Social and political criticisms
Repost from ABC News | September 23, 2013
The deadly attack claimed by a group known as Al Shabaab calls our attention to this group. It is known to have links with Al Qaeda and youths from the West including US. It was formed in mid 2000s as the militant wing of Somalia Council of Islamic Courts. It took over southern half of Somalia and drew admiration of many of the population for fighting Ethiopian forces in Somalia known for their abuses.
In 2008 US categorized Al Shabaab as a terrorist organization claiming its ties with Al Qaeda. It formally joined Al Qaeda in 2012
It claimed responsibility for a number of deadly terrorist attack including that one in Uganda in 2010 wherein an American was killed while watching an outdoor TV featuring World Cup.
Al Shaabab was forced out of Mogadishu by UN backed forces of African Union (Kenya and Somalia) It is said to have several thousand members when militia members and those from Western Nations are included.
The organization seems to have links with American born Africans and the Westgate mall attack seemed to include foreigners. The greatest link is from Minnesota. In the St Paul Minneapolis area there are about 80,000 residents who have originated from Somalia
The attack on a mall and which killed civilians seem to indicate the weakening of the group which seems to be fracturing between those concentrating on international jihad and those who focus on Somalia. Its high profile American member rapping Omar Hammami was assassinatd over spat on leadership concerning strategy and Sharia (Islamic law)
From the Daily Beast - 3 Americans among the attackers at Westgate mall?
