Thursday, June 30, 2011

SOMALIA: PM calls national unity amid 51st anniversary of Somalia independence

MOGADISHU (tf.sf) Somalia’s newly approved Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali has called all Somalis to be unity and join together for helping the drought affected citizens in the country, terror free somalia  reports.
In his public speech of 1st July, 51st anniversary of Somalia independence, the Prime Minister Mr. Abdiweli Miohamed Ali spoke the growing influence on the people by the severe droughts affected the country which he described as the worst one.

He called for to survive the people asking international aid to the country.

Somali -American From Ohio Major General abdulkadir Sheikh ali Dini Commander somali Army force
and Abdihakim M. Haji Fiqi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense

“I call the donors and the Somali Diaspora to urgently help the droughts affected people in Somalia. The situation of the livelihood of the people seems as the worst for ever” the prime minister said.

Mr. Abdweli also lightened the for the last two decades of civil war in Somali, the country had undergone very hard condition as he mentioned the people should put their differences aside and unite for rebuilding of the country.The prime minister also remembered for those honorable Somali heroes who have lost their lives for the nation and the independence in 1960s.The Prime Minister vowed to maintain the war against extremism in Somalia and deplored that Al-Shabab, the biggest rebellion to his government and Al-Qaeda group are not willing the existence of any functional and strong government for Somalia.He then promised that his government will focus both the humanitarian situation faced the country and the security as two big priorities.



US 'extends drone strikes to Somalia' First such attack reported in east African nation reportedly wounds two leaders of anti-government group al-Shabab.US fires drone at commanders of Somalia’s Shabaab Islamist insurgency.US drone wounds top Islamists in Somalia: report

government armed group, in Somalia last week, marking the first time a US unmanned plane has been used for such an attack inside the country.The strike, said to have been carried out on June 23, is believed to have targeted a convoy of fighters belonging to al-Shabab, which is fighting to overthrow Somalia's weak Transitional National Government and impose Islamic law.The attack was not immediately identified as a drone strike, but a senior US military official familiar with the operation told the Washington Post newspaper on Thursday that it had come from such an aircraft.The strike would make Somalia the sixth country where the US has reportedly used drones to conduct air strikes. They have also been used in Libya, Yemen, Iraq and most extensively in Pakistan and Afghanistan.The strike hit the convoy as it drove along the cost in Kismayo, a southern port town, the AP news agency reported. Two fighters were wounded.Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig, the deputy defence minister, declined to identify who the fighters were or who carried out the attack, except to say it had been done by a "partner country".In 2009, a raid involving US special operations troops succeeded in killing Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a Kenyan national wanted for a 2002 truck bombing at a tourist hotel in Mombasa.Al-Shabab, which is believed to maintain links with al-Qaeda franchises, is growing stronger as it consolidates its hold on the majority of Somali territory, including more than half of the capital, Mogadishu."They have become somewhat emboldened of late, and, as a result, we have become more focused on inhibiting their activities," the US official told the Post. "They were planning operations outside of Somalia."The Somali Transitional National Government, led by President Sharif Ahmed, relies on international funding and military support from the African Union to maintain its tenuous hold on power.

US fires drone at commanders of Somalia’s Shabaab Islamist insurgency

US drone wounds top Islamists in Somalia: report
A US drone fired at leaders of Somalia’s al-Shabaab Islamist insurgency after they were found to have ties to al-Qaeda, the Washington Post reported late Wednesday, citing US officials.
The strike last week is believed to have wounded the two leading militants and came amid increasing concern among US officials about growing ties between Shabaab and the global terror network, the Post said.
“They (Shebab fighters) have become somewhat emboldened of late and, as a result, we have become more focused on inhibiting their activities,” it quoted an official as saying. “They were planning operations outside of Somalia.”
The US military could not immediately be reached for comment.
The official quoted by the Post said the two commanders had “direct ties” to Anwar al-Awlaqi, a charismatic American-born preacher believed to be hiding in his family’s native Yemen.
The US military has carried out a number of attacks in recent years against top al-Qaeda militants believed to be hiding in Somalia, but last week’s incident appeared to be the first drone strike, the Post said.
Last Thursday residents reported huge explosions near Kismayo, a southern port town controlled by Shabaab, followed by the sound of aircraft. read more

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

TFG Troops Paid on time . Somalia’s New PM says will keep on combating against Al shabaab.Warsaxaafadeed shirka golaha Wasiirada June 30.2011

Promise made, promise kept.
H.E Dr.Abdiweli Mohamed Ali pm& Formor Somali Prime Minister H.E Mohamed A. Mohamed (Farmaajo)Mogadishu, Wednesday 29 June 2011) Under the supervision of the AMISOM Coordinating Mechanism, Administrators from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have been this week paying TFG soldiers $200 each at a pay parade in Mogadishu.under the leadership of Former Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo Military personnel will get top priority
Regular monthly payment  continue under the new government. Security will be one of the top priorities for the new government. Outgoing Under The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Hon Abdihakim Mohamud Fiqi, said:“The payment of stipends will continue as we seek to improve the welfare of our soldiers. This will keep morale high as we continue to defeat the Al Shabaab extremists and their backers. We are very grateful for the support of the international community in this matter and believe that the progress we are making speaks for itself.” Before being handed the money, soldiers queue to confirm their identity and then leave a fingerprint on a registration sheet to prove that they have been paid.The Newly approved Somali prime minister on Tuesday proclaimed that his government will keep on battling against what he called terrorists in Somalia.Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali made the announcement while delivering an address to the parliament before his final approval.He said that the nation is in a very perilous situation, adding that they are needed to act rapidly to face the challenges ahead.Somalis are facing prolonged civil war, bad humanitarian situation, terrorists and drought, said the prime minister.He said in the days to come, he will have consultations and deliberations with the parliament and key figures in the society to form new effective governmentm . new Prime Minister Abdiweli “I made a promise  to continue the good work  of Previous Administration and we will take care of our our service men and women  and All  government employees  - END -

The Dangerous Road Ahead
Part of the agreement on cabinet appointments states: “...while ensuring the new government reflects the 4.5 formula for power sharing. These appointments will be done in the spirit of collaboration and mutual confidence between the leaders of the TFIs (Transitional Federal Institutions) in accordance with their respective mandates.”

The speaker has insisted on extending the number of ministers from 18 to 27 to distribute positions to some of his supporters - a move in the opposite direction after ousted premier Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo last year slashed the number of ministers from 39. After failing to secure crucial dockets for his close allies, the speaker suggested that some of the ministries be split into two to have part of the government under his control. The president is said to have refused any attempts to by the speaker to have him choose the positions he wants in the cabinet.
Lawmakers close to the speaker told tf.sf that the president was not honoring the Kampala Accord, which insists cabinet appointments should be done in the spirit of collaboration and mutual confidence between the leaders of the TFIs. The lawmakers complain that Sheikh Sharif wants to disregard the accord. “The president is insisting that the premier should be left alone to appoint a cabinet that will easily work with him,” one of the lawmakers allied to the speaker told tf.sf on condition of anonymity.According to the lawmaker, if the demands of the speaker get consideration, a total of 25 ministers will be appointed, of which 6 would be supporters of the Speaker. However, anotherlawmaker who belongs to the speaker’s clan told terror fre somalia that Sharif Hassan’s problem was just Farmajo, who was forced to resign under the illegal and dangerous Kampala Accord.

“The speaker had an issue with Farmajo only and he should now be comfortable as Farmajo is gone,” the lawmaker said.Political analyst Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad believes that the new premier is facing a challenge of entertaining the political squabbles of the president and the speaker or maintaining the straight standard set by his predecessor. “If he appoints a bloated cabinet with ‘unfriendly’ members indirectly appointed by the speaker, he will not perform well,” Abdisamad told terror free somalia. “The Somali people are also expecting him to continue from where Farmajo left off.”Abdisamad also believes the speaker is a worried man after widespread protests backing Farmajo and condemning Aden for his back-room dealings broke out in the wake of the illegal and dangerous Kampala Accord.“The speaker fears if he continues to pursue his political ambitions in the current manner, he will be isolated,” Abdisamad said. He believes the speaker will hold back his political demands for now until the situation calms down.

Speaker fears losing control of parliament

Abdiweli was approved overwhelmingly in parliament, with 437 votes in his favor, despite the fact that Aden is unhappy the new man is a Farmajo ally who, like his predecessor, is a highly educated Somali-American. The strength of the vote is being taken as a sign that Sheikh Sharif, who met lawmakers and clans prior to the vote, is working hard to win over parliament, which Aden has essentially controlled.

President Sheikh Sharif even appeared to be empowering the lawmakers when he gave his speech after Abdiweli was approved.
“The Kampala Accord cannot be implemented without the approval of parliament,” he said.
Abdisamad said the president was trying to prove himself as a person who supports parliament.

“The president is well aware how the accord was signed,” Abdisamad said. “He is just making the MPs comfortable and wants their support to approve the new cabinet."

Abdiweli also appealed to parliament to approve his cabinet when he makes the appointments, and promised to appoint experienced and professional members in his cabinet. Some analysts believe he can accommodate qualified ministers from the speaker’s clan, who are able to work with him to end the squabbles.


PM visits port of Mogadishu  Accepts donations from UAE

Booqashadii Ra’iisul Wasaaraha Soomaaliye uu ku tegey Dekedda Muqdisho
(Muqdisho, Arbaco 29ka June 2011):
Ra’iisul Wasaaraha Soomaaliya Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali ayaa maanta kormeer shaqo ku tegey dekedda Muqdisho, halkaas oo uu kula wareegay mucaawano isagu jirta raashin iyo gaadiid ay dowladda Isu-tagga Imaaraadka Carabta (UAE) u soo dhiibtay shacabka soomaaliyeed.

Ra’iisul Wasaaraha oo goobtaas ka hadlay ayaa hadalkiissii waxuu ahaa sidan:

Aad iyo aad baan ugu faraxsanahay inaan maanta kormeer shaqo ku soo gaaro Dekedda Muqdisho, oo ah goobta ugu muhiimsan ee dhaqaalaha dalka. Farxad weyn bey ii tahay inaan arko mas’uuliyiinta iyo shaqaalaha Dekedda oo gudanaya waajibaadkooda qaran.

Sida aan halkan uga jeedaan dalka aan wallaalaha nahay ee Isu-tagga Imaaraadka Carabta (United Arab Emirates) ayaa shacabka soomaaliyeed ugu deeqay mucaawanadan aad u jeedaan. Anigoo ku hadlaya magaca dowladda iyo kan shacabka soomaaliyeedba aad iyo aad baan uga mahadcelineynaa wallaalaheen Isu-tagga Imaaraadka Carabta (UAE) sida ay noo soo xasuusteen, isla markaana ay mucaawanadan noo soo gaarsiiyeen waqti xasaasi ah oo shacabka soomaaliyeed ay aad iyo aad ugu baahanyihiin. UAE waa dal aan xiriir qotodheer leenahay, isla markaana aan ganacsiga ugu badan ay soomaalida ka sameyso.

Ma aha markii ugu horreysey ee ay dowladda Isu-tagga Imaaraadka Carabta ay mucaawano soo gaarsiiyaan shacabka soomaaliyeed, waxeyna markhaati ka tahay sida ay noo xasuusanayaan waqtiga aan ugu baahi badanahay. Waxaan u caddeyneynaa wallaalaheen UAE in mucaawanadii ay shacabka u keeneen si toos ah loo gaarsiin doono shacabka ugu baahida badan.'

Accepts donations from UAE
Waxaan ugu baaqayaa bulshada caalamka gaar ahaan waddamada aan wallaalaha nahay iyo kuwa aan saaxiibka nahayba inay shacabka soomaaliyeed la soo gaaraan gar-gaar bani’aadanimo, kuna daydaan dowladda isu-tagga Imaaraadka Carabta.

Ugu danbeyntii waxaan ka codsanayaa ganacsatada, iyo shacabka soomaaliyeed ee awooda inay gar-gaar bani’aadanimo u fidayaan wallaalahood soomaaliyeed ee u baahan gar-gaarka. Ummaddu waa inay isku tashadaan si looga maarmo kaalmada shisheeye. Somalida dhaqan ahaan waxaa lagu yaqaanay in ay is gar-gaaraan oo deriskooda ay ka warqabaan. Waxaa nagu soo fool leh bisha Ramadan oo nooga wada baahan inaan isu naxariisano, isla markaana isa saacidno. UNHCR waxey sheegeen in bishiiba 10,000 oo qaxooti ah ay gaarayaan xerada Dhadhaab ee Kenya, sidoo kale 5,000 – 6,000 oo qaxooti inay bil walba iska diiwaan gelinayaan xerada Doolow ee dalka Ethiopia.'

Waxaan sidoo kale u mahadcelinayaa shaqaalaha iyo maamulka dekedda oo ay ku jiraan shaqaalaha furdooyinka iyo turubataariyada booliska oo runtii la dagaalay musuqmaasuqa. Waxaana ku dhiiri gelineynaa inay sii wadaan dadaaladooda.
-       DHAMAAD -


--
Garad Salad Hersi
Communication Director, of the Prime Minister
Mobile: +252-615536608
             +252-6-2536608
Mogadishu, Somalia

Warsaxaafadeed shirka golaha Wasiirada June 30.2011

Al-Qaeda-linked Somali Islamic militants Al-Shabaab Conducts Public Cinemas in Middle Shabelle

Jowhar, Somalia (tf.sf) - Al-Qaeda-linked Somalia’s Islamist Al-Shabaab terror group on Wednesday night conducted mandatory order to watch  latest  video in  a public cinema in the headquarters of the country’s southern region of middle Shabelle as part of its propaganda campaign to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Somalis.The film uses very typical propaganda images and sounds

The public viewing function at the regional headquarters in Jowhar town attracted a cross section of local villagers as top officials of the insurgency group graced the occasion.
The group displayed disturbing footages of the ongoing battle for Mogadishu where Al-shabaab terror group fighters are fighting against the forces of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) backed by African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM)
The filming of the battle was a recollection done previously by Al-Kataaib Television, a propaganda media that is the voice of the insurgency groups in some parts of Somalia and in the World Wide Web.
Villagers told the local media that the group has been showing horrifying images of dead bodies of AMISOM and TFG combatants killed in action during the recent fighting in the restive capital.Top brass of the group who were also viewing the footages have urged the civilians’ populations of the volatile middle Shabelle region to take part in what the group calls the war against infidels.In what appears to be an operation to regain legitimacy, the group has now turned to the all-time important media to reach to the Somali populations in a way to sell their agenda and ideologies. Terror group  television of Al-Kataaib and the Al-Shabaab’s terror group radio Andulus have since played an important role in disseminating the group’s indoctrination policies as it tries to tap into Somalia’s airwaves.Al-Qaeda-linked Al-shabaab terror group is in abid to control the Horn of Africa nation and put the country under Islamic sheria law.Propaganda became such a useful tool for Islamic jihadist   they want to control of the opinions of the people.    Islamic jihadist   propaganda is  available on the Internet ,Al-Qaeda-linked Al-shabaab terror group Islamic militants have developed sophisticated ways of spreading propaganda .

Foreign Al-Shabaab mercenaries pour into Yemen as unrest continues, Al Qaeda linked Shabaab Moves Troops To Yemen, U.S. strikes al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia. Second Airstrike Hit Southern Somalia Al Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab Targets


U.S. strikes al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia UPDATE
Al Qaeda linked Soldiers from Somalia’s al-Shabaab have evacuated more than 70 troops to Yemen. The group is aligned with the al-Qaeda affiliate in the Arabian Peninsula, and is in constant conflict with the government in Mogadishu. Recently, pressure has mounted around their bases in Somalia, leading to the evacuation of 76 troops on a boat headed for Yemen which includes top-level Shabaab leaders.In the past few weeks, a joint Pentagon/CIA operation has mounted an offensive on the Somalian militants as the latter became closer to al-Qaeda, vowing allegiance to leadership after Osama was killed. An air strike recently killed 39 militants in the southern Somalian town of Kismayo via rockets fired from a helicopter. Ironically, these militants were originally empowered from a CIA plan several years ago that funded Somali warlords in efforts to marginalize al-Shabaab.al-Shabaab has had some success against African Union and domestic security forces but has recently lost vast amounts of territory. A major holding has reverted to autonomous government control, and the success of US incursions has put them on the brink. While moving to Yemen may temporarily offer some safety, the US has an established presence on the ground there as well. However, the recent chaos in the country may have tied up that presence, offering Shabaab militants a greater chance at safety. Further evacuations are to continue, according to al-Shabaab sources, and US strikes are as well. YTD The United States launched a second air strike in southern Somalia this week, Airstrikes Hit Al-Shabaab Targets in Lower Juba. Three helicopters today targeted an al-Shabaab training camp in Taabta village, 20 kilometers west of Qoqani district in Lower Juba, according to local residents and a government official.“There was a heavy gunfire between the two sides and the helicopters returned. In the last days we could hear the sounds of airplanes,” said a resident in Qoqani, who suspected the planes were used for reconnaissance.A TFG military officer in Dhobley district, who requested anonymity, confirmed the attack to local journalist   and says a friendly government conducted the strike. “I can’t give you more information, but we have been aware the attack. Helicopters from our friends were involved the strike. It was a successful mission. I’m sure the terrorists were slain in that camp,” said the officer. According to a local journalist much of current kinetic activity is a direct result of intelligence gathered from the possessions of the recently killed Fazul Abdullah Mohammed and a high level Kenyan al Qaeda member. Last week, airstrikes hit al-Shabaab camps near Kismayo, allegedly by the US and 'partner' countries.





Foreign Al-Shabaab mercenaries pour into Yemen as unrest continues





12 fighters from Al Qaeda linked Al shabaab Terrorist killed in Gedo region southern Somalia fighting, government official: Some elders held hostage by Al shabaab

At least 15 people mainly the combatants have been killed and dozen more injured after bitter combat between Somali government forces and Al shabaab fighters which on Tuesday night took place in parts of Gedo region in southern Somalia.The battle broke out after Al shabaab Terrorist fighters launched ambush attack on Somali government military convoy traveling just outside of Garbaharey town, the regional capital of Gedo region.Mohamed Abdi Kalil, the governor of Gedo region for the transitional government told local Radio they killed at least 12 Terrorist fighters from their opposing side of Al Qaeda linked  Al shabaab.Mr. Kalil went on to say they confiscated a military base in the village of Maykarebay in the region region. For his part, the spokesman of Al shabaab movement, Sheikh Abdi-aziz Abu Mus’ab told the local media that their fighters had been involved in battle with the newly trained Somali soldiers in Dolow district, adding that the battle came after a surprise attack on the TFG forces in the region.However, calm is reported to have returned to where the fighting rocked on Tuesday night, according to local residents.Somali government official on Tuesday said that there are some elders who are held hostage by Al Qaeda linked  Al shabaab Terrorist movement. Mohamoud Sayid Adam, a Somali parlaimentarin in Gedo region, told local radio  that they have come to know elders trained by Al shabaab to take part in the battles against Somali forces and their allies. Mr. Adam noted that there are other elders who were kidnapped by Al shabaab fighters from their homes.He mentioned the elders in Al Qaeda linked  Terrorist Al shabaab controlled areas can’t express their opinions and point of views.The statement of Somali lawmaker comes a day after Al shabaab proclaimed they completed training course for elderly men in Bardhere town in Gedo region in southern Somalia.On the other hand, the parliamentarian stated they are ready to confront any offensive from their opposing side of  Al Qaeda linked  Al shabaab anytime.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

US offers Shs120b to Amisom

A Burundian soldier keeps watch in Mogadishu recently. PHOTO BY RISDEL KASASIRA

update on Somali terrorists beware: Raven drones overhead Under a proposed $45 million U.S. counterterrorism assistance package



The US is offering spy drones among a huge military consignment to AMISOM to help bolster its capability to decimate the al- Shabaab, foreign media reported yesterday.

The package includes four shoulder-launched Raven drones, other surveillance systems, body armour, night-vision gadgets, generators as well as communications and heavy construction equipment, according to the New York Times. This aid package will cost Washington nearly $45 million (Shs111b).Secret documents Associated Press news agency obtained from Pentagon show Uganda will separately receive unspecified military communication and engineering gadgets worth $4.4 million (Shs10.9b). “I am not aware. The consideration may still be at policy level. We have not yet received anything,” Uganda’s Defence and Military Spokesman, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye, said yesterday when contacted.News of the military aid comes six weeks after Gen. Carter Ham, the new commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), visited Uganda and held talks with President Museveni at his home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura District, on May 10 about Somalia’s hazardous situation.Mr John Dunne, the deputy public affairs officer at the US Mission in Kampala, said last evening that they have increased their military spending on AMISOM in line with US commitments made during the July 2010 AU summit in Kampala as “the situation in Mogadishu remains difficult”.

Difficult situation
“It is important that these attacks are defeated and that AMISOM and the Transitional Federal Government together restore stability in Mogadishu so that political development and humanitarian operations can continue,” he wrote in an email reply.Uganda and Burundi, the only countries contributing some 9,000 soldiers on behalf of the African Union to fight al-Shabaab, a designated terrorist group, claim to now control 70 per cent of Mogadishu following gains in past weeks.The US, however, maintains that the situation there “remains difficult” and outgoing Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director and Defence Secretary-designate, Leone Panetta, recently warned that al-Shabaab was getting stronger and linking with Yemen-based al-Qaeda elements in the Arabian Peninsula.In yesterday’s email, Mr Dunne wrote: “We have and will continue to provide equipment, training, and some logistical support to Ugandan and Burundian soldiers.” To date, Washington has directly committed $185 million to support AMISOM operations in Mogadishu beside its other assessed contributions to the United Nations that provides logistical assistance to the continental force.The latest Pentagon aid is part of a $145.4 million package that its officials approved and sent to Capitol Hill last week as part of a notification process before the equipment can be delivered. The plan aims to build the counter-terrorism capabilities of Uganda and Burundi. AMISOM Spokesman Paddy Ankunda, promoted yesterday to Lt. Col, said from Mogadishu that the equipment, when it arrives, will be “force multiplier”. He said al-Shabaab has lost the enthusiasm to fight but still maintain some capability to harm civilians through suicide bombings. Dialy Monitor

Islamic Radicals Beset On All Sides

June 28, 2011: AU peacekeepers in Mogadishu continue to lead the offensive against al Shabaab. More foreign terrorists are being encountered, as al Shabaab has increasing problems recruiting Somalis to fight. The AU has to face sniping and roadside bombs from al Shabaab, but uses its superiority in artillery and mortars to blast al Shabaab out of any defensive positions. This angers civilians, because al Shabaab fighters keep trying to use human shields to protect themselves. This does work against the AU troops (from Uganda and Burundi).


The AU has received Raven UAVs. These 2 kg (4.4 pound) aircraft are launched by throwing them. A video game-like controller enables the operator to see what's below the UAV for up to 45 minutes per sortie. Replace or recharge the battery, and launch it again. American and other NATO forces have been using Raven in Iraq and Afghanistan for over five years. The AU troops know all about Raven, and had asked for them. This is part of $45 million in military aid the U.S. is providing Uganda and Burundi for their peacekeepers in Somalia.

Outside of Mogadishu, al Shabaab is having increasing problems holding back the Sufi militias of Ahlu Sunna Waljama (ASW). It's gotten to the point where ASW is going from village to village, arresting known al Shabaab supporters. Al Shabaab is also getting more resistance because of attempts to tax farmers and merchants. Al Shabaab is short of cash, and trying to get it from the locals (during the longest drought in decades). This is producing armed resistance. Al Shabaab has also made itself unpopular by arresting and executing those is suspects are spying on them. That could be just about anyone. Kenya now has the largest refugee camp in the world, at Dadaab near the Somali border. Currently, about 10,000 starving and dehydrated Somalis, mostly women and children, enter the camp each week. Current population is over 350,000. In Puntland, a pro-al Shabaab warlord (Mohamed Atom) and his Islamic radical followers continues to battle government troops around the coastal town of Galgala. The Puntland government has been fighting warlord (and arms dealer) Mohamed Atom for years. It's the kind of divisive behavior that has kept southern Somalia in turmoil for decades. Mohamed Atom and his allies have joined forces with al Shabaab to try and take control of Puntland. But so far the Puntland militias have been too powerful. The seizure, last month, of Galgala, was more of a media stunt than anything else. Government troops soon arrived and chased out the Atom forces. But groups of Islamic radical gunmen still roam the area, killing and terrorizing. Puntland has other problems with criminal activity by some clans, as well as the warlords who have taken over several towns as bases for piracy operations. There is also violence next door in Somaliland, where government troops fight clans from Puntland. These disputes are largely over land use. read  more

The Somali parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali PHD

 
Former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi fought very hard   for Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali (PHD)  to be the next Somalia Prime Minister, A  fellow Upstate New York Somali-American and  close friend, position to make the best of a difficult circumstance

Khudbadii Ra'iisul Wasaaraha cusub ee uu Baarlamaan​ka ka hor jeediyay 28 June 2011
The Somali parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali  (PHD) to take over the office after the recent resignation of Mohamed Abdullahi .Mohamed  announced his  resignition  follow  an illegal and dangerous   agreement ending the troubled country's transitional administration . "Considering the interest of the society and in compliance with the illegal and dangerous  Kampala accord, He siad  I decided to quit to compromise for the national interest," Abdullahi Mohamed Somali-American told reporters in Mogadishu, thanking those who supported him.                     Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali PHD




The bloated Somali parliament endorsed Ali, a highly educated Somali-American in one of its first sittings for the past few months when a rift between the transitional institutions of the western-backed government led to heated political sickness in the Horn of Africa nation.
Somali lawmakers endorsed the new premier by the show of hands in the house that for the first time in months appeared unanimously united. Ali was endorsed with 437 votes out of the 443 members present.
Only two Somali lawmakers voted against Ali’s takeover of the controversial office of Somali prime minister, while the rest did not took any stand during the critical house vote.
Present during the crucial parliamentary vote was Somalia’s president Sheikh Shariif and the endorsed Prime minister Ali who many speculate as competent as Farmaajo was.
Somalia’s obstinate parliamentary speaker Sharif Hassan chaired the voting session where tf.sf reporters in Mogadishu described as a smooth process which has unveiled some form of political maturity in a country that is emerging from been a failed state to a fragile one.
Ali will now have to take the political heat by his own and name a new cabinet within the next thirty days in order to pave way for an efficient government that can help stabilize Somalia within an unprecedented period of one year
Any new cabinet that Ali will name in the next few days will also serve the next transitional period of one year as per the agreement that was signed in Kampala by the president and speaker
tf.sf correspondents in Mogadishu said, during the voting process, Somalia’s divided lawmakers put aside their political differences to endorse Ali.
Many of them who voted for Ali were opposed to the controversial illegal and dangerous   Kampala Accord that resulted a wave of political uncertainty particularly within the top officials of the Somali government.

Two Shariifs at it again, Fresh Row Between President Sharif and Speaker Hassan over Possible Farmaajo Successor

Somali Prime Minister Resigns as Part of a Political Illegal and dangerous Deal. NY Times Reports On Resignation "Uganda Kingmaker Role" Walking: On Playing into Al Qaida's Al-shabaab Hands.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Somalia Frees Six Foreigners. Three Britons pardoned in Somalia

The $3.6 million was for Mv Yuan Xiang and Mv Suez according to Mr Andrew Mwangura Mr. Andrew Mwangura self-appointed Founder and Coordinator of the East African Seafarers (pirate middleman)

update Three Britons pardoned in Somalia 
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia has freed six foreigners who had been sentenced to at least 10 years in prison each for bringing into the country millions of dollars intended for pirate ransom, a government spokesman said Sunday. And in Washington, the Pentagon has notified Congress that it plans to send nearly $45 million in military aid to Uganda and Burundi to help battle the growing terrorist threat in Somalia. The spokesman said the country’s president had pardoned the foreigners. The three Britons, an American and two Kenyans were freed after the court processed their release, he said. The men were arrested in Mogadishu last month after two planes were found to be carrying millions of dollars in cash. On June 18, two of the defendants were sentenced to 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine, and the others were sentenced to 10 years and a $10,000 fine. Pirates have been receiving millions of dollars in ransoms for several years, but this was the first time Westerners were sentenced for their role in paying out the ransoms. The conflict and instability that has allowed piracy to flourish has also led an insurgent group with ties to Al Qaeda to gain control of large parts of the country.

Killing of Fazul Abdullah Mohammed in Somalia a blow to Al Shabaab

terror free somalia images

Andrews Atta-Asamoah & Roba Sharamo, Senior Researcher & Head of Programme, African Conflict Prevention Programme, ISS Nairobi Office


Since the death of Osama bin Laden on 2 May this year, Al Qaeda has lost two more important operatives – Ilyas Kashmiri in Pakistan and Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, who was killed on 7 June in Somalia. The killing of these three men have all been in circumstances that many believe are a just end for extremists who have, over the years, left bitter memories in the minds of many innocent people across the world.

Fazul, who was killed by Somali government forces, is known to have masterminded the 1998 bombings of the United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and was the head of the Al Qaeda cell in East Africa. He is also believed to have been behind the Paradise Hotel attacks in Mombasa and an attempted missile strike on an Israeli charter flight in 2002. Since the 1998 bombing, he has been on the run and has been using Somalia as a haven where he is also a senior member of the Al Shabaab leadership responsible for foreign fighters and volunteers. In 2008, he escaped narrowly from capture from a home in Malindi in Kenya just minutes before anti-terrorism police officers crashed through his door. At the time, he is reported to have sneaked into Kenya from his base in Somalia to receive medical care for a kidney condition.

Fazul operated under different identities and had about ten fake names and forged international passports. His fluency in several regional languages was critical to him. He is believed to have disguised himself as either being African, Arab or Asian. Even as head of foreign fighters and volunteers in Al Shabaab, it appears not all of them knew his identity. Trainees in Lower Juba knew him as ‘Abu-Abdirahman the Canadian’. At the time of his death in Somalia he is reported to have been travelling under the identity of ‘Daniel Robinson’ with a fake South African passport. Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces killed him after he lost his way and landed in a government-controlled security checkpoint. At the checkpoint, Mohammed Dhere a Kenyan extremist and Fazul’s driver, introduced his passenger who was then working on a laptop with an AK-47 on his laps as “ni wazee”, a Swahili phrase meaning “it’s the elders”. Upon realising they had ended up at the wrong checkpoint, Dhere tried to remove his pistol but the government forces opened fire leading to the death of East Africa’s, most notorious extremist.

Fazul’s death is obviously a big blow to the leadership of both Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab and to the myths about their abilities. It also opens the Al Qaeda cell in the region up to internal leadership wrangles as a result of the vacuum. Moreover, unconfirmed reports indicate that there are renewed internal tensions between indigenous and foreign commanders of Al-Shabaab exacerbated by the group’s recent loss of strategic districts in Mogadishu. The killing of Fazul might deepen these fault-lines. The regional cell of Al Qaeda is particularly the most affected because Fazul’s extensive experiences and contacts in the region have been lost and will take years to nurture. With the naming of Ayman al-Zawahiri as Al Qaeda’s new leader, it appears a replacement will certainly be named for the East African cell in the not too distant future. The group’s operations in the region will thus, no doubt, be slowed down, albeit temporarily. It is also going to have a huge impact on the relationship between Al Qaeda and its regional affiliates. This is principally because Fazul was instrumental in the network that existed between the international elements of Al Shabaab, in particular, and their networks outside the country.

Apart from the impact on the Al Shabaab’s network with outside elements of Al Qaeda, the Somali group will be impacted greatly because Fazul was a medium through which the Al Shabaab received some of its resources and operational direction, as well as moral support. Following his demise, these benefits to Al Shabaab will be hampered, at least for some time.

Importantly, the circumstances under which he made a wrong turn and ended up at the TFG-controlled checkpoint is still not clear. Leaving his base in Lower Juba and heading towards a frontline in Mogadishu with several mobile phones, medicine and cash of about US$41,000 may imply either that he was going to equip the frontline operatives with logistics or that Al Shabaab may be planning a major offensive requiring his tactical leadership and operational input.

It is, however, instructive that he was killed by government forces rather than forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). First, the shots at Fazul and his driver were clean enough to indicate that the training of the TFG forces by regional and international partners are making some impact. This is clearly an indication of the impact that well-trained TFG forces are capable of making and Somali soldiers’ honest declaration of the cash found on him is quite reassuring of force’s integrity and discipline. Secondly, any retaliatory attacks by Al Shabaab in response to Fazul’s death will largely be directed within Somalia rather than at the troop contributing countries of AMISOM. A renewal of offences in Somalia against the TFG forces by Al Shabaab is therefore likely. A regional retaliation is also likely by Al Qaeda, aimed at registering its presence and activity in the region, particularly by whoever replaces Fazul. This will require the beefing up of regional and international security operations and intelligence gathering in the aftermath of Fazul’s death.

The ease with which Fazul was killed vis-à-vis his ability to thrive and swiftly operate in East Africa over the years, point to the fact that he has been able to operate in the region more as a result of the abysmal nature of the region’s vulnerabilities than his extreme prowess and swiftness at his game. It also points to the comfortable nature by which his calibre of people operates in Al Shabaab-controlled areas in South and Central Somalia. It thus raises a lot of crucial questions about regional security and effectiveness of law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations, especially regarding citizen participation and contribution to law enforcement in the region. Despite been wanted in official circles, Fazul’s identity is not one ordinary East Africans knew. As such, the ordinary people of the region were not brought on board attempts to track him down. The same applies to numerous people on various wanted lists of criminals in the region and beyond.

The fight against crime and extremism appears to be elitist and has become the preserve of only law enforcement and counter-terrorism agencies. Such disconnect makes it easy for dangerous elements of his calibre to thrive among innocent and unnoticing members of the society. There might be the need for the media houses in particular to give regular highlights aimed at familiarising citizens with images of people on wanted lists to enable the public to be on the look out for their arrests. Most importantly, the move towards community policing in the region is one that requires a great deal of commitment from governments and private sector as well, if law enforcement is to be enhanced in the region. The emergence of Fazul, his operations and eventual demise is a stark reminder that the battle for the hearts and minds of people rages unabated. In East Africa particularly, where Al Shabaab is persistently recruiting young people, a more robust response to radicalisation is the only way forward.  VIA ISSAfrica.org
Story Background and Related Links

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PRESS STATEMENT DECISION OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS JUNE 11.2011 somali government army commander Gen. Abdikadir Sheikh Ali Dini. and Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi(Farmaajo)thanked Special task force team who killed al-Qaeda's Fazul Abdullah congratulating them/Somali parliament must vote on PM's dismissal: cabinet
Fazul was planning attack on Uganda, says army. 'Politics behind Somalia PM resignation' The Leader Behind creation of a functioning Somali Army and responsible for getting East African Al-Qaeda leader Abdullah Fazul



Al-Qaeda Terrorist Fazul Killed in Somalia ,Fazul Masterminded 1998 Bombings of US Embassies in Kenya, Tanzania. Top al Qaeda operative killed in Somalia, officials say

MY ENCOUNTER WITH AMERICAN- SOMALI JIHADIST IN NAIROBI .

Many Somali refugees would die to have the supposedly good life abroad. However, some young men from the Diaspora are now returning to fight for Al Shabaab in Somalia, rated as one of the most dangerous countries on earth. Our investigative writer FATUMA NOOR recently met with some of these Mujahideens from the US, Canada and Sweden and this is her gripping report.




It all started when a mother called to inquire about the whereabouts of her 18-year-old son Nuno Ahmed whom she believed was in Nairobi and had plans of going to Mogadishu. “He left with his three friends and l have just found out that they are going back home,” she told me when she called from her home in Minnesota, US. “I would rather he is arrested and stays in a Kenyan prison than let him go back to Mogadishu and die there,” she says as if pleading for my help.

She said Nuno got in touch with his family and assured them that he was fine and they should not worry. “He would say things like, we should not worry and he would be back if God had intended it to happen,” said a worried Sophia Ahmed who is Nuno’s mother.

When l eventually track down Nuno, I find him at a hotel in Eastleigh, where he and other young men from the US have been hiding out since their arrival. After much persuasion, Nuno agrees to meet with me at a restaurant in the city centre, Nairobi.

Like most of the young Somalis who have grown up in the West, Nuno speaks very little Somali. We end up conversing in English, his heavily inflected with an American twang. “Your mother tells me that you have plans of going to Mogadishu, Why?” I ask Nuno once we are done with the small talk.“Young people like me are needed there to protect our country. I can do something important over there compared to what I was doing back in the US,” he says.

The five foot six inch tall, slender, 18-year-old Nuno is a far cry from the media’s stereotype of a terrorist. His trendy clothes, leather jacket and hip sneakers do not differentiate him from the many young men passing by outside the coffee shop where we are meeting. “This is my choice and no-one has made me come here as my mother would like to believe. They have lived in Minnesota for too long and now they want to forget about home. But not me,” he says quietly and with deep conviction.



Later during another meeting in Eastleigh, Nuno introduces me to four of his friends— all from Minneapolis and all in the last stages of finalising their plans of travelling to Mogadishu.


Abikar Mohamed’s story
“It feels good to be back. We are so used to life back in the US that we are forgetting where we were born. Eastleigh reminds me so much of Mogadishu!” says 23-year-old Abikar Mohamed.

The last time Abikar was in Mogadishu was when he was seven years old. His family fled to Kenya after the fall of the Siad Barre government, languished in the Dadaab refugee camp before they were relocated to the US. It was his first time back to Kenya since those days when he was living here as a refugee. “We are all here to defend what we believe in. We are all here to protect Islam and we are going to do that at all cost,” says Abikar to partially explain why he and the others in the group would surrender a life in the US where many in the refugee camps can only dream about.

This is the same reason the others give when asked why they would leave their country of asylum to fight for a home majority of them know little about. “Moving to the US was a dream for us. I mean we had nothing left back home. The camp wasn’t the best place to live and after finally getting repatriated to the US, it meant a better future and life for all of us,” says Abikar who speaks with a strong American accent.

Once in the US, Abikar and his family lived on government support and assistance for eight years before they were finally granted citizenship. Abikar and his siblings got citizenship as his parents continue to live as refugees. “This was it for me. I thought I would enjoy the same treatment and rights as any other US citizen, but that was never to happen,” he said. Abikar says it was impossible to get a job or even a scholarship to further his education after high school. “In as much as we are citizens, we are never treated equally. What is the use of granting us citizenship if they don’t treat us equally?” he says. Abikar explains that he finished his high school at Sixth Street, Minnesota, and emerged among the top five students. “All the rest got scholarships to go to college; most of them did not deserve because they come from rich families. I was in need and I did not get it even when it was clear I deserved the scholarship,” he said.

He said this incident opened his eyes to the flagrant discrimination that the system meted out to Somali Americans and other refugee minorities. “I even went with my family to school to ask why I was denied the scholarship but they did not have any real reason for denying me the opportunity,” said Abikar. Abikar had wanted to go to college to study literature, become a lecturer and also a writer. This will not happen now.

On their arrival from the US, the four lived at different hotels and guest houses in Eastleigh as they waited to be joined by other young men, most of them in their late teens, who were coming from different parts of the world.

All of them had the same agenda: to travel to Somalia and join the Al Shabaab— the militia group loosely associated with Al Qaeda which is fighting to remove the transitional federal government (TFG) which they believe is a western imposition.

Al Shabaab seized control of much of Somalia in 2006 until Ethiopian forces at the request of the TFG and with the backing of the US invaded the country. The militia group was pushed out but has since been fighting to regain control and oust the government. This ‘invasion’ prompted the political awakening among young Somalis in the Diaspora.c“We know there is another group from Minneapolis, California and Minnesota but we have also been told others are coming from Norway and Sweden,” Abikar and his colleagues tell me.

Later that day, at 4pm, Nuno Ahmed calls saying all his friends had arrived and they were agreeable to an interview.

At the agreed venue, I meet up with Nuno and nine other young men— the youngest at 17 while the oldest was 24 years old. All of them are convinced that their reasons for making the perilous journey to Somalia are right.

None of them were born in the US or any of the European capitals from where they are from. They started their journey as refugees from Mogadishu and spent several years at the Daadab refugee camp, established in the early 1990s to take the waves of Somali refugees who streamed into Kenya after the fall of the Siad Barre government and the start of the civil war which has continued since then.


Abdirahman Gullet’s story

“From 2008 when Burhan went back to Mogadishu, we have all been seen as terror suspects. Police regularly storm our houses and conduct searches without permission,” says 19-year-old Abdirahman Gullet.

Abdirahman recalled several instances when he was walking on the street and had been forcefully taken away by men claiming to be FBI. The men would interrogate him for several hours about what he knew about Al Shabaab and demand to know whether he was a member.

“It never crossed my mind to join up with the Al Shabaab. Even when Burhan went, I thought it was a stupid thing he did. Now I understand why. I have had first and experience,” he said.

Burhan Hussein Ahmed, known as Little Bashir, was only 17 when he disappeared from his home in Minneapolis in 2008 and in November that year, called his family to say he was in Mogadishu.

The family received a call from Mogadishu informing them that he had died. The family still believes that Burhan was murdered by the Al Shabaab when he refused to carry out a suicide bombing.

A month earlier, 26-year-old Shirwa Ahmed became the first known American suicide bomber when he drove a car loaded with explosives into a government compound in Puntland in October 2008 killing 30 people. He had left Minneapolis for Saudi Arabia before making his way to Mogadishu.

Shirwa was one of 20 Somali Americans who left Minneapolis for Somalia in a trend which became the focus of a large terrorism investigation in the US. Some of these fighters are suspected to have made their way to Mogadishu through Kenya. “We came to Nairobi just like any American citizen. None of the officials at the airport suspected anything,” Abdirahman said.

Interviews with the nine young men at Eastleigh confirmed that Nairobi was the preferred jumping off point for many of those headed to Somalia to join the Al Shabaab.

Once they arrive, each of them is given the address and contacts of a place where they all converge. They did not tell me where they all congregated for security reasons. One of the contacts who organised the young men’s arrival in Kenya and was making arrangements for their trip to Mogadishu also refused to be interviewed citing security concerns.


Adan Hussein’s story

Adan Hussein is 24 years old. He is also from Minneapolis. Adan had just cleared his college studies in Information Technology at one of the private colleges near his home. “I had an opportunity to leave with my friends who left before me but I wanted to continue with my studies. We write each other mails and they send photos of how things are in Mogadishu. They told me they had even met with a cousin of mine who had been left behind when we fled the war,” he says.

It is his cousin who explained to him how half the family left behind was killed in the fighting that has been going on since the collapse of the Barre government. “He told me that through Al Shaabab they are protecting the larger part of Somalia and saving lives although the media would report otherwise,” he says.

Adan said he and his friends attended a mosque where one of the elders kept them updated with the news coming from Somalia.

“He had first-hand information about what was going on at home. He would travel to Somalia and back to the US until recently when he was banned from traveling. “They stopped him because he would come back and tell us how the US, the country we had grown up in, was helping Ethiopia to kill our families,” Adan says.

He is sad to have left his mother and two younger sisters without telling them of his plans to travel to Mogadishu and fight with the Al Shabaab.

He hoped that his mother, who in her daily devotions prayed for Somalia, will eventually understand his reasons for leaving home. “There is a chance I might never come back here and might die protecting my religion, it’s a price I’m willing to pay,” he says.

Aden like some of the young recruits could not pay for his ticket to Nairobi as most of them were students so the elders funded their trips to Nairobi and to Hargeisa, Somaliland, from where they will proceed by road to Somalia.

He denied suggestions that they had been brainwashed by the elders at the mosque. “The mosque is just a meeting place. Coming back to fight for our home is our own free will. “We are not doing this to please human beings. It’s not our intention. We are protecting our religion and our reward is in heaven,” says Adan.

Born in 1986, Adan left Mogadishu after his father was killed in 1993. Coming to Daadab, he was relocated with his mother and two young sisters to the US.“To avoid attracting any kind of suspicion, all of us will book our tickets individually while a second group of Kenyan recruits will make their way by road all the way through Liboi,” says Adan.

Omar Hassan

Omar Hassan, 22, went to Canada to join his family who had been granted asylum there. He has been living in Canada as a refugee for the last ten years. He was just a class four pupil at the Daadab camp when he left for Canada. He came to Nairobi on several occasions to plan his travel to Canada but something would always crop up with his papers. “Finally when I got the visa to travel, I could not believe it, my family had paid so much money for me to join them, I knew this would be a good thing for me,” he said.

Once in Canada, Omar did not continue his education, he joined his family’s business and at the age of 20, he married a second generation Canadian Somali woman.

Very soft spoken with plastic spectacles, Omar tells me that discrimination is a big part of his adopted country. “There has never been integration of Somalis and native Canadians. Why do you think we all live at the same place and they stay far away from us?” he asks.

He adds that the discrimination is what makes many young people join Al Shaabab and to take any chance they can get to go back home.

Omar says he knows thousands of refugees would swap places with him to have the kind of life he has had in Canada. “I am willing to give all that up for my religion. I have always cared about material things that this life has to offer but I have not seen the benefit of it,” he says.

His understanding is that Al Shaabab is not a terror group but believers committed to ensuring Shariah law is observed in all of Somalia. “Somalia is a Muslim country and the law of the Quran should be observed by all,” says Omar.

Omar denies that the motivating factor behind most of the youth joining up is the stipend that each of them gets when they join up and the monthly payment they receive. With his Somali accent, he tells me that they were promised $30 (Sh2,400) per day for their services but it’s not what motivates them, “yes I might take the money for my basic use while in Somalia but it’s not the motivation,” he says.

He tells me that the group coming from abroad were promised $ 200- $250 (Sh16,000-Sh20,000) per month and there is a high possibility that this might go up. “Like I said it’s not about the money, my family’s business makes more than this,” he added.

“It’s not about the money; it’s to protect what I believe in. This is a holy war and all the young people who have died before us have done that for the sake of religion,” he says.


Abdinassir Osman’s story

“I was only 20 when some policemen stopped me and started interrogating me. They said they suspected me of having links with Al Shabaab. They did not believe me when I told them I knew nothing about the organisation. “At the time I had no links or even knowledge of Al Shabaab. I didn’t know much about them,” recalls 22-year-old Abdinassir Osman.

Osman has been living in Ohio for the last 12 years. He said he had been unable to get a job since he did not have a high school diploma. Even when he applied for blue collar jobs, Osman said he was passed over just because he was an American Somali.

“Everywhere I would go, I would be treated differently because I am a Somali. I can understand if I can’t get a good job and I accept that fact as I quit school early, but even a cleaning job? It does not make sense!” he said. “I did nothing there. Instead I was in a gang and I know l was wrong. Now I can do something good back home in Somalia.” Osman decided to join two of his friends who were travelling to Mogadishu.



Ali Mohamud

Born in 1985, Ali Mohamud, known to his friends as Amad, left Daadab refugee camp in 1995 after his family fled Kismayu. They were relocated in Ohio. “It was cool at first. We were treated well since we were just children. But when we finished school, there were no jobs, not even for those of us who were qualified,” he said.

He and Osman listened to the stories and exhortations of the mosque elders and they decided that they were needed more in Somalia to fight for their homeland than wasting time looking for jobs. “My services are needed back home, to protect Somalia and Islam. I am here out of my will and it’s the least I can do for my religion,” he says.

He stayed with his mother and young brother who is currently in college in Ohio. “This will break my mother’s heart I know, I told her of the plan and she completely refused but hope she would understand my reasons.”



Khalif Abdi’s story

Khalif Abdi’s decision to return to fight with Al Shabaab is rooted in his belief that there is a conspiracy in the West to get rid of Islam as a religion. The 24-year-old from Sweden cites the ban of the wearing of the burqa by some of the European governments, the banning of minarets on mosques as proof of this conspiracy.

“They have done it to us in Sweden and France. We cannot do much there but at home we can make a big difference and that is why I’ am going,” he told us as he waited for his contact in Nairobi to complete his travel arrangements to Mogadishu.

He admits he remembers very little of a country he left behind when he was barely ten years old. “I have no fear of going back. I have been following what is going on there and l have decided that l should join the Al Shaabab who are protecting Islam. I want to be part of that,” he says. He like many of the young people we have talked to moved with his single mother when he was just two years. “I had no idea of what was happening, all I knew is we were in Kenya and then moved from here, but that has never stopped me from learning about my home country,” he tells me, speaking the perfect English among all in the group. “We used to go to the Madrassa and we would learn so much about how the civil war started, what is happening now and although we have been absorbed in the US culture, it’s not home,” he tells me.

Dressed in a blue sweater and black shades with clearly very expensive Nike shoes, he tells me that the elders in Sweden told them that another group was coming from the United States. “We knew they were coming and am glad that it’s a big group, it will prove a point,” he said.

He also denied claims that they were recruited back home. He says they were just told of what is happening in Somalia and they made their own choices. “I have a son, they are now staying with my mother but they don’t know where I’m since I just left but I plan to call them and go back to my son,” he said. “You know there is a chance of you not going back once you are in Somalia,” I tell him, “I’m sure that this is a war that we will win and I will go back to my family and maybe once there is peace, I will come back with my son,” he says.



Mukhtar Abdi

A Kenyan Somali, Mukhtar Abdi believes it’s his responsibility to ensure that Sharia law is imposed in every country where the majority of the citizens are Muslims. “We must and will protect our religion. The bonus is that there is also some money in this so I can send back some of it to my family,” he says.

Mukhtar was looking forward to earning $30 (Sh2,400) per day when fighting for the Al Shabaab. He said the money is enough to lure many Kenyan Somali youth who are idling in Eastleigh and other towns.

Talking to Mukhtar, I got the impression that for him the monetary reward was much more of an incentive than the religious cause. Although his payment is not as high as the Mujahideens from abroad, he says that it’s enough since he wouldn’t get it when he is just idling in Eastleigh.

“Sh2,400 is more than enough for one day. I can send it to my family back home and I can fight here for a while and make enough money to start a business in my neighbourhood,” he tells me.

For Mukhtar, joining the Al Shabaab was also an adventure. He expects to return from Somalia and regale his friends, family and relatives with stories. “I paid nothing. My flight to Hargeisa was paid by a man who was organizing our trip,” he said.

Mukhtar was completely different from the rest as his Somali was really good and could not speak much English. During the interview, while the others conversed animatedly in English, he was quiet.

I ask him what he thinks of his colleagues who have left a life abroad that many Eastleigh youths would die for.

After taking some time, he shakes his head and says that they cannot even survive in Somalia as their lives are completely different.

“Somalia is so much like Eastleigh, if I was them I would never even think of coming back to Somalia, It’s not a wise choice,” he tells me.

For him, he says, he understands that joining Al Shaabab is not a wise choice but there is good money to be made and that’s all the motivation he wants. “It’s not about religion; it’s about me making $30 per day.”



IN TOMORROW'S STAR ONLINE EDITION READ ABOUT FATUMA NOOR’S JOURNEY TO HARGEISA, SOMALILAND STATE,SOMALIA  WITH THE RECRUITS WHO WERE ENROUTE TO MOGADISHU  VIA STAR


Fatuma Noor found out what moves young Al Shabaab recruits from the US and other Western countries and faced grave danger in the process.

 
Part 1:  How Al Shabaab Recruits Saved My Life

Part 2:ON THE ROAD WITH AL SHABAAB RECRUITS 
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Part 3:My encounter with American Somali Jihadists in Nairobi.