Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Media-Savvy Militants Lure Foreigners for 'Holy War' in Somalia


update on Briton stars in Somali terror videos


LONDON — The Islamist militant group al-Shabab in Somalia has lost much ground in recent months to African Union and government forces. But analysts warn that al-Shabab is fighting an increasingly sophisticated media war, and is actively recruiting foreign fighters to join its ranks.

With sophisticated graphics - and shot in high quality - this is a video produced by the media arm of al-Shabab called "Inspire the Believers."

The footage cuts to a man sitting on a beach. A scarf covers his face. He introduces himself as Abu Dujana and says he is from Britain; he has a distinct London accent.

“I’d like to use my time to talk about the blessings of living in one of the lands of Jihad. First of all, before some of us came here, we were living in a society where the people were enslaved by their desires," he said.

Abu Dujana is one of a series of foreigners appearing on this video who have purportedly gone to fight for al-Shabab in Somalia. Others are from Sweden, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya. They are trying to lure others to follow.

“For us, a chance to fight for our beliefs is the best thing that can happen to us in this world. And the fact that we may be killed in this path is nothing but a glad tiding," said Dujana.

The video - over 30 minutes long - is part of a series produced by al-Shabab aimed at a Western audience.

Shiraz Maher, of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at Kings College London, says the group is emulating and even surpassing al-Qaida's propaganda tactics.

“It’s producing high quality videos with great production values, in the way that we’ve seen al-Qaida do in the past… They’re using Twitter to engage with Muslims around the world to offer instant rebuttal, instant analysis of world events," he said.

Other videos use a ‘news’ style - with another British-accented male narrating and interviewing fighters. One is called "Mogadishu - The Crusaders’ Graveyard." It was produced in 2011 before African Union troops re-took the capital from Al Shabab.

“The Mujahedeen on their part vowed to crush the Crusaders, and with the permission of Allah managed to raise the banners of Tawheed [Islam] on top of their tanks.” - Excerpt from "Mogadishu - The Crusaders’ Graveyard."

Shiraz Maher says it’s difficult to put an exact figure on numbers of foreign fighters.

“For a number of years, al-Shabab was able to recruit openly in the United States, was able to raise funds openly and in essence put down roots, establishing the infrastructure of people and ideology and material in those communities, long before law enforcement proscribed it," he said.

The effort by al-Shabab to recruit overseas could be a sign of its falling support among the Somali population, says Valentina Soria, of London-based analyst group the Royal United Services Institute.

“The humanitarian crisis in 2011, actually they [al-Shabab] were thought to be somehow to blame for not having let through the humanitarian groups and NGOs and actually the population has suffered greatly for that," she said.

Soria says the operating space for al-Shabab is being squeezed by African Union forces.

“There have been great territorial gains but those gains haven’t been as yet translated into long term political success and this will remain the challenge for the new government in Somalia," she said.

Terror analysts say the West should consider how to fight the propaganda war against Islamist groups like al-Shabab as well as winning territory on the ground...via voa

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Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir

Ex-Somali Police Commissioner  General Mohamed Abshir

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater
Somalia army parade 1979

Sultan Kenadid

Sultan Kenadid
Sultanate of Obbia

President of the United Meeting with Prime Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Egal of the Somali Republic,

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Sultanate of Warsengeli

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre
Siad Barre ( A somali Hero )

MoS Moments of Silence

MoS Moments of Silence
honor the fallen

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre  and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie
Beautiful handshake

May Allah bless him and give Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan

May Allah bless him and give  Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan
Honorable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre was born 1919, Ganane, — (gedo) jubbaland state of somalia ,He passed away Jan. 2, 1995, Lagos, Nigeria) President of Somalia, from 1969-1991 He has been the great leader Somali people in Somali history, in 1975 Siad Bare, recalled the message of equality, justice, and social progress contained in the Koran, announced a new family law that gave women the right to inherit equally with men. The occasion was the twenty –seventh anniversary of the death of a national heroine, Hawa Othman Tako, who had been killed in 1948 during politbeginning in 1979 with a group of Terrorist fied army officers known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).Mr Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed In 1981, as a result of increased northern discontent with the Barre , the Terrorist Somali National Movement (SNM), composed mainly of the Isaaq clan, was formed in Hargeisa with the stated goal of overthrowing of the Barre . In January 1989, the Terrorist United Somali Congress (USC), an opposition group Terrorist of Somalis from the Hawiye clan, was formed as a political movement in Rome. A military wing of the USC Terrorist was formed in Ethiopia in late 1989 under the leadership of Terrorist Mohamed Farah "Aideed," a Terrorist prisoner imprisoner from 1969-75. Aideed also formed alliances with other Terrorist groups, including the SNM (ONLF) and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), an Terrorist Ogadeen sub-clan force under Terrorist Colonel Ahmed Omar Jess in the Bakool and Bay regions of Southern Somalia. , 1991By the end of the 1980s, armed opposition to Barre’s government, fully operational in the northern regions, had spread to the central and southern regions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes, claiming refugee status in neighboring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. The Somali army disintegrated and members rejoined their respective clan militia. Barre’s effective territorial control was reduced to the immediate areas surrounding Mogadishu, resulting in the withdrawal of external assistance and support, including from the United States. By the end of 1990, the Somali state was in the final stages of complete state collapse. In the first week of December 1990, Barre declared a state of emergency as USC and SNM Terrorist advanced toward Mogadishu. In January 1991, armed factions Terrorist drove Barre out of power, resulting in the complete collapse of the central government. Barre later died in exile in Nigeria. In 1992, responding to political chaos and widespread deaths from civil strife and starvation in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched Operation Restore Hope. Led by the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the operation was designed to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to Somalis suffering from the effects of dual catastrophes—one manmade and one natural. UNITAF was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). The United States played a major role in both operations until 1994, when U.S. forces withdrew. Warlordism, terrorism. PIRATES ,(TRIBILISM) Replaces the Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre administration .While the terrorist threat in Somalia is real, Somalia’s rich history and cultural traditions have helped to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism. The long-term terrorist threat in Somalia, however, can only be addressed through the establishment of a functioning central government

The Honourable Ronald Reagan,

When our world changed forever

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)
Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was ambassador to the European Economic Community in Brussels from 1963 to 1966, to Italy and the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] in Rome from 1969 to 1973, and to the French Govern­ment in Paris from 1974 to 1979.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac 'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac  'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.
Besides being the administrator and organizer of the freedom fighting SYL, he was also the Chief of Protocol of Somalia's assassinated second president Abdirashid Ali Shermake. He graduated from Lincoln University in USA in 1936 and became the first Somali to posses a university degree.

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic
Somalia

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