Somalia: The smiling president and the final showdown | WardheerNews

Somalia: The smiling president and the final showdown | WardheerNews

United Nations News Centre - Somalia: UN envoy appeals for calm following clashes in northern region

United Nations News Centre - Somalia: UN envoy appeals for calm following clashes in northern region

United Nations News Centre - Somalia: UN envoy appeals for calm following clashes in northern region

United Nations News Centre - Somalia: UN envoy appeals for calm following clashes in northern region

Delivered by the Netherlands into the clutches of a suicide bomber in Somalia | Amnesty International

Delivered by the Netherlands into the clutches of a suicide bomber in Somalia | Amnesty International

Somalia: We Would Rather Be Feared Than Loved

November 26, 2013: Al Shabaab is still active, having largely settled an internal power struggle and found new sources of income by more aggressive use of extortion. This is done via widespread use of terror out in the countryside. Anyone with money (businesses and large farming operations) are expected to pay or face attack (beatings, death, or taking family members as hostages). The loss of Kismayo last year was a major blow to al Shabaab finances because that port could be used to smuggle illegal goods (especially ivory) out of the country. Al Shabaab also collected fees on anything leaving or entering via Kismayo. Now al Shabaab has limited, and irregular, access to smaller ports on the coast. The sudden loss of income from Kismayo led to many desertions and the inability to make attacks. But not all of the Islamic terrorists were gone and the hard core fought each other in June and July to decide who would control the organization and what the post-collapse strategy would be. Young men were still willing to join for religious, nationalist, or financial reasons. Living off extortion and other criminal enterprises has always been popular in Somalia, where warlords who could cobble together and maintain a private army were respected. The difference this time is that al Shabaab considers itself part of an international Islamic terrorist movement (al Qaeda) and welcomes foreign recruits. Generally, foreigners are not popular in Somali culture and are looked on as source profit, not a welcome guest. These Islamic terrorist foreigners are often used for suicide attacks because they are more fanatic and not experienced fighters (and can’t speak the local languages). These foreigners boost morale among the Somali members because it indicates international support for their cause. On the down side, the terror attacks kill more civilians than peacekeepers, police, or local soldiers and makes the Islamic terrorists unpopular with most Somalis. That is not a concern with al Shabaab right now, as they would rather be feared than loved. This is especially true within the organization, where there are still many Somali men who consider themselves al Shabaab but disagree with the current leadership. Paranoia and ready recourse to violence still defines the organization, which now considers itself part of an international movement.

This year Kenyan police have arrested 10-20 (or more) young men at the Somali border each month because the non-Somali travelers were suspected of heading north to join al Shabaab. Background checks often proved this to be the case and the men are deported. Most of those stopped at the border are from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Al Shabaab continues to try and impose lifestyle restrictions, even though they do not have day-to-day control in many areas. The latest annoying edict is to ban smart phones. That’s because you can use these devices to get on the Internet and find porn. According to al Shabaab this means any picture (especially videos) of a woman showing skin. Not all, just a lot more than al Shabaab allows on the street. Previous attempts to ban cell phones in general failed because these devices are too popular but al Shabaab persists, if only because many Somalis will use their cell phones to let the security forces know what the Islamic terrorists are up to.

Kenya wants over 500,000 Somali refugees in the Dadaab refugee camp to go home as soon as possible. The UN, which runs the camp, says this could take up to ten years. Kenya is now talking about ignoring the UN and speeding up the repatriation process. The Dadaad population is a source of crime and economic disruption in northern Kenya. Islamic terrorists are known to live there and were often recruited there to begin with. Kenya already plans to force foreign aid agencies to move to Somalia, believing the refugees would be inclined to follow. About 50,000 Somali refugees have left Dadaab and gone back to Somalia this year, but even more have arrived at Dadaab from Somalia. There are over 500,000 additional Somalis in Kenya illegally, often using false documents. These will be harder to find and sent back to Somalia.

Kenyan police have identified the four Somali men for helping plan and carry out the Westgate Mall attack in September. All four of the attackers died, but police have uncovered a network of Somalis and non-Somalis in Kenya who aided the attackers and traced the movements of the four men in the months prior to the attack. The four crossed into Kenya in June and went to live in a Somali neighborhood in Nairobi. There they made their final preparations, including many visits to the mall to familiarize themselves with the place. The four days of shooting and explosions inside the mall were largely the result of incompetent leadership from the security forces. At least 67 people died in the mall and 27 remain unaccounted for.

November 21, 2013: In the central Somali town of Beledweyne, police arrested over 200 people in the wake of an al Shabaab attack on the 19^th.

November 19, 2013: In Beledweyne al Shabaab attacked a police station, killing 4 policemen and 10 civilians. At least 10 of the attackers were also killed or wounded.

November 17, 2013: In the southeast (lower Shabelle region) local clan militia fought with government forces, leaving 15 dead and two dozen wounded. Many clans are hostile to any sort of central government.

November 15, 2013: The UN has authorized a temporary increase in the peacekeeper force to 22,000 troops (from the current 18,000). This would allow a more intense and persistent effort against al Shabaab. The belief is that if enough damage can be done to the Islamic terrorist organization, Somali security forces and local clan militias can deal with the al Shabaab remnants long term.

November 10, 2013: Kenya and Somalis signed an agreement whereby Somalia agreed to take back over a million ethnic Somalis in Kenya over the next three years. In return Kenya agreed not to forcibly expel Somalis during that time, as long as Somalia accepts the returnees.

In the southeast (lower Shabelle region) two al Shabaab factions fought, leaving at least 10 of the Islamic terrorists dead.

November 8, 2013: In Mogadishu a suicide car bomber attacked a hotel, leaving 5 dead and 15 wounded.

In the north (Puntland) some twenty al Shabaab men attacked a prison to free some fellow Islamic terrorists. While three prison guard and an undetermined number of attackers were killed, the breakout attempt failed.

via ,,StrategyPage

Daphne Terrorist Confirmed Dead?

Daphne Terrorist Confirmed Dead?

Iran supports al-Shabaab in Somalia

“Below the waters, you will find Iranian clandestine operations that are not always easy to detect,” an Ankara-based African ambassador told me in confidence recently while discussing the terrible killing spree by militants belonging to the terrorist al-Shabaab organization that killed at least 72 people in a Nairobi shopping mall.

“The Horn of Africa is kind of a launching pad for Iran to maintain its disruptive campaign on both the Arabian Peninsula and in Sub-Saharan Africa in a bid to destabilize existing regimes,” the same diplomat added. For evidence, you just need to glance at numerous reports from one monitoring group on Somalia and Eritrea, set up by the UN Security Council (UNSC) Committee following resolutions 751 and 1907. There is an overwhelming body of evidence indicating that Iran has been providing direct and indirect military assistance to extremist groups in Somalia for years. The incidents mentioned in the UN reports represent only the tip of the iceberg, as most went unreported and undetected. Still, the ones that made it into reports from the monitoring committee are enough to give us a fair understanding of the dirty picture of Iranian efforts to destabilize countries in the Horn of Africa. Iran uses various routes and brokers to provide weaponry and funds to extremist groups operating in Somalia and its neighborhood in order to evade detection. It only uses direct aid when absolutely necessary. For example, in a July 2013 report, UN experts were able to trace newly seized RPG-7-type launchers from al-Shabaab militants to an Iranian manufacturer, even though they were modified and the serial numbers were stripped off to prevent tracing. The UN experts were also able to trace some of the guns and ammunition provided to Somali militants to Iranian manufacturers. For example, the Ammunition and Metallurgy Industries Group (AMIG) in Iran supplied MGD 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, which can be mounted on trucks, to a militia in Somalia. This gun is a Cold War-era relic but is still manufactured in Iran. Most arms flowing to the al-Shabaab organization enter via Eritrea, a close ally of Iran in the region. The UN's latest report identified Mohamed Mantai, Eritrea's ambassador to Sudan and non-resident ambassador to Iran since December 2012, as a contact of al-Shabaab. According to UN intelligence, he is “a central figure in Eritrea's regional intelligence machinery.” Mantai is a former operative of Brigade 72, the military intelligence wing of the Eritrean army. He was deported from Kenya following a September 2009 visit to Somalia, where he met with members of al-Shabaab. In Khartoum, he has been busy recruiting Somalis while maintaining close links with Iranian diplomats. Based on UN interviews from February 2013 with two former Eritrean officials who worked in Sudan, experts verified that Mantai has had regular contacts with the Iranian ambassador to Khartoum. Iran forged diplomatic ties with Eritrea in 2002 through its contacts in Khartoum. The relations were strengthened in 2007 when Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki made a deal with then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to use Eritrea as a strategic backwater and transit point in exchange for financial assistance. The UN investigators identified a man known in Sudan as Amr al-Musawi, a former cultural attaché to the Iranian Embassy in Khartoum and now believed to reside in Tehran, as the key figure coordinating Eritrean-Iranian relations since 2007. Al-Musawi makes frequent visits to both Sudan and Eritrea. “The Monitoring Group has also obtained further information on increasingly close links between Eritrea and the Islamic Republic of Iran in support of its regional intelligence structures,” the UN report concludes. Despite UNSC resolution 1907, which imposed an arms embargo, travel bans and an assets freeze on Eritrea in 2009, military cooperation between Eritrea and Iran has continued unabated. Iran's interest in Somalia is not new. Tehran had also supplied arms and munitions to the late Gen. Mohamed Farah Aideed, a notorious warlord who escalated a power struggle that helped to accelerate Somalia's descent into chaos, in the early 1990s, in clear violation of the UN sanctions regime. Tehran later provided funds and weaponry to Somalia's Islamic Courts Union (ICU), the godfather of the al-Shabaab militia, which pushed US-supported Somali rulers out of the capital Mogadishu in June 2006 and ruled for six months before Somali and Ethiopian forces ousted the movement. UN monitors identified at least three separate consignments of arms and ammunition sent by Iran to ICU militants in 2006. One was a flight dated July 25, 2006, which carried cargo from Iran, including machine guns, grenade launchers and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. Another one was recorded in August, when military cargo and millions of dollars in cash were sent to Somali militants. When the UN asked Iran about the shipment in August 2006, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's then-representative at the UN and current foreign minister of the Rohani administration, lied through his teeth in a letter to the UN the following month, denying that his government had any knowledge of the flight. More worrisome news came when the UN documented the same year that two Iranians were located in Dhusamareb, the capital of the central Galguduud region of Somalia, trying to offer arms in exchange for uranium. In addition to Eritrea and Sudan, Tehran also cultivated ties with al-Shabaab and its parent, the ICU, through its proxy militia group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Tehran masterminded plans to recruit Somali militants from the ICU to fight alongside Hezbollah guerrillas in the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. According to the agreement, an approximately 720-person military force, hand-picked by the ICU's Hizbul Shabaab leader Aden Hashi Farah, was sent to Lebanon to fight with Hezbollah against the Israeli military. In fact, the Iranian plane that Zarif denied ever existed actually transported some 40 wounded ICU militants who fought in this war back to Somalia in addition to the arms consignment. In the same year, according to UN findings, a large dhow containing Iranian arms, including 80 shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles and rocket launchers destined for Somali militants, arrived in El-Adde seaport, Mogadishu. Hezbollah not only procured arms for Somali militants from Iran, Syria and other countries but also provided training to these terrorists. According to the UN, Somali fighters were offered the following incentives to join Hezbollah: $2,000 for the families of individual fighters to use while the fighters were in Lebanon; in the event that a fighter was killed, between $25,000 and $30,000 would be given to the fighter's family; and upon return to Somalia from fighting in Lebanon, a fighter would receive “hero money” of $100 per month for an unspecified length of time. I wonder what kind of deal Iran struck with Hezbollah to fight in Syria in support of embattled President Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of the Tehran regime. Another route for Iran's link with al-Shabaab and other militant organizations in Somalia is Yemen, where al-Shabaab forged a formal alliance with al-Qaeda. Using hundreds of fishing boats operated by Iranian businessmen, Iran has been funneling arms to both Shiite rebels in Yemen and al-Shabaab militants in Somalia. For example, Yemeni authorities seized an Iranian ship called Jihan 1 off the coast of Yemen in January 2013 that was carrying a large quantity of explosives and portable surface-to-air missiles. UN investigators believe the consignment was most likely bound for delivery to al-Shabaab in Somalia rather than rebels in Yemen. I would not be surprised if investigators somehow trace the explosives and bombs used in the attack on the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu in July 2013, which killed three people, including a Turkish policeman, back to Iran. The same can possibly be said for the recent mall attack in Kenya as well. Iran wants to keep Somalia as a failed state and hotbed of radicals and extremists so that it can continue to contract terrorists for its own bidding to bother countries in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Al-Shabaab may have a shared strategic interest with Iran in trying to force both Turks and Kenyans to flee Somalia because Turkey and Kenya are among the nations that are actually making a difference in turning Somalia into a viable state. Looking at the announcements from both Turkish and Kenyan officials in the aftermath of the al-Shabaab attacks targeting their citizens, I would say these terrorist attempts will eventually fail to achieve what they hoped to accomplish in the first place. It will actually bolster the resolve of these countries that want a strong and prosperous Somalia. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, who is in charge of Somalia in Turkey, stated after the July attack that there are those who are uncomfortable with Turkey's humanitarian aid to Somalia, aiming to push Turkey out of the country. “These efforts are in vain. They still don't know us,” he said. Echoing similar remarks, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta also said Kenyan troops fighting alongside African peacekeepers against the militants in Somalia would not leave, despite the terrorist attack in the mall. That is the message the world community should send to terrorists and their patrons in Iran...via TZ

Imam & 2 Others Sentenced in LA for Helping Shabaab

I emphasized the imam part because if this was a Baptist minister or a Catholic priest, it would be all over the news -- and rightly so. But we hold Muslims to such a low standard that this kind of story is back page everywhere except in LA

 -- and even there it's not the headline.

Saudi Arabia Wahabi man throws his wife out of the apartment window

Suspected terrorists who attacked MP shot dead in Eastleigh

A gun that was recovered from two terrorism suspects shot dead in Eastleigh, Nairobi on November

 

Police have shot dead two suspected terrorists and recovered a grenade and a pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition.

The suspects were shot dead Wednesday morning along Eastleigh’s 12th Street, next to the Kenya Bus Service (KBS) garage.

Nairobi County commander Benson Kibue has said that the suspects are believed to be the gang that hurled a grenade that killed two people and seriously injured Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan in December last year.

 

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi on February 20, 2013. The suspects are believed to be the gang that hurled a grenade that killed two people and seriously injured the MP in December last year. Photo/BILLY MUTAI

The MP was said to have been holding a discussion with his constituents after evening prayers at Hidaya Mosque when the attackers hurled a grenade at them, injuring nine other people.

 

Alleged Resignation Letter of Somalia’s Ex-Central Bank Chief Released

FEATURED


The alleged resignation letter of Somalia’s former Central Bank governor Yussur Abrar was published recently on the site Saadaal News.

Thought its authenticity has not been confirmed, passages of the text match excerpts previously cited in the initial Financial Times report.

Abrar’s abrupt resignation in late October 2013 was fueled by her claims that she was pressured illegally to violate her “fiduciary responsibility” and approve deals with law firm Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker that could “open the door” to further corruption.

Other questionably sourced and sensationalist pieces alleged that Abrar was threatened by key people to improperly transfer millions of dollars in assets recovered by Shulman Rogers. Implicated individuals included:

Businessman Muse Haji Mohamed Ganjab, who has been linked with Shulman Rogers

Abdiaziz Amalow, who is reportedly related to former Central Bank governor Ali Abdi Amalow and also linked with Shulman Rogers

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Chief of Staff Kamaal Daahir Gutaale

Since there has been no official government clarification or independent investigation, it has been hard to verify elements of various accounts.

Shulman Rogers

Shulman Rogers was initially contracted by former President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s transitional government in 2010 to recover frozen assets. The total amount the firm has recovered–as well as where and how the funds have been transferred–does not appear to have been publicly released.

After Shulman Rogers received $870,230 in September 2013 for three years’ worth of legal fees and expenses ostensibly related to asset recovery, the firm linked up with Podesta Group to carry out public relations work on behalf of Somalia’s Central Bank, according to public documents.

This may have been related to the lengthy report drafted by Shulman Rogers and FTI Consulting in response to the United Nations Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group’s graft allegations.

Shulman Rogers’s role in both asset recovery and defending the Somali government of graft charges presents a serious conflict of interest regarding the firm’s involvement and credibility in the country.

As a result of this and the apparent unknown fate of assets it may have already recovered, it is reasonable to ask to what degree the company may have been involved directly or indirectly in any potential illicit activity.

In a now outdated 2010 contract between Shulman Rogers and Somalia, the firm stated that “in the event a conflict [of interest] should arise, we reserve the right…to limit the scope of our legal services in order to avoid such conflict…”

However, it is clear that Shulman Rogers–and companies like FTI Consulting (who are advisors to Soma Oil and Gas)–continue to operate with insufficient transparency and are behind some of the more controversial chain of events that have come up in recent months.

In this regard, Abrar’s criticism of the firm may represent an undeniable point as other details are sorted out.

Weak institutions and ineffective parliamentary oversight are easy scapegoats for these debacles.

But the fact that the Somali government has yet to issue an official statement after two weeks on then resignation of its monetary chief should raise serious questions about the alleged role and knowledge of key individuals.

As if the Central Bank governor’s resignation and her chilling accusations were not enough, the Somali government is now grappling with another high-level crisis as President Hassan has reportedly asked Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon to resign.

What is needed most at this moment in time is leadership, communication, and transparency. But all that there seems to be is finger-pointing, silence, and obfuscation.

Abrar’s Alleged Letter

The text of Abrar’s alleged resignation letter reads in full:

HE Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

President of Federal Republic of Somalia

Mr President:

It is with great sadness that I submit to you this letter to serve as my official resignation of the post of Governor of the Central Bank of Somalia.

Your excellency, when I accepted this role, I did so with the interests of the Somali people in mind. Having worked at senior levels at some of the largest financial institutions in the world, I was

looking forward to the opportunity to lend my skill sets to rebuild the Central Bank and improve the lives of our people, as the Central Bank is key to the development of the economy. I was encouraged and

inspired by the Somalis whom I met everywhere I went, so full of hope

that the nation’s recovery was near, and that they could soon partake in the rebuilding process. Undoubtedly, economic recovery is critical to this recovery from both a fiscal and security perspective.

However, it has become clear to me that my ability to act in the interests of the Somali people has been undermined and will continue to be undermined by various parties within the administration. From

the moment I was appointed, I have continuously been asked to sanction

deals and transactions that would contradict my personal values and

violate my fiduciary responsibility to the Somali people as head of the nation’s monetary authority. To use one example, as you are aware based on our multiple conversations on this matter, I vehemently

refused to sanction  the contract with the law firm Schulman & Rogers, regarding recovery of the Somali financial institutions assets frozen since the fall of Siad Barre’s regime.

Your Excellent I have read both the Agreement and Power of Attorney which your office instructed theformer governor to sign with the law firm. I don’t believe that these documents serve the interest of the Somali nation and I believe that they put the frozen assets at risk and open the door to corruption. My suggestion to let me share these documents with a Central Bank appointed legal counsel for a second opinion fell on deaf ears.

The message that I have received from multiple parties is that I have to

be flexible, that I don’t understand the Somali way, that I cannot go against your wishes, and that my own personal security would be at risk as a result. I am the least concerned about the security threat,

but I am truly disappointed that I have not received your support and leadership on this matter so that I could objectively perform my duties.

Your Excellency, I am sure you are aware, Part II, Section 3, Article 6 of the Central Bank of Somalia Act states: “Except as otherwise specified in this Act, the Bank, and the members of the Board or the

staff, shall not take instructions from any other person or entity, including Government entities. The autonomy of the Bank shall be respected at all times and no person or entity shall seek to influence

the members of the decision-making bodies or the staff of the Bank in the performance of their functions or to interfere in the activities of the Bank”. Unfortunately the Central Bank has not been allowed to

function free of interference, and as such cannot operate as a credible institution.

Your Excellency, the Central Bank is in poor condition with payroll processing the only semi-functioning unit. It will take dedicated

effort, expertise, and commitment from multilateral agencies to build it into a fully functioning Central Bank. It requires a governance structure starting with the appointment of a Board of Directors. Most

of all for the country’s economic recovery to start, financial system to advance, and Hawalas to remain open and continue to serve the Somali people, the Central Bank has to take its rightful place as licensor, supervisor, and monitor of the country’s financial system.

In the seven weeks since my appointment as Governor, I have already made significant progress. I met with global financial leaders, including the World Bank, IMF, AfDB, Barclays and the US Government, to raise the profile of the remittance crisis facing Somalia and help

drive a solution. I worked closely with the World Bank and the IMF to develop a detailed plan to rebuild the Central Bank?s functions on a large scale. The IMF has already started training our staff in

Nairobi. I reached out to the money transfer companies who are now looking to the Central Bank for leadership and guidance. The staff at the Central Bank is more motivated now than they been since before the civil war. I can only imagine what could have been achieved provided I

had your support to perform my duties objectively.

Your excellency, while I am disappointed by this lack of support, I am more disappointed for the Somali people who would have benefited the most from these and future contributions.

Sincerely,

Yussur A.F. Abrar

Governor

Why Yussur Abraar resigned from Governor of Central Bank and the endemic/systematic corruption of Somalia

The case of Madam YusurAbraar the Central Bank Governor resigning after seven weeks on the Job is one of the worst Scandals happened to the Muslim Brotherhood (dum-Jadiid aka New Blood) government of President Hassan Sheik. In the more developed democracies were the concept of transparency and accountability is the cornerstone of the “workings” of governance this would have prompted the resignation of the Minister of Finance or even higher up in government. We all know that Somalia is one of the most corrupt Nations on Earth and that corruption is what we “ call the Norm rather than the Exception”. But even knowing all this does not make us forgiving or understand how on earth Ministers and directors of the Presidency  linked to Damu Jadid  pro-Salafist group  can think they can steal “Public money” with “Impunity” with a total disregard to the Public good and the National Public interest. I had a hope and still have that President Hassan Sheik will reign on the Big grand scale acts of Corruption and will accept the small amounts being almost impossible to control this culture of corruption and mismanagement.

       

 

I believe that the acts of corruption on large or small are acts are “existential treats “against the promotion and the National Institution Building of our failed State and reestablishment of Our nation-State”. This type of corruption I always asserted is part of the game plans of the Ethiopians and their  ally the IGAD countries to say Somalis cannot be a viable state and must be re-colonized by the regional powers and made Clan-Enclaves controlled by those powers. How on Earth sums in the millions of Dollars can be  attempted to be swindled  by this Ruling Elites with Total disregard of the sufferings of the people-citizens?  Some will say that the former Presidents and governments have all been corrupt/mismanaged  and stealing of public money on large scale is a “normal business”  therefore there is not any difference between this new government of President Hassan Sheik and the past governments starting from 2004.

       

 

We Somalis in General  and those in  the Diaspora, the international community and even of those “not corrupt elites” in Mogadishu we were hoping the “business as usual “of stealing public money will diminish to a manageable level  and the Government will treat corruption and mismanagement  as equal to “Terrorism” and being against the National Public interests. In other words equal to the fight against #AlShabaab and being labeled as Traitor to the Nation. No way. Still Ministers especially those in the Presidency are behaving like nothing has changed and the Culture of Impunity is the only thing they Know not the Law or any other punishment against their persona for the criminal acts they commit while they are in office.

       

 

There is the story going around in the Internet that those who tried to convince Yussur Abraar to take part in a big scam to defraud the Somali government of Millions of Dollars  and intimidated her after she refused their plans were “ close members of the President family” and a business man from South Africa of the same sub-clan. For me it’s not important who are his persons but the act itself of trying/ attempting  with a high ranking officer of the Government is itself a crime and this happens everybody knows that there will never be punished and brought to justice for the crimes of attempting to stealing Public money. Till this persons are brought in front of a judge and sentenced “beyond reasonable doubt” they are innocent” but in Somalia nobody is prosecuted for attempting/stealing Public money. I can only remember the case of two district commissioners of Mogadishu who after they have stolen food Aid worth Thousands of Dollars where pardoned by the former President even after they were sentenced and found guilty by a Court of Law.

       

 

This will continue to happen all over Somalia including the Regions of Somaliland and Puntland for this following reasons: 1)the absence of the Rule of Law in the administration of the “State public affairs”. 2) The Total absence of norms of Transparency and Accountability in the running of the Public administration.3) The believe that the  President, Ministers will never be punished and brought to justice because they know and everybody knows that they are the Kings of the Land( Regions)  and they will never be brought to account for their crimes. In other words the Culture of Impunity is supreme in all aspects of Governance.4) The international community I mean the West and UN have always been part of this High scale corruption/mismanagement in the last 23 years and in some instances’ it looks they even encouraged it when it came to the workings of NGOs (local and international including those who say are “religious based” including the Muslim ones) who stole millions of Dollars with their Somali managers and collusion of International Staff. In Somalia in the popular parlance they call “NGOs Culture” and “behavior” the acts to steal pubic money. And the individuals who were managers, worked for NGOs are at the forefront of this government as Ministers.5) The State in all its forms be Regional or Federal is seen as a “Milking cow to make money “in the popular culture and not a service to the Nation or a Public property. If this Kind of Culture is not changed and nothing is done to Change the cultural/political  perception and the Legal workings of the State, the same existence of the Somali Nationhood/State will be in Danger in the future. The Salafist Business cartels that control the totality of the Somali economy have as a policy that the existence/practice of a week government which is corrupt and mismanaged is in their Best interest. In that way the state is controlled by this Salafist groups and will never fulfill its Role of defender/promoter  of the interests of the People-citizens and Somali National Interests but the promoter of the Salafist Agenda within the State.(please read “Who are Business people of Somalia?” in my blog

      

 

  There are other groups who are allied with the Salafist Business cartels mainly the “Organized crimes” groups  which are mostly are Salafist but their business are mainly about “expired Food stuff”, “expired medicines”, “Expired general products” etc, Human Trafficking and all this is done all over the greater Horn of Africa/East /Central Africa. The Other group is the “Drug-Cartels” who import to Somalia “Heroin” from Afghanistan and Indian Sub-Continent including Pakistan. This Drugs are then Exported to East Africa/Central Africa and re-exported to US and Europe, Middle East.

       Who are the groups who benefit from this Corruption? First what is the Role of The Salafist Business cartels in the Corruption/mismanagement of the Somalia State (It’s included in my analysis the regional authorities of Somaliland and Puntalnd. Everything I say concerning the corruption and Organized crimes/Drug Cartels groups is similar in all over Somalia). What are the Role of Organized crimes groups and the Drug cartels in this corruption based “governance” of the Somali State? What is the Role of these groups in the Government machinery? What is the role of The Ethiopian Intelligence and the Somali-Elites-Organized crimes/Drug-cartels groups Trojan horses in the Government,and those who represent the Ethiopian interest? How they have become corrupted (or they were before they came to Somalia) the Armies of the Countries in Amisom? What is the Role of Amisom in the corruption/Mismanagement of the “Cosa Publica” of Somalia?  is  very sensitive questions which are also at the core of the issues of corruption and mismanagement in Somalia.the Illegal drugs flow to somalia and the Organiozed crimes groups hold on part of Somali economy.

Fallout from Somalia still haunts US policy 20 years later - Stripes - Independent U.S. military news from Iraq, Afghanistan and bases worldwide

Fallout from Somalia still haunts US policy 20 years later - Stripes - Independent U.S. military news from Iraq, Afghanistan and bases worldwide

Fallout from Somalia still haunts US policy 20 years later - Stripes - Independent U.S. military news from Iraq, Afghanistan and bases worldwide

Fallout from Somalia still haunts US policy 20 years later - Stripes - Independent U.S. military news from Iraq, Afghanistan and bases worldwide

Suspected car bomb outside popular Mogadishu hotel kills six

Latest update from Ministry of Interior is that 6 people hauve been killed & 15 injured. One attacker in custody

(Reuters) - A suspected car bomb attack outside a popular hotel in the Somali capital on Friday evening killed at least six people and left the area covered with blood and burning vehicles, a senior police officer said.

Mogadishu has often been the target of attacks by al Shabaab, an al Qaeda-aligned Islamist group that was driven out of the capital by African troops two years ago. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for today's blast.

Friday's attack and others in recent months that have targeted offices of the United Nations, restaurants and other sites highlight the challenge faced by the Somali government as it tries to rebuild the nation after two decades of conflict.

"We understand a car laden with explosives was parked in front of the hotel," Farah Aden, a senior police officer, told Reuters. "This car bomb exploded and burnt the other cars which were also parked there."

At least six people, including four police men, were killed in the blast, while 15 other people were wounded, he said, adding, "The death toll may rise. There are serious injuries."

The vehicle exploded next to Hotel Maka, on a main road that runs through Mogadishu.

Four cars and two motorbikes were burnt out at the scene, a Reuters witness said. He saw three bodies of police men being carried away and described bits of human flesh scattered in the area.

In the September attack, al Shabaab rebels deployed a car bomb and suicide bomber, killing at least 15 people and wounding 23 others.

Al Shabaab have said they will keep up their campaign against the new government, after the Islamists were driven out of the capital in 2011 by an African Union force of peacekeepers.
update
Official: Person arrested inside Maka Al-Mukarama hotel had "laptop bomb" and was subdued before he detonated

Shocking news coming from Somalia

Image of joy short lived, photo was taken hrs before our friend was killed R.I.P Cabdulqaadir Aden Cali (DHUUB)"In The Middle  the from london Uk
 I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Abti abdulqaadir Aden Cali " Dhuub", Somali Community in London

Most of the casualties were caused by the car bomb after a laptop bomb detonated inside the hotel

Somalia’s Watergate Scandal: President’s Chief of Staff outmaneuvered in his bid to steal over 100 million dollar

Somalia has been hit by a scandal similar to the US Watergate Scandal. The Financial Times, a respected international business journal has reported that Yusur Abraar, Governor of the Somalia Central Bank has resigned her position. Governor Abraar was appointed as a governor just two months ago.

The story, which was originally broken by Awdal press, reports that Governor Abraar resigned because she did not want to be involved in the looting of Somali assets and funds by a group of people led by the president’s own chief of staff, Mr. Kamal Dahir Gutaale.

The President’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Kamal Dahir Guutaale, tried to force the newly appointed Governor of the Central Bank, Ms. Yusur Abraar, to transfer over 100 million dollars to his cohorts;

Ganjab Investments http://www.ganjab.com/bus/?page_id=156 , The American law firm of Shulman Rogers http://www.shulmanrogers.com/attorneys.html , http://www.linkedin.com/title/partner/at-shulman-rogers, while the president of Somalia was out of the town on a visit to Kismayo, backfired on a colossal scale. Now everyone involved is running for the dark corners.

This bold and money grab would have succeeded if not for Ms. Yussur Abrar’s strong ethics, moral fortitude. Ms. Yusur Abraar was appointed to be the Governor of the Central Bank seven weeks ago because of her in depth knowledge and understanding of global finance, her intelligence, and her convictions.

Ms. Yusur Abrar is a world renowned financial expert who is, like her predecessor Dr. Abdisalam Omer from the Awdal State . Ms. Abraar, upon accepting her appointment, began creating a banking structure that would prevent government funds from being looted. Her plan was not to allow any of the over 100 million dollars to be deposited into the central bank until a reliable banking structure was in place that would prevent the stealing of Somalia’s money by anyone in a position of power. The UN has reported that over 20 million dollars had been stolen last year from the Central Bank.

Unbeknown to Ms. Yusur Abraar, the President’s own Chief of Staff had a plan in the works to steal over 100 million dollars in Somali money from overseas that had been frozen. The plan was for all this money to be transferred directly to the law firm of Shulman Rogers and not into the central bank of Somalia. The only problem was that Ms. Yusur Abraar needed to be on board with this deal.

The Chief of Staff did not see Ms. Yusur Abraar’s moral objections as a big deal. She was a woman, only in office for seven weeks, and was now in Mogadishu. History and his life experience told him that ambitious Somali politicians always cooperate. He planned on meeting her at the Jazira hotel and once there “persuade” her to “do the right thing”. There was no reason to suspect that the plan would not work. The Chief of Staff saw Mogadishu as his town, his gunmen where there and at his beck and call. And, after all, Ms. Yusur Abraar could do all the bank reforming she would like in the future, but he wanted his cut of Somalia’s gold now. What choice did she have?

What Mr. Kamal Dahir Guutaale did not know was that Ms. Yusur Abraar had uncovered his plans, knew that lawyers from Shulman Rogers where in town and on the day that Mr. Kamal Dahhir Guutaale had carefully choreographed as the day where Ms. Yusur Abraar was to “sign on the dotted line”, she was already out of the country and tendering her resignation.

Ms. Yusur Abraar snuck out of Mogadishu quietly without the Chief of Staff ever knowing and while in Dubai, resigned and exposed the Chief of Staff for the thief that he was. Ms. Kamal Dahir Guutaale and his lawyers from Shulman Rogers where left holding the bag.

Now comes the fall out. The President is coming back to town. The question is did Mr. Kamal Dahir Guutaale plan this thievery to occur when the President was away so he could get away with it? Or did he plan this thievery when the President was away so that the President could say he didn’t know? Basically was Mr. Kamal Dahir Guutaale acting as the President’s agent, and on the President’s behalf, or did he try to steal over 100 million dollars for himself? Who knew what, and when did they know it?

We will know soon enough. The President will either fire Mr. Kamal Dahir Guutaale and replace him with a reputable Chief of Staff or he will keep him on to do his dirty deeds in the future. Soon we will know the truth. What else is missing and stolen?

Not too long ago some of the Somali websites and the East Africa Energy Forum reported that a Mr. Haider and his group were shopping Somali gas and oil concession with the assistance of another foreign law firm, Jay Park, and using a company registered in an offshore country. Whether the president or the prime minister is behind this scandal as well will also come out soon enough.

Having crooked men in positions of power is not new to Somalia. We know that Mr. Kamal Dahir Guutalle is running a criminal gang, the only question is; was the President behind this? The truth cannot stay hidden forever.


For more information in this conspiracy click on the following links:
Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/5bf9ac6c-4319-11e3-8350-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2jW3XKUYz
AwdalPress
http://www.awdalpress.com/index/archives/25270
The Podesta Group
http://somalianewsroom.com/2013/09/25/somalia-government-hires-lobbying-firm-podesta-group-details/
Soma Oil
http://somalianewsroom.com/2013/08/08/a-preliminary-look-at-soma-oil-and-gas-in-somalia/
Documents:
1. Contract between Podesta Group, Shulman Rogers and Central Bank of Somalia
2. Contract between Podesta Group, Shulman Rogers and Central Bank of Somalia -2
3. Exhibit B Shulman Rogers and Federal Republic of Somalia
4.Lobbiest Group hired by Shulman Rogers (Podesta Group)
5.Money (Fee) Paid to Shulman Rogers
6.Exhibit A Shulman Rogers and Kamal Dahir Hassan Gutela

Former spy: Kenya mall attack 'could have been prevented'

(CNN) -- Western intelligence missed a chance to capture or kill the suspected terrorist thought to be behind the Nairobi mall massacre, according to a former informant for both the CIA and the Danish intelligence service.

Morten Storm, who worked as an informant for five years, had forged a close relationship with the man -- a Kenyan called Ikrima -- who has been responsible for planning attacks inside Kenya for Al-Shabaab.

Storm, a Danish national, told CNN that in March 2012 the Danish intelligence agency PET had offered him one million Danish krone ($200,000) on behalf of the CIA if he could lead them to Ikrima, the target of an unsuccessful operation by US Navy SEALs last month. The SEALs raided an Al-Shabaab compound at Barawe on the Somali coast, but Ikrima escaped.

Storm's told CNN it is possible he might have got wind of the plans had he still been working for Western intelligence. But his relationship with PET and the CIA ended in mid-2012 amid disagreement about a different mission in Yemen.

"I get really frustrated to know that Ikrima had been maybe involved in the Westgate terrorist attack. It frustrates me a lot because it could have been stopped and I'm sad I can't be involved in this.

 

     more on cnn"..

Terror Hunt: Suspect 'Linked To Al Shabaab'

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed, who escaped after changing into a burka at a mosque, visited Somalia in recent years, say Sky sources.

Fairfax: Yaa ku kalifay gudoomiyaha bangiga dhexe Yusur Abraar inay is casisho? (Dokumentiyo Caddeyn ah)

Fairfax: Yaa ku kalifay gudoomiyaha bangiga dhexe Yusur Abraar inay is casisho? (Dokumentiyo Caddeyn ah)

Is Somalia underfunded? or It's more like Putting the fox in the hen house?

Somalia’s 1st Female Central Bank Governor resigns, Aadan Abraar quit her job and Went on Shopping spree

The Somali defense minister recently requested more support from the international community, an echo of his previous request after the Westgate attacks for more support where he told NBC News: “We need the funding and resources.”
He further added: “We are underfunded. We don’t have the proper weapons to fight al-Shabaab.”

The Somali Government has been fragile and unstable for the past two decades or so, but to say it’s “underfunded” is really, an incongruous claim. Mr. Fiqi, the Somali Defense minister himself signed an agreement with Italy not too long ago, under which Italy will provide support and training to the Somali forces. There are dozens of other countries who supply the Somali Government with help, be it in the form of finance, weapons or training. Around the same time of Mr. Fiqi’s agreement with Italy, the US pledged $69 million to Somalia. Also around that time EU pledged $2.4 billion to Somalia, this was in addition to the $1.6 billion it had given to Somalia from 2008-2013. From that money Britain pledged £50 million, in addition to the £80 million program it already has in Somalia. Turkey had been providing $4.5 million every month since June 2013 till the “New Deal Compact” program.

Even Malta donated €150,000 to Somalia. These are just some of the figures of this year support for Somalia and its government, and the names and numbers can keep going.

With all this finance and support, one has the right to ask, why aren’t we seeing any significant changes in Somalia? Is Somalia really underfunded? Or is the money going where it doesn’t belong?

According to the UN, 80% of the withdrawals of the central bank in Somalia goes to personal use and not to the benefit of the public!
However, recently it was claimed that Somalia was cleared of corruption allegations alleged in the report of the United Nations Monitoring Group in Somalia & Eritrea. It may seem all fine because a few attorneys from an American law firm cleared them from the allegations, but a short while after their clearance, two court officials were arrested in the Bay region for accepting bribery. We don’t even have to go that far, one should only walk through the streets of Mogadishu to see aid food from NGO’s and charitable organizations being sold. It comes to no surprise that a group of foreigners belonging to a “fact finding team” would have passed verdict clearing the current government from corruption. Anybody could lead around foreigners in Somalia and have them leave with different impressions. Take a foreigner to the Liido/Cabdicaziiz or Xamarweyne district in Mogadishu and you’ll have them believe that all of Somalia is doing amazing and advancing , take them to Xamarjajab district and you’ll convince them that all of Somalia is underdeveloped and lives in poverty. If one really wants to know what goes on in Somalia and Mogadishu, it is the locals that should be the ones asked for facts. Local Somalis have suffered in the past, and still do from undisciplined behavior of the Somali troops, from looting, to beating and at times even rape. Why do Somalia’s soldiers & police remain undisciplined? Some may blame it on the meager salary they receive, but that poses another question, why are they receiving low salaries? Should they not be funded by the finance received from the international community? Or perhaps it’s just because they aren’t well trained and aren’t so professional. Again, why aren’t they well trained and disciplined? Shouldn’t their training be funded by the funds donated by the international community?

Strike a conversation with anybody in Suuqa Xoolah or Gubta district of Mogadishu, and they’ll tell you of the corruption and undisciplined behavior of Somalia’s soldiers & police force. In fact it was Mr.Faqi himself who admitted to Garowe News about the unidisciplinary behavior of the Somali soldiers & police when he said: “The people don’t have full confidence in the police forces as some of them illegally take money or other valuable things from unarmed civilians”.

Wadajir district is known for it’s heavy presence of AU troops and fortified positions all based in the Xalane military base, some even dub it “Mogadishu’s Green Zone”. It is also notorious for hosting a “secret” prison located close to Mogadishu’s very airport and coast, where numerous innocent Somalis are kept under inhumane conditions. Is this where the funding of the international community is going towards?

There has been quite some talk going on recently about the resignation of Mr. Shirdon, the Somali prime minister, a claim which he dismissed. He claims that under his government Somalia underwent an “economic growth”. If the economy is doing so well and great, then why all the talk of resignation and unhappy Somalis? Is the monthly revenue of the government, which he claimed increased, being put to the right use? Is it being put to tightening and improving security? If so, then why does Mogadishu suffer on almost a daily basis of attacks, bombings and assassination, with a lot of times senior officials being the targets?

It is not hidden from anyone in Somalia that numerous government officials enjoy lavish & luxurious lives in the Zoobe district of Mogadishu, while others lead deluxe lifestyles in the presidential palace. Many of these officials belong to the diaspora, often having extra houses in Europe & the Americas, their children live safely & healthily, while the average Somali’ s children suffer insecurity & instability. Mr. Fiqi’s own children, like many other official’s children, live in the US, in a nice fancy house in Virginia, away from all turmoil of Somalia.

I believe we & every Somali has the right to ask, is Somalia really underfunded?

Or is our money going where it doesn’t belong? somali  President Hassan Shekh Mohamoud It's more like “We got the fox guarding the henhouse,”

Somalia government needs to hire detectives to investigate senior gov officials before hiring. This is embarrassing

Your aid dollar's at work Gucci sunglasses,louis vuitton handbag

SNM criminal history ..International Communications Corp