http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/026234.php
May 23, 2009
“Report: Nearly 1000 foreign jihadists in Somalia, including American and British nationals”
SNIPPET: “Just a few, the jihadist leader said. “British and American fighters respond to jihad call in Somalia,” by Tristan McConnell for the Times Online, May 23 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Up to a thousand foreign fighters, including Britons, have answered the call to jihad in Somalia and are leading street-fighting Islamist extremists in the war-torn capital Mogadishu, The Times has learnt.
Early yesterday the Western-backed Government launched a counter-offensive after almost a fortnight of attacks by insurgents that have killed at least 200 civilians.
At least 45 people were killed yesterday in battles across the city, the highest daily death toll for months.
The insurgents’ attacks have threatened to topple the shaky Government of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed only weeks after the international community pledged £135 million to support him.
Senior security officials in the region say that the foreign fighters are behind the recent success of the extremists. More than 290 fighters from Britain, the US, Canada, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia entered Mogadishu in the past two weeks.
An intelligence report seen by The Times, which is due to be presented to the US Congress next week, states: “An estimated ten foreigners have taken the lead to command both Somali and foreign fighters in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia.”
“I have no doubt that some of the foreign fighters are British as well as North American and Scandinavian,” said Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the top Somali diplomat for the United Nations. One Western diplomat with experience in Somalia said: “These foreigners are the ones with al-Qaeda links. I would be surprised if Britons were not the leading foreign members of al-Shabaab.” “
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/026264.php
(AFP, May 24, 2009)
May 25, 2009
“Muslims from U.S. waging jihad in Somalia”
A bit off thread topic, but fyi:
Note: The following blog entry is a quote:
http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/20060.htm
Pakistani Minister: Al-Qaeda Leaders Escaping To Somalia And Yemen
Many senior Al-Qaeda leaders are escaping to Somalia and Yemen, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said.
According to a report in the Lahore-based Daily Times, the interior minister said that Egypt, Sudan and Yemen-based Al-Qaeda groups were backing the Taliban and other terrorist organizations in Pakistan.
‘‘Some people are still providing shelter to Al-Qaeda leaders,’’ he said, adding that preparations for developing a new database of all foreigners entering Pakistan are underway.
Source: Daily Times, Pakistan, September 15, 2009
Posted at: 2009-09-15