In Washington, a Senate committee helda hearing Wednesday on Somalia, in particular, recruiting in America by theIslamist Somali militant group al-Shabaab. The US government has declared al-Shabaaba terrorist organization.
SenatorJoseph Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsCommittee, opened the hearing, saying, "Today, we are going to focus on whatappears to me to be the most significant case of home grown American terrorism,recruiting based on violent Islamist ideology. The facts, as we know them, tellus that over the last two years, individuals from the Somali community in theUnited States, including American citizens, have left for Somalia to supportand in some cases fight on behalf of al-Shabaab."
Liebermansays there are "ideological, tactical financial and also personnel linksbetween al-Shabaab and al Qaida." He says the militia sheltered some of those"responsible for the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania." The Connecticutsenator says even the al-Qaida second-in-command has praised al-Shabaab andcalled for its support.
Liebermandescribes recruiting of a Somali-American with tragic consequences. "In themost graphic and deadly example of a direct connection between theSomali-American community and international terrorism, Shirwac Ahmed, anaturalized United States citizen, living in the Minneapolis (Minnesota) area,returned to Somalia within the last two year and killed himself and many othersin a suicide bombing last October."
TheFBI says Ahmed was "radicalized in Minnesota." Lieberman says, "He's probablythe first US citizen to carry out a terrorist suicide bombing."
Amongthose testifying at Wednesday's committee hearing was Andrew Liepman, deputydirector for intelligence at the National Counterterrorism Center, who says,"Let me stress, we don't have a body of reporting that indicates US persons whohave traveled to Somalia are planning to execute attacks in the United States.?But we do worry that there is a potential that these individuals could beindoctrinated by al-Qaida while they're in Somalia and then returned to theUnited States with the intention to conduct attacks. They would In fact provideal-Qaida with trained extremists inside the United States."
Liepmansays that terrorist recruiters seek young Somalis believed to be despondent anddisenfranchised.
"Sophisticatedextremist recruiters target these individuals, who lack structure anddefinition in their lives. The recruiters subject them to religiously inspiredindoctrination to move them towards violent extremism. They target vulnerableyoung men, many of them refugees, who came here as small children or who arethe children of immigrants."
Liepmansays these young Somalis may be "torn between their parents' traditional ethnictribal and clan identities and the new cultures and traditions offered byAmerican society."
Hesays that "isolation, marginalization, perceived discrimination and frustratedexpectations" contribute to the Somali-American community being moresusceptible recruiters.
However,Liepman adds, "Let me stress?we are not witnessing a community-wideradicalization among Somali-Americans. When I speak of the Somali-Americancommunity I don't mean to generalize."
Somaliexpert Ken Menkhaus of Davidson College also testified, saying al-Shabaab mayhave hit its "high water mark in 2008" in battling the recent Ethiopianoccupation in Somalia. "In the eyes of most Somalis," he says, "Shabaab was alegitimate national resistance to a foreign occupation. Shabaab was seen bymany Somalis as freedom fighters, not terrorists, even by Somalis who foundtheir radical policies appalling and their rumored links to al-Qaida veryworrisome."
Al-Shabaabhas said it would target American interests, following direct US attacks on itsleadership. It's considered the most powerful armed group in Somalia.
However,Menkhaus says, "Recent developments are working against Shabaab." These includethe withdrawal of Ethiopian troops, the resignation of an unpopular presidentand the Djibouti peace accord. This has led to a greater voice from moderates.Menkhaus says, "Shabaab has been deprived of its major raison d'etre and nowfaces growing resistance from Somali militias allied with the new unitygovernment. Shabaab also faces internal divisions, including tensions betweenhardcore members and those who joined the cause mainly to rid their country ofa foreign occupation. Put another way, not all Shabaab members are committedjihadists, making it problematic to label the entire group terrorists," hesays.