Islamic maghreb, alshabaab in somalia, and alqaida in the indian. Domestic terrorist a local or home grown terrorist. Harakat alshabaab almujahideen in somalia, center for scientific research at sciencespo. It focuses on the regions where terrorists operate and their origins, ideology and methods. In addition to its domestic goals, al shabaab has increasingly framed the somali civil war as part of a global jihadi movement. Al shabab, or the youth, is an islamist insurgent group based in somalia. This chapter examines the activities of a few terrorist organizations and the response of one country, france, to terrorism. According to the global terrorism database, al shabaab orchestrated or carried out a total of 409 attacks between 2005 and 2017 focused on the kenyan capital nairobi, as well as the northeastern cities of mandera and garissa, and kenyas touristfilled beaches. A wave of americans traveling to somalia to fight with al shabaab, an al qaedalinked terrorist group, has been described by the fbi as one of the highest priorities in antiterrorism.
Al shabaab is regaining ground and strength, meanwhile, and may be preparing to launch a significant counteroffensive beyond targeting amisom and sna forces to regain momentum in somalia in 2017. Pdf this article sets out to explore the evolution, operational strategy and. Alshababs ideology is typically described as a brand of salafism and wahhabism that supports takfir, the excommunication of apostates or unbelievers. Alshabab, the global jihad, and terrorism without borders. It once held sway over the capital of mogadishu and large portions of the somali countryside, but in.
Understanding the range of womens relationships to alshabaab. Most of its fighters are predominantly interested in the nationalistic battle against the fgs and not supportive of global jihad. In recent years, the predominant perpetrator of violence in somalia has been the alqaedaaffiliated jihadist group alshabaab. The impact of alshabab terrorist attacks in kenya munin. The alshabaab terrorist organisation are largely thought to be behind these last. The merger of the two groups was publicly announced in february 2012 by the amir of alshabaab and ayman alzawahiri, leader of alqaida. Domestic terrorism or homegrown terrorism is a form of terrorism in which victims within a country are targeted by a perpetrator with the same citizenship as the victims. It examines alshabaabs recruitment and financing networks that operated in the united states from 2007 to 2014. Countering terrorism in a failed state crisis group. Terrorism is without a doubt, one of the biggest challenges facing kenya and the world in general, serving as major threat to security and the economy.
Terrorism in 2017, and also designated key hizballah figures as sdgts as we pushed back on. Terrorism and counterterrorism in africa fighting insurgency from al shabaab, ansar dine and boko haram. The westgate attack is part of a global strategy by militant groups, and to counter them, a new way forward is needed. In 20092010, the somali militant group alshabab controlled most of central and southern somalia south of the autonomous region of puntland.
Alshabaab has ideological ties with alqaeda and is. One understudied source of its resilience is the support of women, active and passive, despite the movements stringent gender ideology. Domestic radicalisation in kenya longdom publishing sl. October preemptive and preventive attack in somalia, alshabaab terrorists have executed a number of violent attacks in. Alshababs tactical and media strategies in the wake of. Al shabaabs foreign threat to somalia by david shinn david shinn is an adjunct professor in the elliott school of international affairs at george washington university. Despite the groups defeat by somali and ethiopian forces in 2007, al shabaab a clanbased insurgent and terrorist grouphas continued its. Its terrorist attack at westgate mall in kenya and its followup attacks are a stark reminder that the somaliabased group remains lethal. While federal law has a definition for domestic terrorism it is not itself a standalone charge, nor does it command the powers and resources that are available to fight international. According to this perspective, a bombing plot involving u. There are many definitions of terrorism, and none of them are universally accepted. The harakat shabaab al mujahidincommonly known as al shabaab was the militant wing of the somali council of islamic courts that took over most of southern somalia in the second half of 2006. Al shabaabs american recruits antidefamation league.
An overview congressional research service 3 consider all terrorist plots occurring within the homeland as acts of domestic terrorism. Alshabaab is actually puissant and potent in terms of social, political and military capabilities. Since alshabaabs initial 2008 fto designation, it has killed numerous civilians throughout east africa. With details on various dimensions of each attack, the gtd familiarizes analysts, policymakers, scholars, and journalists with patterns of terrorism. While the groups initial focus was primarily domestic, in the past few years it has expanded its presence. Al shabaab has launched international attacks, including in kenya and uganda, and it has issued threats against other countries, such as. Foreign service, including as ambassador to ethiopia and state department coordinator for somalia during the international intervention in. The global terrorism database gtd documents more than 190,000 international and domestic terrorist attacks that occurred worldwide since 1970. Shabaab presents a significant terrorism threat in the region, including to u.
This research sought to uncover the answers to the following questions. In 2006 nominated as the vice chairman, internal security, islamic courts union. It has openly engaged in alshabaab recruiting in kenya and facilitated travel of alshabaab members to somalia for terrorism purposes. Alshabaab terrorists propaganda and the kenya government response elijah o. Al shabaabs attacks included the october 2017 attack in mogadishu where the group detonated a truck. Members of al shabaab, al qaedalinked insurgents, distribute relief to faminestricken internally. Are land disputes responsible for terrorism in kenya. The case of alshabab and somali youth august 2012, volume 5, issue 8. Until 21 september 20, many thought alshabaab to be in retreat, even.
Alshababs deadly westgate mall siege in nairobi is unlikely to alter kenyas foreign policy. It examines al shabaab s recruitment and financing networks that operated in the united states from 2007 to 2014. Al shabaab, whose leaders publicly pledged allegiance to al qaida in february. Though it has stated many goals in the past, the group fights first and foremost to create a fundamentalist islamic state in the horn of africa jonathan masters and mohammed aly sergie. Alshabaab, somalias islamist insurgency, is diminished but still potent. Since the beginning of the 1990s, somalia has been a hotspot for terrorism, conflict and instability.
How external interference helped to produce militant islamism. Strategic framework for countering terrorism and targeted violence. Alshabaab is composed of somali recruits and foreign terrorist fighters. Read the full comprehensive report, al shabaabs american recruits pdf. The report is divided into two sections, one detailing al shabaab s domestic recruitment, vetting, and facilitation processes in the minneapolis, minnesota area. In that year, the union of islamic courts uic unexpectedly took. Understanding terrorism in the horn of africa by edmond john pamba introduction. Kenyas counterterrorism approach is floundering the. Somali government in expelling the terrorist group alshabaab. Alshabaab terrorists propaganda and the kenya government. It has developed the ability to conduct complex raids against hard amisom targets, causing significant casualties. Alshabaab from unity to terrorism small wars journal.
The alshabaab almujahidiin is an offshoot of somalias recent islamic courts union. At the moment, al shabaab does not appear to be plotting attacks against the u. Alshabaab experienced another setback in september 2012 when they lost control of kismayo, a port city in southern somalia and a major source of revenue for the group. The report is divided into two sections, one detailing alshabaabs domestic recruitment, vetting, and facilitation processes in the minneapolis, minnesota area. A profile of the first somali terrorist organisation by abdisaid m. The al shabaab terrorist organisation are largely thought to be behind these last two attacks and were thus the main focal point of this discussion. Pdf somalia has the longest coastline in africa and a wealth of marine resources. The groups leader is ahmed diriye aka ahmed umar aka abu ubaidah.
Domestic government strategies for countering alshabaab, boko haram and isil. We provide resources, expertise and trainings that enable law enforcement officers, public officials and community leaders, as well as internet and technology companies to identify and counter emerging threats. Today the adl center on extremism is the foremost authority on extremism, terrorism and hate, both foreign and domestic. The united states department of state defined terrorism in 2003 as premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against. The ecology of alshabaabs 1 terrorism counterterrorism strategy 7 the reality of terroredia in 11 kenya politics of succession in africa terrorist groups operate that in turn constitute the ecology of terrorism 15 inside the ecology of alshabaabs terrorism.
As al shabaab continues attacks, can disillusioned. This struggle is represented through violent acts as alshabaab uses religious doctrine to justify its acts to gain control of somalia. Amendments to the terrorist designations of alshabaab. Alzawahiri approved and welcomed alshabaab as alqaedas somaliabased affiliate in a 15minute video response, stating today, i have glad tidings for the muslim ummah that will please the believers and disturb the disbelievers, which is the joining of the shabaab almujahideen movement in somalia to qaeda aljihad, to support the jihadi. Al shabaab is actually puissant and potent in terms of social, political and military capabilities.
Alshabaabs senior leaders remain affiliated with alqaida. Terrorism in kenya has resulted in not only the loss of lives, personal. Terrorism discourse is plagued by confusion and misrepresentation. Since the february 2011 military offensives by the african union mission in somalia amisom, somali government troops, and somali sufi militia forces, alshabab has suffered a series of significant territorial and strategic setbacks. Herman cohen talked about al shabaab and the recent bombing in uganda, what al shabab is, where its operating, its affiliation with al qaeda. The operations of alshabaab that include terrorist training camps and the islamic courts union camps are furthering the ideas, rules and the law of the alshabaab. Terrorism, tactics, and transformation kathine imma warnings of a second such return are already sound ing about the islamic state in iraq after its most. The suicide bombers of alshabaab open pdf 14 mb since 2005, the most intractable terrorist threat in subsaharan africa has come from the somaliabased islamist terrorist group known as harakat alshabaab, or colloquially as alshabaab. There are concerns that since the terrorism groups in somalia are linked to the alqaeda especially the alshabaab there is a chance that the threat of terrorism is far from over. Alshabaab alshabaab is a somalianbased, radical terrorist cell with ties to alqaeda in the middle east and possibly boko haram in nigeria.
Al shababs ideology is typically described as a brand of salafism and wahhabism that supports takfir, the excommunication of apostates or unbelievers. Countries determined by the secretary of state to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism are designated pursuant to three laws. Alshabaabs terrorism is an external expression of the youth and the countrys identity crisis between culture and religion, tradition, and modernity. Following the withdrawal, ahmed abdi godane, the emir of alshabaab, announced an official alliance between alshabaab and alqaida. Radicalisation and terrorist recruitment among kenyas youth diva. Alshabaab is an official alqaida aq affiliate and has ties to other aq affiliates, including alqaida in the arabian peninsula and alqaida in the islamic maghreb. They believe in violent islamic militancy and boast a troop strength of between 7,000 to 9,000 militants. The impact of al shabab terrorist attacks in kenya.
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