Islamists Invite bin Laden and Foreign Fighters to Mogadishu
Apr 3, 2010
Story Highlights
Somali rebels extend open invitation to Osama bin Laden
Local media ordered to stop airing music
The Somali Islamist rebel group, Hizbul Islam, claims to have invited Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to Mogadishu, a move indicating a possible connection between Somali extremists and the Al-Qaeda terrorist group.
Ma'alin Hashi Mohamed Farah, Somali capital chief for Hizbul Islam, told reporters Saturday that his group would like to welcome Osama bin Laden and any foreign jihadist to Mogadishu to fight the Somali government.
"We welcome Sheikh Osama to Mogadishu, we are ready to welcome you and protect you," Farah said.
"This is a land of Jihad and Islam, we are your sons," he added.
He also warned journalists to describe foreign fighters in Somalia as Mujahidiin.
There are an estimated 500-700 foreign-born fighters in Somalia with Hizbul and Al-Shabaab, who are mostly Arabs and Africans.
Farah also ordered the local media to stop airing music within 10 days, warning those who ignored his threat that they will face "strict" actions.
"You should stop the songs and music within 10 days period, that will cause alarm to the global community but our orders will be persist," he said.
Hizbul Islam is led by Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, a hard-line Somali cleric who is on the U.S. terror list.
His group shares a jihad view with Al-Shabaab, but they have recently been at odds after armed conflict between Hizbul Islam and Al-Shabaab began over control of the port town of Kismayo. In the battle that followed, Hizbul Islam was expelled from the city and most of southern Somalia.
Their presence only remains in Gedo region, Hiraan region, and the capital.
Hizbul Islam shares a national agenda with Al-Shabaab against the government and the African Union but they differ in many ways.
Hizbul Islam does not force women to wear the veil and does not coerce people to join their cause. To maintain power and terrorize the population Al-Shabaab uses madix jabiye, which translates to "head breakers". These are typically unmarried young men who kill people aligned with the government or who are perceived to be working against the interests of Al-Shabaab with pistol shots to the head.
Hizbul Islam does not use madix jabiye.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=914dd82d-9c09-4283-a841-93efc2d0c1f7)
Tags:
Al-Shabaab, Hizbul Islam, Islam, Mogadishu, Osama bin Laden, Somali media, Somalia, Terrorism
Add your comment