Blood, Money And Motivation

July 1, 2009: The African Union believes there are at least 2,000 foreign fighters reinforcing al Shabaab and other Islamic radical groups. Most of the foreigners are al Qaeda (or similar groups), while the rest are expatriate Somalis who came back to join the fight. These foreigners are often eager to get themselves killed (or "martyred") and that makes them formidable fighters, or suicide bombers. Al Shabaab uses these suicidal volunteers for assassination missions, to take out the leaders of the Transitional Government, or hostile tribal leaders. So far, the government has been able to hang on, especially since Sufi groups (most Somalis practice the more mellow Sufi form of Islam) have formed to fight al Shabaab (which considers any other form of Islam, other than their own Wahhabi version, to be heretical). But without some outside assistance, the fanatics will win.
Al Shabaab has publicized its implementation of Sharia (Islamic) law, in an attempt to intimidate criminals to shape up, or flee. Thus in the last week, four teenage boys each had a hand and foot cut off, as punishment for stealing. A man was also stoned to death for murdering a teenage girl he had just raped (rape only gets you flogged). Late last year, a teenage girl was stoned to death, after she complained of being raped, but did not have the proper number of witnesses as specified in Sharia law. This sort of thing is considered very harsh inside Somalia, but if al Shabaab can reduce the crime, they will gain some popularity..more..http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia/20090701.aspx