In a 37-minute long audio message recorded by Al-Shabaab’s leader and released by Al-Shabaab’s media wing, the much feared leader sent chilling threats to Kenya & condolences to Kenyan Muslims in recent light of the crackdown against Kenayn Muslims and Somalis in particular.
In the Arabic audio message accompanied with English subtitles & video segments of the Kenyan violence against Kenyan Muslims, the Al-Shabaab leader taunts Kenya labeling the Kenyan invasion into Somalia as a “historical blunder”. The video shows graphic images of atrocities committed by the Kenyan government such as the well-known massacres that occurred at Garissa and Wagalla in the 1980’s, drawing parallels between the atrocities and the ongoing violence targeting Muslims in Nairobi & Mombasa.
“Do not simply tolerate the deaths of your scholars, violation of your mosques sanctity & the plundering of your wealth.” Said Abu Zubayr, leader of the Al-Qaeda linked group. “Do not stand by idly so that the historical massacres that were perpetrated against you do not return” added the militant leader, hinting at the Garissa & Wagalla massacres.
After outlining what he deemed as “oppression against Muslims”, the militant leader urged Kenyan Muslims to carry arms and to shun courts and parliaments, indicating that only the mighty are respected. “Don’t waste your time in front of their courts and pleading to their parliaments, for they do not respect except the powerful ones, and they do not comprehend any language except that of the gun” said Abu Zubayr in the message who accompanied the request for armed struggle with a chilling reminder & threat of Westgate-like attacks saying: “And the Westgate operation if not far off from you!”.
The audio messages glamorizes and eulogizes Muslim clerics who were believed to be assassinated by Kenyan anti-terror units, including the late clerics Abubakr “Makaburi” Sharif and Aboud Rogo who were assassinated in Mombasa. Both clerics were known for openly inciting Kenyan youth to go to Somalia as part of their religious duty and to defend themselves in Kenya by carrying arms.
The video features a clip where Makaburi predicts that he’ll be killed at the hands of Kenyan forces. “Follow the path of your Mujahideen scholars who openly claimed the truth & who were murdered by the Kenyan Special Forces” says Abu Zubayr directing his message towards Kenyan Muslim youth.
This latest recording of Al-Shabaab leader who’s known to frequently record messages in Somali and Arabic has gained the attention of analysts, who see this message as insight into the mindset of the militant leader who by sending guidelines & condolences to East African Muslims and global jihadists, promotes himself as the de-facto leader of Al-Qaeda in East Africa.
Harar24
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