The Somali Jihad
CBN's Erick Stakelbeck followed up his report on western Pakistan with a look at the other forgotten front in the Long War: Somalia. We've documented the rise of the al Qaeda backed Islamic Courts Union. Erick interviewed Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and me, as well Adam Hassan, a representative of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia
Erick has a written report available online, along with embedded video of the television segment.
Some analysts continue to deny there is a problem in Somalia, and even doubt the influence of al Qaeda, Iran and Hezbollah in the rise of the Islamic Courts. This report in the Guardian typifies such skepticism. "Somalis, whether secular or Islamist, are parochial, and have never been animated about distant causes," said Ken Menkhaus, a professor of political science and Somalia expert at Davidson College.
Perhaps Professor Menkhaus should explain how Hassan Dahir Aweys, a wanted al Qaeda terrorist, became the leader of the Islamic Courts. Or how al Qaeda leader Adan Hashi Farah "Ayro' has risen in the ranks of the Islamic Courts. Or why the Islamic Courts refuses turn over three known terrorists involved with the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania: Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan and Abu Taha al-Sudani. Or the 17 know terrorist training camps in Somalia. Or why Sheikh Hassan Turki openly flaunted the involvement of “foreign fighters.”. Or why Sheikh Yusuf Indohaadde was caught on tape in an al Qaeda propaganda video, produced subtitles in both Arabic and Somali, with foreign fighters caught on tape inside Somalia. Or why the Islamic Courts in implementing sharia law that mirrors that of the Taliban.
