Omar Hammami, the Alabama-born rapping jihadist also known as Abu
Mansoor al-Amriki, has died and come back to life yet again. The latest
resurrection is at least the third reboot for the 27-year-old, who has
acted as a mouthpiece for al-Shabaab, the Somali branch of Al Qaeda,
since arriving in Somalia in 2006.
Hammami was first reported killed while fighting in Somalia in early
March 2011. The next month he came back from the dead in style and with a
beat, releasing two a cappella English raps -- to little critical acclaim
-- in which he begs for martyrdom. As part of al-Amriki's attempt to
recruit Western youth for jihad, he has released a half-dozen rap tracks
on the internet since 2009.In July 2011, he was rumored to have been killed by a Predator drone, but later resurfaced.In March 2012, Hammami released a video in which he said he feared for his life at the hands of his Shabaab comrades."To whomever it may reach from the Muslims, from Abu [Mansoor]
al-Amriki, I record this message today because I feel that my life may
be endangered by [al-Shabaab] due to some differences that occurred
between us regarding matters of the Shariah [Islamic law] and matters of
the strategy," Hammami says in the video.Via its official Twitter account, Shabaab expressed surprise at
Hammami's fears, denied he was endangered and said he still enjoyed all
the "privileges of brotherhood.Within weeks, however, rumors surfaced that Amriki had been executed by
al Shabaab, a casualty of recent doctrinal infighting. Somali media
reported, and Western media repeated, a scenario in which Amriki was
beheaded on the orders of a powerful rival on April 4.Two weeks later, local Somalia media was reporting that Amriki had been sighted alive and well.It's hardly the first time a famous terrorist has been declared dead,
only to reappear alive and well. Here are some other notorious
terrorists who keep coming back to life. via ABC
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