Somalia`s Mujahidin Youth Movement Spokesman Discusses Progress of Jihad
Jihadist Websites
Part I
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

 
Abu Mansur, �Mukhtar Ali Rooboow� in Diinsoor

Somalia`s Mujahidin Youth Movement Spokesman Discusses Progress of Jihad On 8 May, a jihadist website posted an interview conducted with Shaykh Abu-Mansur, "Mukhtar Ali Rooboow," the official spokesman for the Mujahidin Youth Movement of Somalia, by the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) magazine, Sada al-Jihad. In the interview, Shaykh Abu-Mansur talks about the progress of the jihad in Somalia and lists some mujahidin "victories." He says that the jihad "has never surrendered to pressure and its will has never weakened." He talks about US "campaigns of conspiracy" against Somalia and says it is an "honor" to be included on the US list of terrorist organizations. Asked about Ethiopian, UN and AU forces in Somalia, Abu-Mansur says that he does not differentiate between them because "all of them are Crusader occupiers aiming at destroying our nation." He says the Ethiopian Army "can neither continue their military occupation nor can they confront the mujahidin for long." He also discusses relations with other Somali groups, and says he would not attend a conference on Somalia held in another country. He says that the jihad in Somalia belongs to the "global jihadist movement" and calls for more foreign fighters to come to Somalia.

A translation of the interview follows:

"Global Islamic Media Front

"Sada al-Jihad magazine presents:

"An interesting interview with leader Shaykh Abu-Mansur, Mukhtar Ali Rooboow, may God protect him, the official spokesman for the Mujahidin Youth Movement of Somalia, Army of Al-Usrah (hardship), in Somalia.

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

"Muslims in Somalia suffer from the crimes of the Ethiopian democrats and their apostate allies in the transitional government, who are supported by the aircraft of the democratic US that bombard the mujahidin, destroy houses on top of their inhabitants, and help the mercenary forces of the African Union. Reports of despicable massacres committed by the Crusader Ethiopian and US forces against civilians and mujahidin have been increasing. This is in addition to the involvement of the apostate Somalis and the mercenaries of the European Union in spilling Somali Muslim blood. Moreover, conferences are held with the aim of weakening the firebrand of the jihad and laying siege to the mujahidin.

"In order to learn about the status of the jihad and the mujahidin and find out the real situation, and to find out the stance of the Mujahidin Youth Movement toward the parties involved in the war against Muslims and toward those participating in the conferences which seek to restrain the mujahidin, the Sada al-Jihad magazine has conducted a press interview with leader Shaykh Abu-Mansur `Mukhtar Ali Rooboow`, spokesman of the Mujahidin Youth Movement in Somalia - Army of Al-Usrah in Somalia.

"Interview by Abu-Bakr al-Qurashi, chief editor:

"Leader Shaykh Abu-Mansur, may God protect you. We ask God to grant you success and victory and to make you support His religion, raise the word of the truth, and implement His Shariah that had been revealed to His Prophet Muhammad, peace and prayers be upon him. We would like you to answer the questions of those who admire you from all over the world through the Sada al-Jihad magazine.

"1. (Sada al-Jihad) Could you please reassure us about the situation of the jihad, mujahidin, and monotheists in Somalia?

"(Abu-Mansur) Praise be to God, Who said: `O ye who believe! If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly` (Partial Koranic verse; Muhammad, 47:7). Peace and prayers be upon God`s apostle, the prophet of battle and mercy, who said: `They have lied, now it is time to fight!! A group of my community will continue to fight in the cause of God, not being harmed by those who disappoint them. God will let the hearts of some people swerve for their sake. They will remain fighting until the Day of Resurrection. Blessing is in the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.` Narrated by Al-Nasa`i and Ahmad on the authority of Salamah Bin-Nufayl.

"Thereafter:

"We assure our Muslim brothers and beloved companions who march alongside us on the path of jihad, that God has granted the people of Somalia many bounties that many other people in other places do not have. God has utilized the people of Somalia for the service of Islam to revive His religion. He assigned to them the great duty of jihad, which is at the top of the hump of Islam. The doors of encampment, fighting, and martyrdom are wide open. Your Somali brothers are engaged in one of the bloody decisive battles against the Crusaders. Observers see the Horn of African front as the third or fourth (most) important front among the fronts defending Islam at present. We thank God, Who made us the vanguards of the Islamic cause. This categorization is very great and it is the wish of any zealous believer. We are certain that it is a great bounty God has granted us to test our faith, may God help us.

"As you know, there are many Muslims who lack these bounties, and they do not know how to pursue them theoretically or reach them practically. It is a bounty that the mujahid enjoys in worldly life and in the Hereafter, as stated by God: `Fight them, and Allah will punish them by your hands, cover them with shame, help you (to victory) over them, heal the breasts of Believers, and still the indignation of their hearts. For Allah will turn (in mercy) to whom He will; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Koranic verse; Al-Tawbah, 9:14) It is true indeed. If crowned kings knew of the rewards the poor mujahidin receive for their suffering and the relief that our encamping people enjoy, they would envy us and fight us with swords.

"Despite their suffering, your brothers in Somalia enjoy the bounty of strong adherence to Islam and the virtue of loving the Holy Koran and studying the Sunnah. They are also interested in studying the biography of the Prophet, peace and prayers be upon him and upon his family and companions, which is known as the study of `History and Conquests.` It comprises the biographies of the heroes of Islam. The fruits of such love include supporting the religion of God, avenging the Prophet, peace and prayers be upon him, and trying seriously to implement God`s Shariah. These matters did not please the infidels and made the worshipers of the Cross stand against them with their might. They turned the capital, Mogadishu, into a city of ghosts and carried out atrocious massacres against everyone, including children and the elderly. This was their reaction on being faced with your heroic brothers, who gave them a lesson in the battlefield, and after experiencing their strength. Moreover, many of our people and tribes participated in performing the adoration of jihad in the cause of God, while some of them gained the honor of martyrdom. Their blood has revived the spirit of jihad in most of the oppressed Muslim peoples in neighboring countries. The region has become like a volcano ready to erupt, praise be to God.

 
Jihadists in Mogadishu

"2. (Sada al-Jihad) How do you see the progress of the jihad in your country and what victories have been achieved?

"(Abu-Mansur) The jihad in your second country, Somalia, is going through an advanced phase in comparison with the difficult situation experienced by the Islamic world today. The jihadist movement here has gained, over two decades, a rich experience. It has witnessed great victories in its attempts to implement God`s Shariah, and has experienced days of joy and happiness. It has experienced at times the bitter taste of defeat, and some kinds of treason and conspiracies by enemies and friends. God says: `And there would have been some among you who would have listened to them (Koranic verse; Al-Tawbah, 9:47). The jihadist movement has been attacked repeatedly in its infancy and sometimes after assuming authority. However, it has never surrendered to pressure and its will has never weakened. It has started from scratch many times over and returned again. By the grace of God we have lived as powerful and glorious people and God has granted us power. We have witnessed Crusader invasion and foreign occupation twice. Our people have suffered from air strikes and tasted the bitterness of displacement. We have been afflicted with adversity until some of us fled seeking safety, and others remained, seeking to protect the religion. We ask God to give us the power to defend right and protect us from alteration after righteousness.

"Our experience is diverse, as we have experienced jihad against apostates and sects that do not implement Islamic Shariah. This kind (of enemy) has evolved and become a global trend in the framework of the so-called `proxy war,` whereby the Crusader power gives the apostate sects, which sold their religion in return for material benefits, authority to fight on behalf of the global Crusade.

"After conducting bloody battles the agents were defeated and the mujahidin were able to declare the implementation of Shariah. Then we were surprised at the quick, direct military intervention by the universal Crusader forces under the leadership of the United States, which urged the Ethiopian forces to fuel the battle. Their president, the foolish and obeyed `Bush,` took over the responsibility of providing financial support to the Ethiopian occupiers. He supplied them with logistics and the US intelligence provided them with security information and the necessary training. Moreover, the United States went beyond that and involved its navy and air forces. Its military aircraft and ships poured lava over our defenseless people and their cattle in the villages and valleys. Thus, Somalia was occupied on Eid al-Adha in 1427 (corresponding to January 2007). Infidelity invited its people from Uganda and Burundi to join the Ethiopian occupiers.

"Despite all this suppression, the jihad was revived and the proud Muslim youth challenged the Crusader gangs. The military victories of the mujahidin in the battlefield have become apparent. Such victories can hardly be counted in an interview, but we will mention some of them quickly:

"-- The mujahidin have managed to take the initiative in carrying out military operations, while the enemy was often restricted to reacting. Praise be to God.

"-- The mujahidin have managed, by God`s grace, to confine the enemy to its barracks in just three cities.

"-- All the governorates, regions, and other cities are out of the control of the Crusader enemy.

"-- The Mujahidin have adopted new methods and carried out distinguished operations, which the region has never witnessed before.

"-- The Mujahidin have cut the enemy supply lines by setting up ambushes on the main roads and routes.

"-- The Mujahidin have conquered cities, villages, and regions, and attacked enemy barracks, including Balad Dukali Airport - the biggest military airport in Somalia, which is still closed - Dinsur District, and the governorates of Hudr, Wajid, Qansah Tayrah, and Pulu Bardi, in addition to Galguduud region and the Maslah military position north of Mogadishu.

"Regarding the war inside the cities it has not quietened down yet, as in a year and a half the mujahidin have not got tired or bored. They have carried out a series of attacks:

"A- A series of ambushes in the streets of the capital and other cities, in addition to continuous night attacks that disturb the enemy`s nights.

"B- A series of martyrdom operations targeting positions of the Crusader army and its commanders.

"C- A series of attacks, using improvised explosive charges and light weapons, on the positions of the apostate army and the soldiers of the Cross.

"D- A series of continuous bombardments and missile attacks on enemy positions, the most important of which being the presidential residence, the international airport, the harbor, and all the enemy barracks inside the capital. The people in these places fled like rats living in dark caves.

"3. (Sada al-Jihad) What are relations like between you and other jihadist factions? Do they belong to the people of Sunnah and Jama`ah?

"(Abu-Mansur) Let`s answer the last part of your question first. My dear brother, Somali society is faithful by nature and belongs to the people of Sunnah and Jama`ah. The Islamic resurgence in Somalia began four decades ago. It evolved to face the contemporary jahiliyah (the era before the emergence of Islam), which supports the infidels and does not rule in accordance with God`s commandments. The Islamists adopted a hostile stance against the secular rulers, who were the remnants of past European occupation. They adhered to the path of the righteous predecessors in understanding God`s Book and the traditions of God`s apostle, peace and prayers be upon him. Most of them embrace the creed of Al-Firaqah al-Najiyah (the saved sect), but they vary according to the degrees of their knowledge, understanding, and application of this creed.

"The mujahidin of the victorious sect led the Islamic movements and dominated the arena after 11 September. Their thoughts dominated in all areas of politics, military, the media, and preaching. They led others by their proper creed, their upright approach, their mature thinking, and their awareness of the conspiracy against our Muslim community. They surpass the other movements because of the media, military, security, and political capabilities that God granted them. These capabilities have enabled them to face these conspiracies with a sound approach, realistic understanding, and awareness enlightened by the revelation. They succeeded in thwarting some of these conspiracies. Praise be to God.

"The relationship between the Salafi jihadist trend and other Islamists is a reciprocal relationship based on exchanging experiences, modelled on the better one, and following the one that invents a good tradition. The people of the jihad assume the leadership, provide the example, and lead others to a proper understanding and better actions than the other Islamists. Thus, the mujahidin often undertake what is described as regeneration operations, through which they revive what is abandoned of this religion. They are strangers facing predicaments at the beginning of the way. However, after the relief and after ending the estrangement, it will be easier for others to pass along the smooth road.

"By the grace and gratitude of God we see the efforts of the mujahidin are bearing fruits and their wheels are turning faster. Thus, those who doubted the jihad and forsook it have started to call for the jihad. Those who were previously interested in education only have started to get training. Large numbers of people in the Islamic non-jihadist movements have started to practise the jihad along with their brothers. This way the resurgence, along with all of its different groups, is getting gradually closer to the prophetic path. Hence, the understanding and the approach will unite, and so consequently will the Islamic groups in compliance with the commandment of God the Almighty, who says: `And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with God, and do not draw apart from one another` (Partial Koranic verse; Al Imran, 3:103). This is a practical way to unite the ranks of Muslims. We have tried it as others did before us.

"4. (Sada al-Jihad) Can you tell us please about the Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia and your stand toward it?

"(Abu-Mansur) Since the commencing of the Islamic activity, a traditional reformist trend has emerged alongside the fundamentalist Islamic trend. They are suffering from a stifling awareness crisis. When the fundamentalist Islamic trend adopted the way of defending the truth and confronting the apostate governments, the reformists presented a list of concessions and compromises, and recognized the illegitimate governments. At a time the country is witnessing a direct Crusader occupation, the reformists are continuing their attempts to patch things up. Contrary to that, the mujahidin are launching jihad, sacrificing heroic martyrs, defending monotheism and the land of Muslims, and marching onward. They are hoping to restore the caliphate, which our honest Prophet told us about when he said: `Afterwards, a caliphate will be established according to the prophetic method.`

"The attempts by the reformists to gain control through being involved in the pagan institutions and sharing power with them are witnessing a total failure. This is because it is like sowing seeds in the air or building a house on the waves on the sea. I will mention some of the stages of this attempt as follows:

"First stage: In 1995, the Islamic Courts set out from the areas of Karan, Suq Baad, and San`a in Mogadishu and dominated important parts of the provinces bordering the capital from the north. However, their failure was quicker than a summer cloud. This was because they (the Islamic Courts) were based on infirm creed principles, and their entity was full of weaknesses and cavities, through which the secularists infiltrated with their craftiness. Thus, they vanished at the first dissension and melted like ice with no resistance.

"Second stage: The Islamic Courts became active in the areas of Suq al-Bakarah and spread their influence up to the south in the Lower Shabele Region. However, the failure of the courts was of no surprise considering that the body carried the same germ that killed it before. Indeed, and in accordance with the common practice of the reformist trend, the leaders of the Islamic Courts made concessions and handed over the leadership to the secular government headed by Abd-al-Qasim Salad, just to gain some seats in the legislative council of the fake government.

"Third stage: In this last stage they made an alliance with a group of parliamentarians of the apostate government including the speaker, and those who called themselves the civil society. They are nothing but agents of the United Nations that implements its plans in our country, including human rights and women`s organizations and other anti-Islamic movements. All this was done under the pretext of reaching a national unity government. Thus, the liberals broke away from the Islamic bloc and split their ranks in pursuit of the mirage of democracy. Out of their conference kitchen in Asmara, Eritrea, the new mixture, the Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia, emerged. It is a toxic meal they have served to our Muslim people, who are suffering from miserable living conditions, after applying the most atrocious method of starving and intimidation against our people. They reached a high degree of deception when they used religious scholars as a narcotic and a facade to pacify our people in the name of religion.

"Our stand toward the Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia is based on the alliance`s principles, stands, rough statements, and real practices. All this is measured according to the scale of the upright Shariah. Thus, our stand toward them is defined according to how close or far they are from our religion. Let us mention some of their disclosed principles. The Prophet, peace and prayers be upon him, said: `Among the portents of the Hour (Day of Judgment) is the domination of evil.`

"- The Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia comprises trends of contradictory creeds. This includes deviated religious groups and the rest are secular groups, some of which were established to fight religion.

"- The leaders of the Islamic Courts have renounced their religious identity, starting with the title of `Council of the Islamic Courts,` leaders, and symbols. They have also renounced their goals and methods.

"- The Alliance adopted a new secular constitution drafted by secular hands. They are the same hands that drafted the constitution of the apostate government of Imbagati.

"- They abandoned the jihad in the cause of God, and replaced it with the `legal international resistance.`

"- The relationship that bonds members of the Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia is a nationalist one, which contradicts the Islamic brotherhood.

"- According to their published documents, they would file suits with the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

"- They emphasize their respect for the laws of the pagan `international legitimacy,` and always reiterate their commitment to the resolutions and treaties of the atheist United Nations.

"- They respect the international political borders, which were drawn up according to the Sykes-Picot agreement, and their resistance is confined to the homeland borders.

"- They denied the right of mujahidin to implement the principle of `loyalty and disavowal` and forsook Abraham`s religion (Islam). One of their habits is to socialise with God`s enemies and share in their matters.

� Compiled and distributed by NTIS, US Dept. of Commerce. All rights reserved.

To Read Part II, Click Here