TG- Al-Shabaab Examination

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Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization 1 An Examination of Al-Shabaab Tyler J. Gregory HLSC 610 | Dr. Richards Helms School of Government, Liberty University June 21, 2023

Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization 2 Abstract The Al-Shabaab terrorist organization holds the title as one of the most lethal international terrorist groups in the world. Their acts of violence across the Horn of Africa have given them the hopes of extorting the Somalian government and ruling a pivotal coastal state that would allow closer ties with Al-Qaeda and their dominance over Kenya and the Middle East. Through tactful maneuvers and operations, Al-Shabaab has tested the Somalian government on several occasions, but in most recent years is more receptable to cooperating with government entities. By technological advancements and the youth, the fighters inside Al-Shabaab who share interests in global jihadism have utilized social media and incentives to create a want to explore the life of jihad movements such as the one occurring in Africa. Since its inception in the mid 2000s, Al- Shabaab has grown to be a direct supporter of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization and has shared very like-minded concepts such as the disruption of democracy and the Western influence on the rest of the world. In a humanitarian ridden state such as Somalia, there is a mass influx of assistance pouring in from global superpowers, essentially introducing and influencing the Somalian government to shift more towards a nation such as the one the United States has built. The terrorist organizations are fighting for more than ownership of territory, but for the community of Islamist governance. Keywords : Terrorism; Salafi-Jihadist; Al-Shabaab; Al-Qaeda; Somalia; Africa

Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization 3 An Examination of Al-Shabaab Remarked as one of the largest, most lethal Al-Qaeda affiliates by the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Al-Shabaab has established terror in the Western hemisphere and Eastern Africa since the early 2000s (congress.gov, 2023, p.1). The terrorist organization is responsible for lives across the globe and continues to grow with time. With the intent to establish an Islamic State in Somalia, Al-Shabaab should be taken at the highest level of seriousness, recognizing the threat they impose on the United States and Western nations is as legitimate as ever (Klobucista et al, 2023, p.1). This paper will go into great detail on the overview of the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization and include topic areas such as ideologies and the history of the group, the geographic makeup, tactics and methodologies, as well as the organizational structures and struggles that are exemplified within the Al-Shabaab organization. The examination of the organization should be viewed as educational and a notice to the audiences that track real-time international relations. Overview and History of Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization that sprouted in Somalia in the mid 2000’s has had the focus of overthrowing the Somalian government for quite some time (Klobucista et al, 2023, p.1). The delay in their efforts is owed to the African Union (AU) as well as the United States counterterrorism operations (p.1). The origins of Al-Shabaab date to the late 1990s, stemming from a group named al-Ittihad al-Islami (AIAI), an extremist group motivated by the idea of creating an Islamic State in place of Somalia, much like the mission of Al-Shabaab (p.2). The Al-Shabaab obtained the majority of its leaders and skillful operators from the disbanded AIAI, all of which were trained and influenced by the chief of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, Osama bin Laden (p.2). The Al-Shabaab organization is best understood when the relationship

Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization 4 between its supporters and the Al-Qaeda is explained in detail. According to the Director of National Intelligence’s counterterrorism webpage, the Al-Shabaab has a primary focus of defeating the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) but it is far from isolated to this idea. The terrorist organization also has an objective of spreading jihadism throughout the West. However, although these are the historical roots of Al-Shabaab’s motivations, many of its fighters only wish to defeat the FGS and do not wish to take part in jihadist movements (dni.gov, 2023). The AIAI was operated solely on the idea that taking over control of the FGS would justify their actions of violence across the region (Steinberg & Weber, 2015, p.13). Once Al-Qaeda began influencing the AIAI and eventually Al-Shabaab, the idea of spreading jihadism became more aligned with the goals and objectives of the Al-Shabaab leaders, which leads to the reason why Al-Shabaab remains one of the most lethal international terrorist organizations on the globe (Steinberg & Weber, 2015, p.14). The Evolution of Al-Shabaab A war that was once fought in the battlefield and financially, has evolved into a hybrid war that is still fought with advanced weaponry, but is even more so a war that utilizes social media and connectivity with the rest of the world. According to an article published in 2022, the youth that are fighters in the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization have massive influences on young teens and adults around the globe. Their postings of luxurious lifestyles using organization funds have influenced a new wave of individuals to join the jihadist movement, submitting loyalty to Al-Shabaab (Grobbelaar, 2022, p.1). As most know, one of the objectives of any terrorist organization is to instill fear in the population through acts of violence or extremism. Al-Shabaab utilizes video streaming and social media to show violent acts that assist in the gaining of notoriety and fame amongst social media platforms (Grobbelaar, 2022, p.3). As technology

Al-Shabaab Terrorist Organization 5 advances are made and broadband connectivity is more accessible by organizations such as Al- Shabaab, it is likely that the evolution path of Al-Shabaab can at some point become solely focused on cyberterrorism and minimize its use of physical violence across the globe (Weimann, 2004, p.8). Al-Shabaab Ideologies Salafi-Jihadist Influence The Al-Shabaab terrorist organization is primarily made up of Salafi-Jihadists that want to spread the ideologies of jihad and extremism amongst the globe. The jihad movement is not entirely accepted by all, but those who do share the same ideology of the Salafi-Jihadists would likely find themselves in a terrorist organization such as the Al-Shabaab (Faleg & Mustasilta, 2021, p.3). The ideology of a Salafi-Jihadist rests in the hatred for the West and democracy. In fact, the Salafi-Jihadists have an influence on terrorist organizations that lead them to believing that they are only “anti-colonializing” the world, protecting their people from “foreign powers” (Faleg & Mustasilta, 2021, p.5). The influence has helped evolve Al-Shabaab from what it used to be under the AIAI to what it is now, as one of the most lethal terrorist organizations in the world. Clan Affiliation The individuals who are affiliated with Al-Shabaab hold many affiliations, making the terrorist organization unlike most. These extremists affiliate themselves with Sunni-Muslim identity, clannism, jihad, and Somali (Bacon, 2022, p.17). While most terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS hold loyalty and solitude to the organization, Al-Shabaab leaders promote the diverse affiliation with clans and movements as they feel it strengthens the jihad movement and creates a more powerful appearance in the Somalian region (p.19).

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