The defections of two American Islamic extremist fighters in Somalia highlight tensions within the insurgent group al-Shabab over whether it should remain affiliated to al-Qaida or switch allegiance to the Islamic State group, according to an al-Shabab commander Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015.
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Foreign fighters with al-Shabab would have to give up their desire to join IS to escape death, said Mohammed.
African Union spokesman Col. Paul Njuguna confirmed the arrest Monday of Abdimalik Jones, who said he is from San Diego.
He added that al-Shabab had drawn a red line, whereby they would kill “any al-Shabab fighter who tries to oppose or challege their leadership” in a bid to contain divisions.
He said the man who quit from the Al-Qaida allied group was believed to have joined ISIL, Syria-based Islamic State terror group, amid a major rift within the Al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabaab group on whether or not to join the ISIL. Jones is missing the index finger of his right hand, said the official.
The U.S. State Department said Monday that Hassan surrendered to Somalia’s federal government on November 6. It wasn’t immediately clear why his arrest wasn’t announced earlier, but the information was provided as The Associated Press asked questions about Miski’s case. He is a “lawful permanent resident” of the United States, but is not a citizen, the State Department said.
Hassan has been wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation since he left the U.S.in 2009 for allegedly providing “material support” to the al Qaeda-linked terrorist group al-Shabab in Somalia, often purportedly by convincing young American recruits to join.
Tweeting under the name “Mujahid Miski”, Hassan urged his Twitter followers to carry out acts of violence in the US – including beheadings.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, which charged Hassan with multiple terrorism-related counts, had no comment.
The captured militant admitted that he had been involved in the al-Shabab attack on Garissa University college in north-eastern Kenya, in which 148 people were killed earlier this year, according to the commissioner. The nonpartisan Counter Extremism Project once called Hassan “one of the most influential jihadis using Twitter and other social media platforms to spread violent propaganda, incite and recruit”.
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“They have no choice”, he said by phone from southern Somalia. While news of his arrest is important, Katz said, there are many others who are willing to take his place online.
