in the Sahel desert region where it is also involved in arms and drugs trafficking.

Mali and Mauritania are among the countries hardest-hit by Aqim activities, along with Niger and Algeria, where the organisation has its roots. The nations work closely together in efforts to crack down on the organisation.

Aqim is holding four French citizens kidnapped in Niger in September 2010 as well as an Italian woman taken hostage in Algeria in February.

The Rest @ News 24

Operation Rhino Gets a Guilty Plea from a Minnesota Mujahadin

United States v. Mohamed (D.Minn. July 18, 2011) is the latest in a series of convictions federal prosecutors have obtained in response to the recruitment of young Somali-American men in the Minneapolis area to travel to Somalia to fight for al-Shabab. Details from the press release follow:

MINNEAPOLIS – Earlier today in federal court, a 26-year-old Minneapolis man pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim abroad. Omer Abdi Mohamed, also known as “Brother Omer” and “Galeyr,” who was indicted on Nov. 17, 2009, entered his plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Michael J. Davis.

In his plea agreement, Mohamed admitted being a member of a conspiracy that recruited young men of Somali descent to travel to Somalia to fight against Ethiopian troops, who were in Somalia assisting the internationally-recognized Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia. Mohamed admitted assisting the men in planning their trips, knowing that once in Somalia, the men intended to murder, kidnap or maim Ethiopian and Somali government troops.

Following the entry of the plea, U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones said, “Those involved in this conspiracy, including Omer Abdi Mohamed, violated the law in a dangerous and misguided effort to support a terrorist organization. In the process, they tore apart many Somali-American families. Parents were left to fret over the disappearance of their young sons, who often left home without a word. In some instances family members discovered what happened to their relatives only by watching Internet videos being used as propaganda by al-Shabaab. I doubt many of us can imagine the feelings in such circumstances, and I can only hope that the criminal prosecutions we continue to take against those involved, including Omer Abdi Mohamed, will help deter these ill-advised actions in the future.”

Between September and December of 2007, Mohamed admittedly attended meetings at a Minneapolis mosque, restaurant and private residence, where he and his co-conspirators formed a secret plan that called for Somali men residing in Minneapolis to travel to Somalia to fight. He also facilitated the travel of several of these young men, including assisting them in obtaining plane tickets as well as the false itinerary needed by one man to mislead his family about the purpose of his travel.

In his plea agreement, Mohamed further admitted being present in Minneapolis when money was raised to mobilize groups of men to travel to Somalia. Many of the donations came from unsuspecting members of the Somali-American community, who were told the money was going to be used for Somalia relief efforts.

The indictment of Mohamed arose out of the “Operation Rhino” investigation, which has focused on young ethnic Somali men from the Minneapolis area who were recruited to fight with al-Shabaab against the TFG and African Union peacekeeping troops in Somalia.

• The earliest groups of identified travelers departed the United States in October and December 2007, while others left in February 2008, August 2008, November 2008 and October 2009.
• Upon arriving in Somalia, the men resided in al-Shabaab safe-houses in southern Somalia until constructing an al-Shabaab training camp, where they were trained.
• Senior members of al-Shabaab and a senior member of al-Qaeda in East Africa conducted the training.
• In July 2008, men from Minneapolis as well as other Americans participated in an al-Shabaab ambush of Ethiopian troops.
• Then, on Oct. 29, 2008, one of the December 2007 travelers from Minneapolis, Shirwa Ahmed, detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device as part of an apparently coordinated series of five suicide bombings in Bosaso and Hargeisa, Somalia. In doing so, Ahmed is believed to have become the first American suicide bomber in Somalia.
• Then, in June 2011, Farah Mohamed Beledi, one of the indicted October 2009 travelers, was killed at a checkpoint in Somalia as he attempted to detonate his suicide vest.

This is the sixth guilty plea in connection with the investigation.

• Kamal Said Hassan, Abdifatah Yusuf Isse and Salah Osman Ahmed returned from Somalia to the United States and have been convicted of terrorism offenses.
• Adarus Abdulle Ali and Abdow Munye Abdow have been convicted of obstruction offenses.
• Mohamud Said Omar is in the custody of authorities in the Netherlands pending extradition,
• Ahmed Hussein Mahamud is in custody in the United States pending trial.
• An indictment of eight men believed to be fugitives in Somalia also was unsealed late last year.

For his crime, Omer Abdi Mohamed faces a potential maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. Chief Judge Davis will determine his sentence at a future hearing, yet to be scheduled.

The Rest @ Lawfare Blog

Aid Workers Kidnaped by Al Shabaab in Baioda

Islamist fighters from the Al Shabaab group in Somalia have arrested two local relief workers in the southern town of Baidoa, a week after the movement said it had lifted a ban on humanitarian agencies to operate in the drought- stricken Horn of Africa nation.

Local media on Wednesday quoted elders in the town of Baidoa as saying heavily armed Islamist fighters stormed the UNICEF office and detained Ali Moalin Black, the head of security at the office.

The fighters of the rebel group which controls much of south and central Somalia, where the Horn of Africa drought is the worst hit, also arrested Abdelrasak Mohamed, an officer with the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) after raiding his home in the town of Baidao, a stronghold of the insurgent group.

Al Shabaab said last week lifted the ban it imposed in 2009 on the operation of humanitarian agencies working in areas under their control to deal with the worsening humanitarian situation.

The group barred aid agencies after they accused them of being involved in what they termed as anti-Islam activities, a claim then strongly rejected by relief agencies.

Severe drought has forced thousands of desperate and hungry Somalis into overcrowded refugee camps in neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, as well as into the chaotic Somali capital of Mogadishu, where hundreds of families arrive every week seeking food and shelter.

It was not immediately clear why the Islamist rebels arrested the aid workers who were reportedly staying in the town since the ban on aid agencies was imposed two years ago.

The radical group has not officially commented on the arrests.

Somalia is the hardest hit by the drought which also affected the whole of Horn of Africa region. The UN describes the situation in the war-torn country as the world's worst humanitarian crisis as parched land and dried pasture due to three consecutive failed rains ruined livestock and crops, the mainstay of family economy in Somalia.

The Rest @ Hirrran

Senegal Muslims Becoming Radicalized

It looks like Senegal may be moving from a Tier One to a Tier Two level in Islamist Radicalization.

The following article notes that Muslims in Senegal are becoming increasingly hostile toward non-Muslims groups, specifically Christian. The author assumes that it is a result of AQIM activity. Though it's possible that AQIM is behind it, I would not rule out Boko Haram from Nigeria.

An investigator needs to look at at least three other sources as well:

1. NGO/Religious Dawa' visits to Senegal over the last 3-5 years, especially groups out of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. (See "Alms for Jihad" list)

2. Hizbolla has been running logistics through Senegal for years; see if Iran has had contact with current radicalized groups.

3. Any connections to Ivory Coast? Now that Muslim politics have succeeded there, are there experienced agitators from there that have moved into Senegal?

7/13/2011 - Senegal has a long standing reputation for democratic stability and harmonious relations with non-Muslim people.Recent attacks on Christian Churches and violent and intimidating actions against English speaking Christian immigrants from other West African Countries are therefore completely contrary to Senegalese custom and practice.

• Consequently,there is now a growing feeling on the ground in Senegal that elements of the AQIM have infiltrated anti-government groups to instigate violence at political demonstrations and to stir up inter-faith conflict.
• This feeling has grown over the weekend with eye witness reports of further acts of intimidation and violence towards African Christians, in Yoff, Grand Yoff, Cicap, and parts of The Medina which are suburbs of Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
• All these suburbs have a high concentration of English speaking, Christian African Immigrants.

The AQIM has developed from a small insurgency into an expanding terrorist organization within the Sahel region of Africa.Large parts of Mauritania,Mali,Niger,and Southern Algeria are now effectively under their control.These are also key transportation areas for drug cartels and commercial scale human trafficking gangs.

Apart from French Foreign Minister Alan Juppe and The President of Mauritania Mohamed Aziz,politicians have largely ignored the threat that the AQIM pose in Africa, and it is more than likely that the size of the membership of the AQIM has been severely underestimated.

The current President of Senegal,Abdoulay Wade, retires in 2012 as he has served the maximum term in office under the Senegalese Constitution. The AQIM may have seen an opportunity to expliot an uncertain political situation and expand their area of operation into Senegal.

The Rest @ BriefingWire.com,

Possible Al Qaeda Suppliers Caught near AQIM in Mali

Two suspected Al-Qaeda backers arrested in Mali
(AFP) – 1 day ago

BAMAKO — Malian security services said Thursday they have arrested two men identified as supporters of Al-Qaeda's north African branch in the northwestern Timbuktu region.

"Our troops have arrested two men regarded as the main backers of AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) in the Sahel region. They were picked up in the Timbuktu area and transferred to Bamako. Investigations are ongoing," a security official said.

• The source merely described them as "Arabs" who helped AQIM in its fight against the Mauritanian army by providing information.
• The suspects also "helped buy weapons and food for the terrorists," he added.

AQIM, which has its roots in Algeria, has camps in Mali which it uses as a launchpad to carry out armed attacks and kidnappings in the Sahel desert region where the group is also involved in arms and drugs trafficking.

Malian and Mauritanian have been leading joint operations against the extremists inside Mali.
But the withdrawal of Mauritanian troops from Mali two months ago has been followed by the establishment of new AQIM units near the border.

Last month the neighbours agreed to lead another joint military operation in northeastern Mali's Wagadou forest to thwart the group's expansion.

On July 5, AQIM launched an assault on a Mauritanian army base close to the Malian border, losing six of its men.

The four nations most affected by AQIM operations -- Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger -- work closely together on security and military issues in efforts to crack down on the Islamic extremist movement's activities.

The Rest @ AFP

A Call to al Shabaab for Peace

Thursday, July 14, 2011

It is said “all wars are evil;” even a just one, albeit necessary. “A son dies, and not born of war,” said also our Somali ancestors.

Today, in Somalia, people are facing the worst humanitarian drought disaster in 60 years.

• In the last 100 days, 200,000 Somalis fled to neighboring countries in search of food.
• This catastrophe is just unfolding.
• Thousands of Somalis have perished so far, and Millions more are most assuredly at grave-risk of starving to death.

With no effective government to respond, and a raging war, this looming cataclysm could not have happen to our people at a worst time.

While it is beyond human capability to prevent natural disasters, it is Man who always must prepare for and alleviate such disasters. Drought and a resulting famine are not new in the Horn of Africa. This has happened to us Somalis before, and not just to us but to the whole region, as it is happening now.

Most of us are old enough to remember about the not so long ago of early 70s drought, where our government then successfully evacuated drought-victims on planes and resettled them. We are not so lucky this time, and it should make us cringe about the potential cost to Somali lives in the offing with this just beginning tragedy.

It is this disaster in progress, more than any other reason, which impeaches the persistent war by Harakat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahidin. It begs the question, “Al-Shabaab: For whom and what do you keep fighting?

• What benefit of your war, if it only brings death and misery to your own people?
• To carry on a war in the name of Islam, in a Muslim country, where the primary victims are the most vulnerable innocents is beyond basic human character.
• It certainly is not Islamic!

It is simply not enough, though much welcomed, that you the leaders of Al-Shabaab have allowed International Aid Agencies into areas under your control. Nor is it acceptable for you to see this human tragedy as a bonanza for public relations.

The stakes for innocent Somalis are much higher than Sheikh Dahir Aways and other Al-Shabaab leaders visiting drought victims in camps inside Somalia and distributing some aid. The people need, more than ever, a total cessation of the conflict.

What use of this war?

• Al-Shabaab, your so-called holy war, of which you so proudly claim to be martyrs of (Al-Mujahidin), is only destroying your country.
• It is killing, by bullet, famine or shear neglect, Somali babies and mothers.

Why [is] seeking peace-terms with your own follow Somalis, to save the people, so unacceptable to you?

Surely, it was more than acceptable for the last messenger of Allah, Muhammad (SAW), who left no stone unturned in search of peace with his pagan persecutors—his own people nevertheless!

Because of the pending devastation of famine, the people of Somalia are crying out for an end to their long suffering.

And, if you Al-Shabaab leaders are listening with your hearts (if they are not turned into stone completely), you will immediately confess of a willingness to an urgent and all-enveloping ceasefire followed by peace negotiations.

Take your terms for peace and put it on a negotiating table.

On your policy to-date, as the only organization, which sees “war” as a strategic option in Somalia, only you Al-Shabaab can end the war peacefully. Others can end your war by war.

There could be peace within Somalia in days, only if you are willing. It is up to you, for no other insists on war in Somalia—not the so-called government or Ahlu-Sunna! For the people, why not at least explore peace?

• By the way, the fastest way to remove foreign troops from Somalia (in case that is the only reason for continuing fighting) is for the Somalis to stop fighting each other!

Abdul-Aziz Mohammed

Amohammed4@insight.rr.com

The Rest @ Garoweonline