(New York Times Magazine) Andrea Elliott - Omar Hammami was born in Daphne, Alabama. Some 8,500 miles from Alabama, on the eastern edge of Africa, he has become a key figure in the Shabab, a guerrilla army waging a ruthless Islamist insurgency to overthrow the fragile American-backed Somali government. The rebels are known for beheading political enemies, chopping off the hands of thieves and stoning women accused of adultery. With help from al-Qaeda, they have turned Somalia into an ever more popular destination for jihadis from around the world. In a recent propaganda video, Hammami is shown leading a platoon of gun-toting rebels. Identified by his nom de guerre, Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki, "the American," he says, "We're waiting for the enemy to come....We're going to kill all of them." Hammami commands forces in the field, organizing attacks and plotting strategy with Qaeda operatives.
2010-02-02 07:59:24Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive