It's A Great Time To Be A Pirate

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  challenge you to come up with a more badass job to have than Somali Pirate. You cannot come up with one! Except for the fact of living in a war-torn penniless country and taking your life in your hands on the high seas with no guarantee of success or mercy, it is just about the awesomest line of work ever. A million dollars in a single day? Piracy is the I-banking of a new generation!
  Easy money!
  In Somalia, it seems, crime does pay. Actually, it is one of the few industries that does.more..http://gawker.com/5072549/its-a-great-time-to-be-a-pirate
  

somali Pirate update

http://www.shipping.nato.int/piracyslid0/bitmap29Oc/file/_WFS/081029%201600Z-unclass_Piracy-NS.bmp

Somali Pirates: NYTimes notes they're "flourishing"
Reported in the NYTimes as Somalia’s Pirates Flourish in a Lawless Nation
In Somalia, it seems, crime does pay. Actually, it is one of the few industries that does.“All you need is three guys and a little boat, and the next day you’re millionaires,” said Abdullahi Omar Qawden, a former captain in Somalia’s long-defunct navy.People in Garoowe, a town south of Boosaaso, describe a certain high-rolling pirate swagger. Flush with cash, the pirates drive the biggest cars, run many of the town’s businesses — like hotels — and throw the best parties, residents say. Fatuma Abdul Kadir said she went to a pirate wedding in July that lasted two days, with nonstop dancing and goat meat, and a band flown in from neighboring Djibouti.“It was wonderful,” said Ms. Fatuma, 21. “I’m now dating a pirate.”This is too much for many Somali men to resist, and criminals from all across this bullet-pocked land are now flocking to Boosaaso and other notorious pirate dens along the craggy Somali shore. They have turned these waters into the most dangerous shipping lanes in the world.***Nor is it even clear whether Somali authorities universally want the piracy to stop. While many pirates have been arrested, several fishermen, Western researchers and more than a half-dozen pirates in jail spoke of nefarious relationships among fishing companies, private security contractors and Somali government officials, especially those working for the semiautonomous regional government of Puntland.“Believe me, a lot of our money has gone straight into the government’s pockets,” said Farah Ismail Eid, a pirate who was captured in nearby Berbera and sentenced to 15 years in jail. His pirate team, he said, typically divided up the loot this way: 20 percent for their bosses, 20 percent for future missions (to cover essentials like guns, fuel and cigarettes), 30 percent for the gunmen on the ship and 30 percent for government officials.

Somali Pirates Capture Turkish Ship
Latest NATO Somali Piracy Update here (click to enlarge):Report of seizure of Turkish ship:
Following a short lull in piracy incidents, possibly due to adverse weather conditions, there has been a very recent surge of incidents. Bulk carrier MV YASA NESLIHAN was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on 29 October. In addition, two other vessels were attacked andone approached in the Gulf of Aden on 28 October. the total number of commercial vessels (including one tug)hijacked in Somali waters now stands at ten; over 200 merchant seamen are held by pirates.More information:
The NATO Shipping Center reports that the bulk carrier MV Yasa Neslihan was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on October 29, but gives no details of the incident,The Marshall Islands-flag Yasa Neslihan is an 82,849 dwt, 2005 built bulk carrier operated by Turkey's Ya/Sa Shipping Industry & Trading SA.The NATO Shipping Center reports the hijacking as part of a very recent surge of incidents in the region following a short lull in piracy incidents, possibly due to adverse weather conditions.NATO says that two other vessels were attacked and one approached in the Gulf of Aden on October 28, while a U.S. Fifth Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces release puts the number of unsuccessful piracy attempts in the area that day at five.Separately, the Spanish defense ministry said that a maritime patrol aircraft thwarted a pirate attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker Leander on TuesdayThe P-3 Orion aircraft received a call for help from the Leander on Tuesday reporting that pirates on two boats were trying to board the vessel which was was about 210 km north of the coast of Somalia."To deter the pirates, the plane flew over the hostile boats three times and launched a smoke bomb at them each time," the defense ministry said. "After the third launch, the crew of the P-3 noticed that the boats gave up their attempt to board and separated themselves from the oil tanker."The aircraft was on a routine patrol when it received the call for help. Photo of Yasa Neslihan from http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/ShipPhotos/8019-Yasa-Neslihan-9286566.html.NavCent press release on Coalition effort in fighting pirates:
Five piracy attempts occurred yesterday in the Gulf of Aden; they were all unsuccessful as a result of pro-active measures taken by masters and crews of the commercial shipping vessels.Even when shots were fired during two of these attacks, the crews of commercial shipping vessels conducted evasive maneuvering and used fire hoses to repel their attackers.“The pro-active measures taken yesterday by merchant vessels are exactly what we have been recommending,” said Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, Commander, Combined Maritime Forces. “For slightly more than two months the Coalition has been working with the commercial shipping industry and the International Maritime Organization to recommend best practices and leverage lessons learned to employ reasonable self-protection measures. These measures range from proactive lookouts and evasive maneuvering to embarking professional security teams.”***Since its establishment, Coalition units have deterred more than two dozen attacks in the Gulf of Aden.“Piracy is a threat to the security of all nations and requires an international solution,” said Gortney. “The Coalition’s presence is helping deter destabilizing activity, allowing the shipping industry time to implement self-protection measures and the international community to establish a legal framework to hold pirates accountable for their actions.”***In addition to Coalition naval forces, ships and aircraft from several other nations to include a NATO task force are operating in the region. While there is no formal agreement between the Coalition and other navies, they have been communicating with each other and sharing information to more effectively patrol the area.
Posted by Eagle1 at
Labels: Gulf of Aden, NATO, Somali Pirates, Somalia
Iranian "Mystery Ship" and the Somali Pirates
Iran doesn't like Somali pirates and is directing its ships to take precaution to prevent their seizure in the Gulf of Aden, as set out here:
Iran's main shipping firm has told its vessels to install barbed wire on their decks and put crew on watch against pirates in the Gulf of Aden, it said on Wednesday.Of more interest to some will be the report on the Iranian "mystery" ship Deyanat which has been touted as everything from an Iranian vessel carrying weapons to Eritrea to a potential weapon of mass destruction to be used against Israel (a subject about which I receive frequent emails). According to the news report:
The bulk carrier Iran Deyanat, owned by Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was hijacked on Aug. 21, one of numerous ships hijacked by pirates in the waters off the Horn of Africa. It was freed on Oct. 10.***One report suggested the Iran Deyanat had been carrying arms to Eritrea, and a Kenyan-based shipping organisation suggested the ship was carrying a "dangerous chemical" that had injured and killed Somali pirates.IRISL denied both allegations in a statement on Wednesday. It said the Iran Deyanat had sailed to Salalah, Oman, after its release and was now in the Mediterranean, heading to Rotterdam."The cargo was loaded in China under normal circumstances and there is no danger associated with it," IRISL said."We didn't go to Eritrea with any weapons," Captain Majid Ensan Najib of IRISL told Reuters.Najib, the head of IRISL's maritime affairs department and emergency response committee, who was involved in Iran Deyanat's release, said the ship's manifest had listed only minerals and industrial goods, not chemicals or arms.


Pirates seize RP tanker, 23 Pinoy seamen near Somalia
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/132765/Pirates-seize-RP-tanker-23-Pinoy-seamen-near-Somalia

The US Presidential election and anti-Ethiopian lobbying

(MFA Oct 31 2008):-The US presidential campaign between rival candidates’ Barrack Obama and John McCain is arguably the most fiercely contested in living memory. It is also unique as one of the contenders, and the one the polls favor to win, is an American of African origin – a fact that automatically qualifies as history in its own right no matter what happens next Tuesday. It has drawn sustained interest and curiosity throughout the world as much to the identity of and contrast between the two candidates as to the unprecedented exposure of the world to the campaign by state-of-the-art media outlets. Of course, because this campaign is about who will take over still the most powerful position in the world it is incumbent for politicians and ordinary citizens alike to follow the campaign trail closely. As a nation that has enjoyed decades of friendly ties with the United States of America, Ethiopia is no exception. The support Senator Obama has among Ethiopians both in the Diaspora and at home is palpable. more..http://aigaforum.com/news/The_US_Presidential_election.htm

Somali Pirates Seek $5 Mln for Seized Turkish Ship, Aksam Says

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aImH93nmMAjA

House Approves Appointment Of Nine Ministers

Addis Ababa, October 30, 2008 (Addis Ababa) - The House of Peoples Representatives has approved the appointment of nine ministers in its sixth regular session it held here on Thursday. The Houses endorsed the appointment of the Ministers presented by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi with a majority vote. Accordingly, former Information Minister Berhan Hailu is appointed as Justice Minister and former Public Organization Advisor to the Prime Minister Haile-maraim Desalegn as Government Whip. Former Federal Affairs Minister Siraj Fergesa is appointed as Defense Minister, former Amhara State Administration Deputy Chief Demeke Mekonnen as Education Minister and former Transport and Communication Minister Junedin Sado as Science and Technology Minister. Former Health State Minister Dr. Shiferaw Tekle-mariam is appointed as Federal Affairs Minister, Tefera Deribew as Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Diriba Kuma as Transport and Communication Minister and Muferiat Kamil as Women's Affiairs Minister. All the appointed officials have already sworn-in.
Giving explanation about the appointment to the House while presenting the appointees, Meles said some of the Ministries were vacant while some are organized anew.
He indicated that some the Ministers could not discharge their responsibilities due to workload.
Pointing out that some Ministers were unable to register good result as government needed, Meles said He expressed hope that the appointees would manage to register a good result by discharging their responsibilities entrusted to them.
---END---
Headlines
House Approves Appointment Of Nine Ministers
(c) The Ethiopian News Agency

-Southern Somali regional official dies after landmine attack

Abdifatah Ibrahim Shaweye

Marka-somaliaThe acting regional commissioner of Lower Shabelle Region (southern Somalia), Muhammad Mahmud Ilmi, has died following injuries he sustained in yesterday's landmine explosion in the provincial town, Marka. Abdifatah Ibrahim Shaweye (a former member of Mogadishu regional administration) confirmed the death of Mr Ilmi. He said the acting regional governor died at the AMISOM (African Union Mission to Somalia) hospital in Mogadishu, where he was admitted following yesterday's attack.Mr Muhammad Mahmud Ilmi, was seriously wounded in a landmine attack that took place in Marka, the provincial town of Lower Shabelle Region. In the attack the deputy regional police commissioner of Lower Shabelle, Nuriye Ali Farah, was killed on the spot.

Statement from the United Nations on two UN staff killed in Hargeysa UNDP compound attack

Nairobi, 30 October 2008) - It is with great sadness that the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Mark Bowden, confirms the death of two staff members in the car bomb attack of the UNDP compound yesterday, 29 October 2008.
Mr. Mohammed Geele was a Local Security Advisor who had worked for the UN for five years. He is survived by his wife and five children. Mr. Sayid Hashi, from Borama, Somaliland, had been a driver for the UN Office for Project Services since 1997 and leaves behind a wife and three sons. more..http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/SHIG-7KWFEQ?OpenDocument
Somalis ‘trained by Al-Qaeda’

Authorities in the Somali breakaway region of Puntland today said they believed the two suicide bombers who struck anti-terrorism centres a day earlier had been trained by Al-Qaeda.
Bomb kills Somali officer
Civilians killed in Somali fighting
A prominent local cleric was detained as part of the investigation into the twin explosions, which wounded six members of the intelligence service in addition to killing the two bombers, witnesses said"The attackers were trained by Al-Qaeda, according to the evidence we have collected, but investigations are still under way," Puntland presidential advisor Bile Mohamoud Qabowsade told AFP.Simultaneous triple suicide car bombings in Hargeysa, the capital of the neighbouring breakaway region of Somaliland, killed 20 people in addition to the bombers and wounded at least 30, medical sources and officials said.Witnesses told AFP that police arrested prominent cleric Sheikh Mohamed Ismail as part of the ongoing probe."Police raided Sheikh Mohamed’s house outside Bosasso and arrested him. I do not know whether others were also detained but I saw the sheikh onboard a police truck," said Abdulaziz Mohamed Abdurahman, a neighbour and local elder.The Puntland authorities deployed extra security forces across the territory, with security particularly tight in Bosasso."A sufficient number of policemen and other security forces have been deployed all over the region, particularly in Bosasso in order to check the movement of vehicles," police official told AFP.

Somali cleric arrested after deadly suicide blasts http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081030/ap_on_re_af/af_somalia

UN Security Council condemns terrorist attacks in Somalia http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/31/content_10283380.htm

North Somali authorities arrest suspect in suicide attacks

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1030/breaking36.htm

Igad heads issue ultimatum to Somalia Government

Somalia neighbours have ordered its weak Transitional Federal Government to end a leadership crisis or face sanctions.
President Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmed, Prime Minister Hassan Nur Adde and MPs weathered a second day at a special session of the Igad heads of state and government in Nairobi.The conference on Wednesday directed the transitional government to form a new government.
Failure to achieve the benchmarks in six months, IGAD would impose unspecified sanctions.
Regional leaders capped condemnation of the squabbling between President Yusuf and his premier with a threat of unspecified sanctions.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said the TFG had failed to implement its founding mandate and turned the Somalia crisis into a "never ending saga."
Disappointed..more ..http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1143998186&cid=4


President Isaias Afwerki’s did not show up in the meeting .. Unfortunately, he was meeting with Somali jehadist HAWIYE al- shaabaab and OGADEN ONLF... IT IS TIME IGED TO ISSUE ULTIMATUM TO Eritrean Terrorist Network





Prime Minster
Meles calls on international community to end conflict in Somalia

Addis Ababa, October 29, 2008 (Addis Ababa) - Prime Minster Meles Zenawi called on the international community to contribute in the efforts to find solution to the conflict in Somalia.
Meles, who is the current chairperson of Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), made the call at the ongoing IGAD meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.
Meles said Somali leaders should work together to reconstruct the country.
He said few African countries have been striving to maintain peace in Somalia, however, the international community has not given due attention to that country.
He called for the international community on the occasion to provide humanitarian and technical assistance to Somalia.
Meles noted that the Somali leaders should reach consensus to find lasting solution to the problem. Meles urged all parties to act as per the agreement reached in Djibouti.
IGAD member states have agreed to work with the international community to find lasting solution to the conflict in Somalia.
They have reached consensus to back the effort of deployment of peacekeeping forces in Somalia and to implement the agreement signed in Djibouti.
Leaders of IGAD member states, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi E. Frazer and Somali MPs took part in the extraordinary meeting convened to deliberate on the conflict in Somalia. .http://www.ena.gov.et/EnglishNews/2008/Oct/29Oct08/71717.htm

Somali MPs accept terms
peace and stability returned in the country.Led by Awad Ahmed Ashareh, the MPs however called for financial support from the international community to revive dysfunctional institutions.Civil warAddressing journalists in Nairobi, the MPs said the transitional government needed funds to set up strong police force, prisons department and judiciary.
It further requires funds to resettle about three million people displaced following 18 years of instability.“We welcome efforts to salvage Somalia from effects of civil war that has left three million displaced. Activities of federal institutions should be financed for them to work,” Mr Ashareh said.The MPs further want Somalis in diaspora to return and take up jobs currently done by expatriates.“Money used to hire one foreign expatriate can employ 10 skilled Somalis,” Mr Ashareh said.On Wednesday, an Igad summit gave Somali authorities conditions to fulfil before its term expires in October next year or face stern action.President Abdullahi Yusuf and the leaders are to, among other things, appoint a new Cabinet and establish Banadir administration which includes Mogadishu in two weeks.Step down six heads of State and Government also directed the leaders to draft a new constitution in six months.Meanwhile, Somalia Prime Minister Noor Hassan Hussein said he will resign once a government of national unity is formed with the opposition. Mr Hussein told a press conference at the Somalia embassy in Nairobi that the TFG is hoping for an extension of its term so that it can fulfil objectives laid out by Igad this week. more..http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/485996/-/tlij7p/-/

Ships repel five pirate attacks off Somalia in a single day

CNN) -- Five attempts to hijack ships off the coast of Somalia were thwarted Tuesday by the ships' crews, the U.S.-led coalition that monitors the region said Wednesday. A Russian frigate traverses the Suez Canal this month on its way to help control piracy off Somalia.
"Even when shots were fired during two of these attacks, the crews of commercial shipping vessels conducted evasive maneuvering and used fire hoses to repel their attackers," the Combined Maritime Forces said in a news release. Even in a region plagued by piracy, five hijacking attempts in one day may be a record. More than 60 ships have been attacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden this year, compared with about half that many in all of 2007, according to a report released this month by Chatham House, an institute in London, England, that analyzes international affairs. The report found the $18 million to $30 million in ransom already paid this year for pirated ships is helping to finance the civil war in Somalia.
Al-Shabaab, an Islamic militant group that is waging a bloody battle for control of Somalia, is reported to be among groups receiving ransom money from pirates

U.S. Navy ships repel pirates off East Africa
MANAMA, Bahrain: The U.S. Navy says commercial shipping vessels have thwarted five attempted hijackings by pirates in the busy shipping channel off the Horn of Africa.
The five incidents happened Tuesday in the Gulf of Aden off Africa's east coast. That is where Somali pirates have been besieging merchant ships, freighters and fishing trawlers in search of million-dollar ransoms.
In two of the attempts, pirates fired shots. But the ship crews were able to repel the assailants through evasive maneuvering and by blasting the pirates' boasts with fire hoses.
The U.S.-led naval coalition that helps patrol the area announced the attempted hijackings Wednesday in a statement released at its headquarters in Bahrain ..more..http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/29/news/ML-US-Navy-Piracy.php



IGAD: Kibaki urges maritime security policy



President Kibaki has called for the development of a regional maritime security policy framework in collaboration with the international community.http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/485132/-/tlicrm/-/index.html

Kenya: Live Text - Igad Conference http://allafrica.com/stories/200810290675.html



Somalia’s Pirates Flourish in a Lawless Nation



BOOSAASO, Somalia — This may be one of the most dangerous towns in Somalia, a place where you can get kidnapped faster than you can wipe the sweat off your brow. But it is also one of the most prosperous. more..http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/world/africa/31pirates.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Explosions, suicide car bombs rock Puntland, Somaliland

MOGADISHU, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 people have been killed and almost 30 others were wounded after a wave of coordinated suicide car bombings hit targets across northern Somalia on Wednesday, officials and witnesses said.
Nearly 20 of the dead were in Hargeysa, the capital of the breakaway republic of Somaliland, where the Presidential Palace, the UNDP office and a commercial office of Ethiopia were attacked by three separate suicide car bombs that exploded within minutes of each other, witnesses told Xinhua.
"Nearly twenty-two others were wounded in the three explosions which took place in Hargeysa," Ahmed Ali, a resident in Hargeys, who went to the scenes of the explosion, told Xinhua.
In coastal port city of Bossaso, the commercial capital of the northeastern semi-autonomous region of Puntland, two suicide car bombers blew themselves up inside two compounds of the local Anti-terrorism Squad, Adde Musse, president of Puntland, said at a news conference..more..http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/29/content_10274956.htm

Five suicide bombers strike in northern Somalia http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/10/five_suicide_bombers.php

Explosions in Hargeisa ..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqVUPhBJk6c

5 Suicide Bomb Attacks Hit Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Suicide attacks rocked government security posts, United Nations offices and an Ethiopian consular unit in two regions of northern Somalia on Wednesday, killing or wounding dozens of people, according to officials and witnesses.
Five suicide car bomb attackers struck within fifteen minutes in Hargeisa, the capital of breakaway Somaliland, and in Bosasso, in Puntland, said Faisal Hayle, a security official in Mogadishu for the transitional government of Somalia.
Several buildings were leveled by the attacks. According to Mr. Faisal, the bombers struck at around 10:30 a.m., attacking the government security offices in both Bosasso and Hargeisa, as well as an Ethiopian consulate office and a United Nations office in Hargeisa.
Reuters quoted witnesses as saying the death toll from the two attacks totaled 28, at least 20 of them at the Ethiopian office in Hargeisa.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. Mr. Faisal blamed a militant Islamist group called the Shabab, which the United States considers a terrorist organization.
The Shabab has been waging a relentless war against Somalia’s weak transitional government, but most of its attacks have been confined to south-central Somalia. Hargeisa, in northern Somalia, had been considered an oasis of peace and stability.. more..http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/world/africa/30somalia.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rssssnyt&emc=rss

Bombings in Somalia: The Blowback Continues»

21 victims dead in Somalia suicide attacks

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A wave of suicide bombings killed more than 20 people Wednesday in northern Somalia, striking just as international leaders held talks on ending decades of deadly turmoil in this chaotic African nation.
The five seemingly coordinated attacks targeted a U.N. compound, the Ethiopian consulate and the presidential palace in Somaliland's capital, Hargeisa. All occurred in the breakaway republic of Somaliland and in Somalia's Puntland region — both of which have largely been spared the deadly violence seen in the country's south.
"It was a horrendous scene," said Ismail Mohamed, a 22-year-old Hargeisa resident who saw bloodied victims screaming and begging for help after the blast at the palace. "It is a woeful day."more..http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/ap_on_re_af/af_somalia

Watchdog Group Says Human Rights Remain Under Attack in Somalia

A new report criticizes the Somali Transitional Federal Government, its Ethiopian allies and insurgents for failing to protect human rights workers. The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project issued a new report Tuesday, saying there's been a significant deterioration in conditions in Somalia. It reports the situation is particularly bad for journalists, nine of whom were killed in the past year...more..http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-10-28-voa23.cfm

Somalia: Ethiopia Must Admit Defeat, Says Islamist

Africa reports, "A spokesman for an Islamist guerrilla group waging war in central and southern Somalia has declared that the insurgency will continue despite yesterday's peace deal. Muktar Robow "Abu Mansur," spokesman for al Shabaab insurgents, was flanked by masked gunmen as he addressed the media in person for the first time since Ethiopian troops ousted Islamic Courts rulers from Mogadishu in December 2006. "I say [Ethiopian Prime Minister] Meles Zenawi must admit defeat, because he found people who hide his defeat after his power was severely weakened," Abu Mansur said. more..http://www.africanpath.com/p_comments.cfm?articleID=184366

Peace deal focus of Somalia meeting

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2008/10/200810285156314849.html

NATO flotilla escorts first cargo ship to Somalia

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-10-27-nato-somalia_N.htm

SOMALIA: CHRISTIAN AID WORKER BEHEADED FOR CONVERTING FROM ISLAM

http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&lang=en&length=long&idelement=5661

Muslims behead Christian convert from Islam in Somalia

NAIROBI, Kenya, October 27 (Compass Direct News) – Among at least 24 aid workers killed in Somalia this year was one who was beheaded last month specifically for converting from Islam to Christianity, among other charges, according to ...Jihad Watch - http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Ethiopia says will exit under Somalia peace deal

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE49Q2YG20081027?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

Bomb kills Somali officer

MOGADISHU - A roadside bomb killed a Somali police commander in the southern town of Merka today, the latest in a string of attacks on government officials, witnesses and police said.Civilians killed in Somali fighting
Somali rebels attack, kill four Deputy police chief for Lower Shabelle region Lieutenant Colonel Nuriye Ali Farah died after his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Merka, about 100 kilometres south of the capital Mogadishu, they said.
"His vehicle was targeted by this bomb that was exploded by a remote control," Idriss Abdulkadir, who witnessed the attack, said.Police officials in Merka confirmed the death.Somali government officials have been regularly targeted by Islamist insurgents who are waging a deadly guerrilla warfare since they were ousted from power early 2007.

Somali pirates living the high life

"No information today. No comment," a Somali pirate shouts over the sound of breaking waves, before abruptly ending the satellite telephone call. They wed the most beautiful girls; they are building big houses; they have new cars; new guns Garowe resident Abdi Farah JuhaLife in Somalia's pirate town Somali pirates face battles at sea
He sounds uptight - anxious to see if a multi-million dollar ransom demand will be met.
He is on board the hijacked Ukrainian vessel, MV Faina - the ship laden with 33 Russian battle tanks that has highlighted the problem of piracy off the Somali coast since it was captured almost a month ago.
But who are these modern-day pirates? According to residents in the Somali region of Puntland where most of the pirates come from, they live a lavish life. more..http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7650415.stm

Chemical tanker hijacked off Somali coast http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/11/content_10341538.htm

Foreign navies powerless to uproot Somali piracy: experts

NATO ships passing through the Suez Canal

NAIROBI (AFP) — A spate of high-profile hijackings by Somali pirates has spurred western navies into action but experts argue that a handful of warships can do little to stamp out the lucrative piracy business.
An Italian destroyer as well as British and Greek frigates arrived in the Gulf of Aden last week as the front guard of NATO's anti-piracy Operation Allied Provider.
NATO announced Monday that one of its ships had successfully carried out its first mission, escorting a vessel bringing supplies to African Union peacekeepers in Somalia.
The European Union (EU) has also pledged another three or four vessels by December in a bid to stem a phenomenon that is threatening world trade.
But experts say a beefed up naval presence can achieve little more than escort services for food aid deliveries.
"When it comes to suppressing piracy , an extra 10 or 11 ships is still not a huge amount of naval presence for a very large area," said Roger Middleton, consultant researcher for London-based think-tank Chatham House. .more..http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYn2zUvs3R5iCRO_fGC57hXQKTFw

Turkish ship with iron ore hijacked off Somalia http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27458309/

girl stoned to death by mostly hawiye al- shabaab. With ogaden ONLF .This "barbaric..Stop this Barbaric .

Thousands of people gathered to witness 50 Somali men stone a woman to death after an Islamic court in the southern port of Kismayo found her guilty of adultery, witnesses say.
Aisho Ibrahim Dhuhulow, who had been found guilty of extra-marital intercourse was buried in the ground up to her neck while the men pelted her head with rocks, they said.
"Our sister Aisho asked the Islamic Sharia court in Kismayo to be charged and punished for the crime she committed," local Islamist leader Sheikh Hayakallah told the crowd..more..http://news.smh.com.au/world/somali-lady-stoned-to-death-for-adultery-20081028-59we.html

Ethiopian Health Minister Brings News of Great Advances to Washington

Ethiopia’s dramatic progress on the health care front was in the spotlight this week when Health Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus participated in two high-profile events in Washington, D.C., including a White House Summit on Global Development featuring some of Africa’s top health experts, as well as President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Dr.Tedros took part in a number of discussions at the one-day event, including a panel on global health called “A Shared Responsibility for Success,” which was moderated by Admiral R. Timothy Ziemer, President Bush’s malaria initiative coordinator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

In his keynote address to the Summit, President Bush twice singled out Ethiopia for special attention. He noted that the U.S. devotes $425 million to improving education in Ethiopia and a handful of other nations because “we want children to fulfill their God-given potential.” He also spoke about a $1.2 billion U.S. initiative that has cut the number of malaria-related deaths in 15 African nations by half, noting that “in places like Zambia and Ethiopia and Rwanda and Zanzibar, the numbers of people sick or dying from malaria have dropped dramatically.”

The progress Ethiopia has made under Dr. Tedros’ leadership is remarkable, earning him global acclaim and spurring other countries to follow suit. Due to his success in tackling critical problems like malaria, Dr. Tedros has been asked to take on a number of high-profile, leadership roles, including the chairmanship of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the global initiative to fight malaria. ..more..http://aigaforum.com/news/Health_Minister_102708.htm

The Health of Ethiopia: An Update by Ethiopia's Health Minister

http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_events/task,view/id,1820/

Ethiopia says will exit under Somalia peace deal

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnB343382.html

African leaders to meet over Somalia

Nairobi, Oct 27 (Xinhua) African leaders are due to meet in Kenya Tuesday to discuss ways to stabilise Somalia that has been hit by violence for more than a decade, Kenya's foreign affairs minister said Monday.Moses Wetang'ula said the summit will review efforts of Somalia's transitional government to tackle law and order problems and build consensus among warring factions in the war-torn country since its establishment four years ago.'We have only nine months left until the end of the Transitional Federal Charter,' Wetangula told journalists in Nairobi.The minister was referring to the five-year transitional charter that was signed in February 2004 in Nairobi between Somalia's warring factions after protracted years of negotiations in the Kenyan capital.The document called for a new constitution, formation of political parties and creating internal boundaries.Wetangula said the two-day meeting is also expected to discuss problems of piracy in the Somali region.Somalia's President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and many other Somali lawmakers are already in Nairobi to attend the summit hosted by the seven-member regional mediating body IGAD.The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) includes Djbouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Eritrea.

Somalia Makes Peace Deal With a Militia

NAIROBI, Kenya — Somalia’s transitional leaders made important concessions toward peace on Sunday, agreeing to accept insurgent troops within their ranks and detailing a plan for a phased pullback of Ethiopian soldiers, currently the most powerful force in the country.This agreement could be an important step for chaotic Somalia, where thousands of civilians have been killed this year in vicious urban combat between, on one side, the Ethiopian troops and militia members loyal to the Somali government and, on the other, a determined Islamist insurgency. The recent fighting has compounded the country’s dire humanitarian problems, with millions of people on the brink of starvation.
In a document signed in the neighboring country of Djibouti, Somalia’s transitional government agreed to police the country jointly with an insurgent militia. Equally important, the government committed to have Ethiopian troops “relocate,” starting Nov. 21, from critical urban areas, including strategic sites in Mogadishu, the bullet-pocked capital. more..http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/world/africa/27somalia.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Ethiopia says will exit under Somalia peace deal

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Monday it will respect a U.N.-brokered peace deal for Somalia requiring the gradual withdrawal of its troops whose presence is the main bone of contention for opposition groups.
Somalia's government signed a ceasefire agreement with moderate leaders of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) on Sunday after meeting an opposition demand to fix the exit of Ethiopian troops. more..http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE49Q2YG20081027?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

Hard-line opposition leader rejects Somali peace deal

Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, Islamist leader of the Asmara-based hard-line faction of the opposition Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia (ARS), Monday reiterated his rejection of the ceasefire agreement signed on Sunday between the Somali transitional government and another faction of the ARS. Speaking to the local Shabelle radio, Aweys, described the deal as "betrayal," saying the agreement was "designed to undermine the Somali people." He vowed his fighters will continue attacking targets of Somali government officials and its forces and the Ethiopian troops backing it. He said that his faction will "fight on until the last Ethiopian soldier leaves Somali soil." more..http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6522253.html

Somali Pirates: Islamist and Jihadist Influences and Funding

by Ganesh Sahathevan
Reuters reports that an explosion of piracy this month off the coast of Somalia is funding a growing insurgency onshore as the hijackers funnel hefty ransom payments to Islamist rebels.
The spike in attacks at sea has coincided with a rise in assaults on land by radical al-Shabaab [the "youth"] insurgents, including the capture on Friday of Somalia's strategic southern port Kismayu.
The United States say al-Shabaab is a terrorist group with close ties to al Qaeda. Experts say some of the businessmen and warlords who command the pirates are also funding the rebels (see
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/mar/102338.htm).
"The entire Somali coastline is now under control of the Islamists," Andrew Mwangura, head of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, told Reuters in an interview.
(http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSLO00572320080824)
According to Abdisaid M. Ali, a former cabinet secretary in the Transitional Federal Government of
Somalia, and now an independent consultant/analyst on Horn of Africa:
Al-Shabaab and a few other Islamic extremists in Somalia including the ICU have their roots
in the former Al-Itihad Al-Islamiya which also evolved from Somalia’s religious organization,
the Al-Salafiya Al-jadiid in the early 1970’s. Al-Salafiya Al-jadiid was defeated by the former
Somali President (General) Mohamed Siyad Barre) in the late 1970’s and Al-itihad Al-
Islamiya in Somalia was defeated by Col. Abdulahi Yusuf, the present Somali president,
during the early 1990’s in the North East region of Somalia and later by the Ethiopian military
in the Gedo region in Somalia.
The new Al-Shabaab Leadership is decentralized, often with loosely coordinated levels of
leadership that revolve around local villages and religious leaders who are guided by these
scholars for interpretations of the meaning of the Jihad and the Qur’an in specific terms as
well as for the guidance of the armed conflict against the TFG and Ethiopian security forces
and other African peace keeping forces present in Mogadishu. In the past, they used to be in
conflict with traditional religious leaders but the radicals seem to have overpowered them
now.
On the matter of funding:
…(in the case of ) the Somali As-Shabaab Al-Mujahidin, the local mosques, local religious leaders, and local community networks provide the bulk of long term financial support for their logistical and operational needs. Mostly in kind, food, water, shelter, clothing and to some extent extensive sympathy among local communities as they bring some form of justice to the locals and do not abuse ordinary Somalis as does the TFG and other powers such as warlords and corrupt politicians.
To some extent, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states remain the most significant
source of external funds flowing to Somalia’s Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahidin and other radical
Islamist movements in the Horn of Africa through Dubai. In most cases, "charitable
foundations" linked to radical Islam in Somalia, as well as a careful examination of the radical
Islamic funding, indicate a continuing flow of funds directly from official Saudi organizations
to these Horn of Africa terror organisations. For example, The World Assembly for Muslim
Youth (WAMY) and the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) and Somali
businesses in the Gulf States, Europe and the United States as well as Australia and New Zealand and as far as Malaysia and Singapore are active financiers of radical Islamic movements in the Horn of Africa’s financial Jihad.
Southern Somali communities contribute to Al-Shabaab in the form of Zakat for the benefit of
Jihad in Southern Somalia against Ethiopians, TFG and other non violent Muslims.
Praising the merits of financial jihad, Muslim scholars also rely on Islamic tradition (hadith)
attributed to the Prophet Mohammad, which assures Muslims who donate money for jihad the
same reward in Heaven as the mujahidin themselves. According to hadith: "One [Muslim]
who equips a person on his way to raid [to the enemy's camps] in Allah's path [jihad] is
considered to have the same status as the raider [ mujahid ]. One [Muslim] who substitutes
[the raider] concerning his family and [taking care of their needs] with good deeds is
considered to have the same status as the raider [ mujahid ]." Technically therefore, whether
we like it or not, Muslims (provided the council of learned Sheikhs approves) are required to participate in the Jihad. Al-Shabaab is only an armed operation. Others who contribute all the other resources mentioned above also believe they are in the Jihad. (In the case of Somalia,
Jihad may be used euphemistically for clan cause)
(Ali’s paper is located at http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0C54E3B3-1E9C-BE1E-2C24-A6A8C7060233&lng=en&id=55851. It is worth reading in full ) more..http://www.terrorfinance.org/the_terror_finance_blog/

Another aid worker killed in Somalia, Al-Shabaab terrorists have been responsible for killing aid workers and journalists.

http://wwwwbipicomlink.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-aid-worker-killed-in-somalia-al.html

Rights Campaigner Murdered in Somalia

attacks on local civilians, aid workers and officials.Dunia Sheikh Daoud was killed on Saturday evening as she returned from work at the IIDA organization in the central Somali town Guriel, her employer told news outlets.At least 15 aid workers have been killed this year in the war-torn country, most of them Somalis.IIDA is a women’s development organization, which, among other things, campaigns to abolish the practice of female genital mutilation.It is unknown who was behind the attack.Somalia has not had a stable government since 1991 and its security forces are currently pitted in an ongoing battle against Islamists who wish to retake control over the capital Mogadishu and other parts of the country.Meanwhile, in Sudan, the media is concerned about the recent detention of a Darfuri journalist arrested for translating the comments of a displaced Darfuri woman into Arabic for a visiting Qatari official.The journalist, 35-year-old Nour A-Din Braima, was detained two weeks ago and has since been held incommunicado, the publisher of the daily Ajras Al-Huriyya said... more..http://www.themedialine.org/news/news_detail.asp?NewsID=23081

8 Somali soldiers killed in growing insurgency

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Eight Somali government troops were killed in two separate attacks on Sunday, witnesses said, in the latest violence between the shaky U.N.-backed administration and an Islamic insurgency growing in strength.
A land mine attack killed three soldiers and three civilians in northern Mogadishu, while leaving three soldiers wounded, resident Mohamed Abdi said.
No one has yet claimed the responsibility for the attack in the capital, but targeted blasts and assassinations of officials are common in Somalia, where Islamic insurgents have vowed to fight an Iraq-style insurgency against the weak and corrupt U.N.-supported government. more..http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27386942/

Kenya downplays Somali Islamists' remarks on military training

Kenyan government has commented over a recent warning from Somalia's Al-Shabab Islamists waging war in Somalia.Speaking at a media conference in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, the government spokesman of Kenya, Dr Alfred Mutua, has said that Kenya would not respond to threats by Al-Shabab regarding the Kenyan plan to provide military training to some Somali troops.Dr Mutua said that Kenya had its own policy, and because of that it would not respond to comments made by organizations that were not recognized by the Kenyan government.
He said Kenya would continue with its plan towards providing training to the Somali Transitional Government troops.Somalia's Al-Shabab group recently warned Kenya over its plan to provide training to 10,000 soldiers. Al-Shabab warned that the move could have negative consequences on Kenya, and would also make Al-Shabab to attack Kenya.The remarks, which Kenya and Al-Shabab are trading, come at a time when fighting between Ethiopian forces in collaboration with Somali government forces and insurgents are intensifying in Somalia

U.N. council mulls action in Eritrea-Djibouti dispute

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council is considering stepping up the pressure on Eritrea to avoid a renewal of fighting in the Horn of Africa between Asmara and its neighbor Djibouti, diplomats said on Friday.
Djibouti accused neighboring Eritrea of moving troops across the border in June, triggering several days of fighting that killed a dozen Djiboutian troops and wounded dozens. Eritrea denies making any incursions.
Djibouti, a key U.S. and French ally, also accuses Eritrea of seizing what it says is its territory along the Red Sea.
The president of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, told the 15-nation council on Thursday that there could be war if it did not get involved and help resolve its dispute with Eritrea. more,,http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE49N5T920081024?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews=worldNews

Djibouti says Eritrea risking war

Djibouti's president has said his country will have to go to war with Eritrea unless the UN acts to resolve growing tension over a border dispute. Djibouti has accused Eritrea of invading its territory and its ambassador to the UN told the BBC that Eritrea had been avoiding mediation. But his Eritrean counterpart said Eritrea had no territorial ambitions. Both France and the US have troops in Djibouti. Its border with Eritrea is at a key strategic point on the Red Sea..more..http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7687503.stm

Somali government troops capture southern town

BAIDOA, Somalia, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Somali government troops took control of a southern town from Islamist rebels on Friday in fighting which killed five people, a local official said. "We have launched fierce attacks on Islamists in order to retake the towns they have previously captured," Mohamed Maalim, chairman of the Hudur Bakool region told Reuters. "We shall continue the fighting until we completely eradicate Islamists from these regions," he said. more,,http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LO200789.htm

Six killed in Somalia clashes: witnesses

MOGADISHU (AFP) – At least six people, including a UN security guard, died when Somali government forces attacked Islamists-controlled towns in the lawless African state, witnesses and an official said Friday.
The forces attacked Berdale township, some 310 kilometres (490 miles) southwest of the capital, sparking clashes that claimed five lives."Three Islamic fighters and two Somali government soldiers were killed in the fighting which took place outside the town," said Mohamed Aw Mumin, an elder in the town."The fighting has stopped, but both sides are still facing off," he told AFP.Somali government officer, Colonel Abdi Moalim, said his forces took control of the town.
"We fought them fiercely... and lost two soldiers. Now we are in the town," he added. more,,http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081024/wl_africa_afp/somaliaunrest_081024193830

Tanzanian fear at Islamic courts

Churches in Tanzania have petitioned against a proposal to set up Kadhi (Islamic) courts to handle disputes among the Muslim community. They will create religious tension in a country that prides itself on high levels of religious and social tolerance, the church leaders say. The petition was signed by 64 leaders from the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) and Pentecostal churches.. more..http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7689570.stm

A Week in the Horn

The seventh Horn of Africa Conference in Lund, Sweden, was held last weekend, 17th – 19th October. This year’s subject was Faith, Citizenship, Democracy and Peace in the Horn of Africa. The objective was to bring together religious and political leaders, diplomats, scholars and representatives of NGOs involved in the region to share experiences and examine how harmonious relationships built between different ethnic and religious groups could promote democracy and peace. The purpose was to enhance the capacity of stakeholders in the region with new ideas and tools. Among those participating were the Deputy Prime Minister of the Somali Transitional Federal Government, and the Secretary-General of the ARS opposition, representatives of the UN Secretary-General to Somalia, and the Special Envoy of Sweden to the Horn of Africa as well as the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Scandinavia and the Eritrean charge d’affaires. There were two days of papers and a third day devoted to three workshops on faith, ethnicity and aid. Terrorism and conflict were two of the focuses of the conference and a third major interest was the Djibouti Agreement signed in August between the TFG and the ARS, and on the possible role of the international community to bolster the window of opportunity that the agreement had opened. There was general agreement that Somali political parties should seize the possibility this offered for a move forward, and participants, though the tone varied, appealed to Somalis all over the world to become involved in the process. The Ethiopian Ambassador highlighted his government’s position on the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops. Ethiopia intervened at the invitation of the TFG and because of the extremist threat to Ethiopian national security. The threat had now been addressed but, he emphasized, any future threat would be dealt with swiftly and decisively. The Ambassador stressed that the international community’s engagement in Somalia was not commensurate with the need and he urged it to be more active. The conclusion of many participants was that this year’s conference had been less polemical than the previous year. more.http://www.mfa.gov.et/Press_Section/Week_Horn_Africa_October_24_2008.htm

Is a Columbus City Hall staffer providing an ear (and a voice) for local Islamists? or Mostly Hawiye somali Al- shabaab jehadist

Another interesting wrinkle in this ongoing saga - if you will, is the appearance of Abukar Arman and Abukar Osman (Balle) business partner Abdinur Mohamud on the scene (or, more accurately behind the scenes).Since the apple doesn't usually fall far from the tree, finding Abdinur (who works for the State of Ohio Dept of Education) is not all that unusual. Where we found him is......In this 2006 video, Abdinur is seen leading a protest against a visit by a South African ambassador--which is mind you, perfectly legal in the Shari'a free USA. The uniqueness, if you will comes when we see Abdinur pictured with a Columbus Mayoral Staffer (Community Relations Commission-New Immigrant Initiative) employee named Abdirizak Farah, whose brief city bio can be found here.Don't they look imposingly handsome together? (There is a perfect shot of them at 1:40 into the video).Before you read further, glance back at our last post on this crew and get a good look at Mr. Osman in City Hall.Now watch the video one more time. Notice that at :27 seconds into the video that a man that looks just like Abukar Osman is seen holding a sign for his friends Abdinur and Abdirizak.Isn't coincidence so coincidental?Is it possible that we have found the gatekeeper to City Hall for these Shari'a law advocates in Mayor Coleman's adviser Abdiriak Farah?I'm sure there are dozens of other people that work for the Mayor that have appeared in internet videos with local Islamists- just right now I can't find any.Someone had to have put a bug in the Mayor's ear when Arman was being chased all over the city and off the Franklin County Homeland Security Advisory Board. Although we see emails from Michael Brown from City Hall, it would be hard to believe that nobody in City Hall asked the native Somalian on staff what his insights were on Arman......Are we also to believe that 15 year old Ilhan Abukar Dahir, daughter of Abukar Osman, just happened to be chosen for the Columbus Youth Commission out of thousands of young Somalis who would have also qualified for the job? Unfortunately, that is how politics works......In the "Gee,...... its a small world category" Mr. Farah can also be seen here assisting the Obama 2008 crew from Minneapolis sign up local Somalis to vote for Obama. The fact that Mr. Farah is working to assist fellow Somalis, presumably by translating for them on his own time, is very commendable. The fact that Mr. Farah seems to have deep connections with Abdinur Mohamud, Abukar Arman, and Abukar Osman - all who have publicly outed themselves as supporters of Shari'a law in Somalia (and perhaps beyond) is however concerning. This is not intended to be for or against any candidate. But since I do not speak Somali, I cannot comment on what the majority of the men are saying in these videos. What should concern every American and every voter are the answers that are heard in English. Following the "campaign" meeting, www.Bartamaha.com shot two follow up videos entitled "Why I want to vote for Barack Obama" Pts. 1 & 2. They also spliced out an excerpt they entitled "The Obama Kid", which can be seen here. Out of the mouths of babes comes the truth. If you don't watch any other segments, the "Obama Kid" will provide great insight as to what the majority of this meeting probably was - that would also explain why 'the kid' got cut off before he finished his sentence about the war in Iraq....... Hopefully there are other figures amongst the Somali community in Columbus that are also in positions of leadership and/ authority, that regardless of their political affilations, aren't so well connected to men who outwardly advocate for anti-democratic Shari'a law -- because it looks like the Islamists have the Department of Education, Charter Schools, and possibly City Hall all wrapped up. In light of the documents WorldNetDaily published today regarding Kenya's Odinga and the Orange Party, some folks might want to dust off their Fiqh manuals to get a better idea of just where they stand in the coming times of Change.
Posted by Sun Tzu 2 at 2:57 AM
Labels: Abdinur Mohamud, Abdirizak Farah, Abukar Arman, Abukar Osman
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Changing of the Guard?
One would have thought that with all the attention that Ahmad al Akhras and his close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood affiliated group CAIR (as alleged by the Federal Government in the ongoing Holyland Foundation [HLF] trial in Houston, Tx.), that the International Academy of Columbus would have steered clear of any potentially controversial figures when creating a new Board of Education.They didn’t. By replacing Al Akhras with Dr. Hazem Gheith, the operation went from ‘troubling’ to overtly dangerous (when looked at through the long term goals of the Muslim Brotherhood and their ‘grand jihad’ against the West).On the good side, while CAIR is listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the HLF case, the Muslim American Society (MAS) is not. They are however considered the operational arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States and, according to the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT),
[f]ounded as the United States chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, the international Islamist, anti-Western organization whose goal is the “introduction of the Islamic Shari`ah as the basis controlling the affairs of state and society.”According to the Secretary of the State of Ohio, in 2007 Dr. Hazem Gheith incorporated a 501 c3 (not for profit) organization in Columbus, Ohio called the Muslim American Society.Gheith is not only on the Board at the International Academy, but also served as the president of Masjid Omar ibnal Khattab (Omar Mosque) back when Columbus Al Qaeda ‘associates’ Iyman Faris, Nuradin Abdi, and Christopher Paul were ‘hanging out’ there (and involved in martial arts training — amongst other projects. . . .).I wonder what the Muslim Brotherhood’s flagship, the MAS is doing wanting to be involved in educating Columbus’ children?Maybe we can get Abukar Arman or Abukar Osman to check with Mr. Gheith and make sure they are not trying to subvert or influence Columbus’ youthful immigrant population.Funny coincidence; Arman and Osman associated with another group advocating for Shari`a law dominance.Small world.