In july of 2014, two american women were arrested for financing al shabaab. Of the 86 closed, are major money transfer companies. Countering al shabaab propaganda and recruitment mechanisms in south central somalia b. The alshabaab almujahidiin therefore do not depend on external financing for military hardware. Foreign service, including as ambassador to ethiopia and state department coordinator for somalia during the international intervention in. Counterterrorism and counterinsurgency in somalia assessing the campaign against al shabaab seth g. Country policy and information note somalia south and. The harakat shabaab almujahidincommonly known as alshabaabwas the militant wing of the somali council of islamic courts that took over most of southern somalia in the second half of 2006. Al shabaab is an al qaedaaffiliated organization that has risen rapidly to prominence in the midst of somalias decadeslong anarchy. Modern terrorist networks are comprised of loosely connected transnational webs of autonomous cells. Ltc geoffrey kambere, updf al shabaab, which is generally described as a salafijihadist movement, is a major player and instigator in the ongoing fight to win control of somalia.
Security crackdowns have blunted its capacity to stage regular assaults, but complacency could roll back those gains, as could failure to engage with communities in which the group recruits. Al shabab formally pledged allegiance to al qaeda in 2012, though ties between them existed since 2008, when the americanborn al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap cleric anwar al awlaki released a statement praising al shabab for fighting against the u. Five years after an attack on nairobis westgate mall, alshabaab appears committed to striking targets across east africa. Forest have determined that alsha baab is aided in its quest by some fundamental realities of somali culture and history. Rather it is a wellstructured organization composed of several independent components. The number of casualties caused by alshabaab increased at an even greater rate. Al shabaab has contiuously demonstrated an ability to raise enough funds to launch attacks, without needing to control a large amount of territory. Terrorist funding and innovation in the case of alshabaab taylor.
The number of attacks attributed to al shabaab has increased rapidly from less than 10 in 2007 to more than 800 in 2014. Al shabaab is linked to al qaeda both ideologically and through leadership contacts, training and joint operations in the horn of africa, according to u. Alshabaabs composition is multiethnic, with its leadership positions mainly occupied by afghanistan and iraqtrained ethnic somalis and foreigners. Despite the groups defeat by somali and ethiopian forces in 2007, alshabaaba clanbased insurgent and terrorist grouphas continued its. The number of casualties caused by al shabaab increased at an even greater rate. Trying to understand alshabaabs financial means and resources without giving due attention how islamic extremist at the global level is financed is simply not. It is a golden chance for alshabaab to pick itself up off the mat.
Alqaedas financial pressures council on foreign relations. Some questioned whether the attack was evidence that alshabab had become a more dangerous transnational threat, while others suggested it was an continued. Understanding terrorist finance sources in europe terrorist groups are all different. Alshabaab responds on december 20, 2018, alshabaab released a statement from ali mahmud rage in which he authorized alshabaab members to target islamic stateloyal individuals in somalia. Al zawahiri approved and welcomed al shabaab as al qaedas 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 al mujahideen movement in somalia to qaeda al jihad, to support the jihadi. Apr 08, 2015 there have been cases of united states citizens donating to terrorist organizations using this system. Al shabaab is composed of many independent cells, units and divisions, which answer to multiple figureheads. Applying a framework for terrorist innovation to alshabaabs funding sources. Winer, fighting terrorist finance, survival 44, no.
The al shabaab al mujahidiin therefore do not depend on external financing for military hardware. Terrorist financing in west and central africa fatf. Al shabab developed and thrived in large part because of somalias bleak living conditions. While at the beginning white foreign jihadists were present alongside alshabaab, over the last year and half there seems to be many more east africans volunteers.
Alshabab formally pledged allegiance to alqaeda in 2012, though ties between them existed since 2008, when the americanborn alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap cleric anwar alawlaki released a statement praising alshabab for fighting against the. Al shabaab announced its alliance with al qaeda in 2008, and in 2015, boko haram pledged allegiance to the islamic state. Response congressional research service 2 and al shabaab. According to the national counterterrorism center, the groups rankandfile members hail from disparate local groups, sometimes recruited by force. National money laundering and terrorist financing risk assessment at 8, february 20.
Al shabaab has leaned on different sources of revenue to finance terrorist acts for the. Aqam futures project case study series july 2011 project. Alshabaabs setbacks and fewer attacks by the movement during the ramadan holy muslim month of fasting than in previous years are the result of three distinct and unrelated factors. This civil war led to the collapse of the rule of law and governance structures. Kenyas counterterrorism approach is floundering the. Somalia faces a dual development trap which perpetuates instability and exclusion and exposes the country to the risk of backsliding. The group frequently attacked international targets in somalia, and it conducted a terrorist attack in kampala in 2010 as. First, an enhanced and largely externally directed and funded campaign including drone strikes has eliminated highprofile leaders and diminished its. For instance, in bardale in 2017, as managed to collect 2200 goats and 171 camels. International crisis group, somalias divided islamists. Never ever was the support to al shabaab as popular as in those years.
Background report alshabaab attack on garissa university in. Jul 12, 2015 al shabaab is composed of many independent cells, units and divisions, which answer to multiple figureheads. Experts in counterterrorist financing point to a thick portfolio pdf of initiatives aimed at impeding alqaedas ability to fund, recruit, and train operatives, and to. While al shabaab has been weakened by the successes of the african union mission to somalia amisom force working together with somali forces, including aligned clan militia, it still retains significant terrorist capacity and poses ongoing threats to government and international targets. Alshababs capabilities postwestgate combating terrorism.
Yet since its inception in 20062007, alshabab has always issued global rhetoric. Abstract humanitarian response to the ongoing complex emergency in somalia is being further complicated by the actions of the terrorist group alshabaab. Members of islamic state in somalia clash with alshabaab fighters in the northern puntland region in december 2018. Countering alshabaab propaganda and recruitment mechanisms. However, the al shabaab is not politically organized. Media note office of the spokesman washington, dc march 18, 2008 designation of alshabaab pdf version. Al shabaab definitely has a hierarchal structure, since each unit answers to a central leader. The us department of state has noted that since its establishment, the alshabaab terrorist group has remained a notorious group and poses a serious security threat in africa, having successfully regained territory in somalis southern and central regions. According to mathew thomas 20, alshabaab originated from the remnants of the islamic court union icu also known as alittihad mahakem alislayiya, which used to be a union of different islamic militant groups in somalia after the collapse of the government in 1991.
Kenyan officials have closed 86 entities and accounts that may be associated with al shabaab. Al shabaab arabic for the youth is an islamic militant group that seeks to create an islamic state in somalia. Although the group makes money from the kind of activities that one associates with terrorist groups, such as raids, kidnappings and drug trade, most of the groups finances are mainly dependent on. Harakat al shabaab al mujahideen, shortly al shabaab is an al qaeda affiliated transnational j ihadist group which strives t o enforce i ts radical v iews of islamic sharia in the horn of africa.
There are reports that bh is also partnering with alshabaab which operates in the horn and east. Despite military pressure and global efforts to starve it of financing, the group continues to operate effectively, allowing it to function as a quasigovernment in the areas of somalia that it controls. Alshababs attack on nairobis westgate shopping mall in september 20 led many to question whether it signified the groups increased focus on international targets. Al shabaab leveraged its relationship with al qaeda to attract foreign fighters and monetary donations from al qaedas supporters, and al shabaab members traveled abroad to train with al qaeda. In areas it controls, al shabaab chops off limbs of alleged criminals and. It is the sense of con8 gress that 9 1 the horn of africa region remains integral. Alshabaab was subordinate to the islamic courts union until the 2006 ethiopian invasion, at which point alshabaab broke away and established its autonomy. According to mathew thomas 20, al shabaab originated from the remnants of the islamic court union icu also known as al ittihad mahakem al islayiya, which used to be a union of different islamic militant groups in somalia after the collapse of the government in 1991. How somalias al shabab grew into a global terror threat. Jones is the latest in a series of al shabaab supporters wanted by the fbi or who have been. Ethiopia, a part of the antishabaab coalition, is somalias ancient. On february 29, 2008, secretary of state condoleezza rice designated alshabaab aka alshabab, aka shabaab, aka the youth, aka mujahidin alshabaab movement, aka mujahideen youth movement, aka mujahidin youth movement, aka mym, aka.
In 2008, al shabaab launched a violent campaign in revenge for ayros death, focusing on attacks against u. The culture of terrorist propaganda in subsaharan africa. This was a draft resolution on financing of activities arising from security council resolution 1863. Facebooktweetlinkedinpinemail alshabaab has proven that they have the ability to diversify their financial tactics, despite military setbacks and funds from abroad drying up. Professor ken menkhaus defines the elite compact as the unofficial agreement among the somali.
Some are formed around social circles, friendship or family connections. The number of attacks attributed to alshabaab has increased rapidly from less than 10 in 2007 to more than 800 in 2014. The group has experienced two dramatic transformations in its short history. Alshabaab probably will see its funding grow in years to come as the african. In light of al shabaabs recent garissa university attack, the kenyan government has begun responding not only with airstrikes, but also by attacking the groups finances. How al shabaab finances terror center for security policy. Sources of funding including selffunding for the major. Published in 2020 by the heritage institute for policy. Al shabaab, as well as outside actors, retain the ability to extract natural resource and protection rents and destabilize the country.
Somalias alshabaab down but far from out crisis group. 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. Army field manual 324 describes counterinsurgency as a learning competition in which the side that learns faster and adapts more. Alshababs attack on nairobis westgate shopping mall in september 20 raised important questions about the resilience and possible resurgence of a jihadist group that most believed had fallen on hard times since 2011. It once held sway over the capital of mogadishu and large portions of the somali countryside, but in.
Yet, al shabaab succeeded to reinvent itself in 2007 as the most determined and uncompromising somali movement opposed to ethiopia, western states and their local ally, the transitional federal government. It briefly examines the evolving threat posed by these groups in the region, and discusses the evolution of policies guiding the u. As aweys importance grew within the icu, he passed leadership of al shabaab on to one of his followers, aden hashi ayro. Roland marchal senior research fellow at cnrs sciencespo. The financing of terrorist acts and of terrorists and terrorist organizations is typically described as a three stage process requiring the raising, movement and use of. Some are solo terrorists who emerge for idiosyncratic personal and ideological reasons. Alshabaab is making millions of dollars by exploiting foreign aid money sent to somalia by the very western nations who are trying to destroy the terror group.
Through both state and defense department accounts, the. Unlike most of the organizations top leaders, its foot soldiers. Despite military pressure and global efforts to starve it of financing, the group continues to operate effectively, allowing it to function as a quasi. Alshabaab announced its alliance with alqaeda in 2008, and in 2015, boko haram pledged allegiance to the islamic state. The al shabaab civilian infrastructure is comprised of economic, educational, and social units that serve the group at the grassroots level. Al shabaab s leaders hope to take over somalia and impose their draconian interpretation of shariah, or islamic, law. Feb 12, 2018 al shabaab is making millions of dollars by exploiting foreign aid money sent to somalia by the very western nations who are trying to destroy the terror group. This paper discusses alshababs as financial system and estimates the amount collected by the group, based on figures provided to hiraal by former as. Alshabab, or the youth, is an islamist insurgent group based in somalia.
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