It is noteworthy that al-Shabaab has stepped up its use of suicide bombers in recent weeks, even if this attack was, well, not exactly the product of stellar planning. Al-Shabaab has shown itself to have no particular qualms about squandering human life. “Somalia: Suicide bomber wounds 2 AU peacekeepers,” from the Associated Press, October 22 […]
U.S. warns of imminent threat of jihadist attack in Kenya
The jihadists from Somalia’s Al-Shabaab have threatened Kenya: “your skyscrapers will be destroyed, your tourism will disappear.” In other words, they are threatening to turn the place into Somalia. “U.S. embassy warns of imminent threat in Kenya,” by Yara Bayoumy for Reuters, October 22: NAIROBI (Reuters) – The U.S. embassy in Kenya warned of a […]
Somalia: Al-Shabaab seeks ransom for body of 66-year-old, wheelchair-bound French hostage who died in captivity
Al-Shabaab finds a way to be even more evil than before: “The hostage-takers are even trying to sell the remains.” “‘Barbarians’ demand ransom for Frenchwoman’s body,” from Agence France-Presse, October 20: France on Thursday denounced as “barbarians” Somali kidnappers who were demanding a ransom for the body of a disabled Frenchwoman who died while in […]
Somali jihadists behead 17-year-old Christian
Al-Shabaab has denied the existence of a massive famine and forced Somalis seeking aid back into the famine zone. They have launched suicide bombings and killed civilians indiscriminately. And that is to say nothing of the everyday violence and abuse heaped on Somalis by al-Shabaab — all the more so for the few non-Muslims they […]
Somali jihadists threaten suicide attacks in Kenya
For the jihadists, respecting territorial integrity is a one-way street. Al-Shabaab’s kidnapping of aid workers on Kenyan territory has provoked a major military response, so much so that the group may have overreached this time. But where they lose control of territory, they can fall back on what they do best: not fighting like men, […]
Nearly all remaining al-Shabaab forces said to leave Mogadishu after duking it out with gov’t and AU troops in pasta factory
Don’t tell al-Shabaab about the grand Pastafarian conspiracy to replace the entirety of Sharia Law with the eight “I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts.” On the other hand, Pastafarian heaven apparently includes a beer volcano and stripper factory. Given the prize the jihadists always have their eyes on, maybe there would be hope for interfaith dialogue […]
Somalia: Suicide bomber who killed over 100 in Mogadishu slammed education, saying students “never think about the harassed Muslims”
“Harassment?” Bad. Suicide truck bomb? A-OK, apparently. Boko Haram, with whom al-Shabaab is said to have a growing alliance, must be so proud. An update on this story. “Somali Bomber Who Killed 100 Slammed Education,” from the Associated Press, October 6: MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali suicide bomber who killed more than 100 people, including […]
Somalia: Mogadishu truck bomb kills more than 50
Al-Shabaab pulled out of Mogadishu in early August, at which point we observed that the jihadists were now simply in a position to do what they do best: not to fight like men, but to engage in asymmetrical warfare, targeting civilians to terrify and demoralize the population, and thwart any attempts at rebuilding or even […]
Al-Shabaab jihadists push starving Somalis back into famine zone
One analyst posed the rhetorical question: “How, precisely, does allowing hundreds of thousands of captive fellow Muslims to starve advance any Islamic or Somali cause?” It is about control. A weakened population of citizens who must devote all of their energy to securing their next rations is in no position to fight back. By controlling […]
“Finnish citizens of Somali origin” arrested “on suspicion of funding terrorism and recruitment” for “overseas” groups
Overseas terrorist groups. Let’s see… have the Mary Kay Commandos made it to Helsinki? No, this case appears to involve the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab. “Finland terror suspects are Somalis: report,” from Gulf Times, September 18: Two people arrested in Helsinki on suspicion of funding terrorism and recruitment had foreign links but planned no attacks […]