al-SHABAAB

by David Nuttle

The al-Shabaab terrorist group, in Somalia, is well financed and effective in its expansion efforts opposed by a corrupt and incompetent Somali government and token resistance by the Somali Army, African Union, UN, and U. S. They are affiliated with the global terrorist group al-Qaeda.

Finances for al-Shabaab come from taxation of the Somali population they control as well as confiscation and sale of some livestock. They engage in piracy on coastal waters and hold ships and crews captured for ransom. In the last few years, Somali who went to the U. S. have obtained nearly US$2 billion from welfare fraud schemes and sent those funds to support al-Shabaab. Moreover, they control a 2,000-acre Myrrh tree plantation to harvest and sell myrrh resin which has sold for about the same price as gold since biblical times.

This terrorist group has been highly adaptable and knows how to exploit a humanitarian crisis in Somalia along with manipulation of clan politics. With good financing, al-Shabaab has armed its forces well to conduct extended terrorist operations such as killing 58 African Union forces from Uganda and killing 178 soldiers in the Somali Army. Terrorist attacks are also conducted in Kenya with significant numbers of Kenyans killed or wounded. The movie "Blank Hawk Down" is based on early U. S. failure against al-Shabaab.

The al-Qaeda goal of creating an Islamic Caliphate ruling all nations and peoples if fully supported by al-Shabaab. In support of this effort, al-Shabaab operative train young Somali Americans, who come for training, in terrorist tactics. These Somali Americans help conduct a few terrorist attacks, in Somalia, for realistic training before returning to the U. S. We all must be aware, that trained terrorists will probably soon be operational here to help achieve the goal of a global Caliphate,

There is little doubt, chaos is prevalent in many nations, and we all need to prevent this horrific chaos from entering the U. S.