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Sheikh Aweys’s Terror Manifesto and the Axis of Anarchy
By Said Shiiq, PhD
May 25, 2009
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Soon after the return of Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys to the cursed capital of Somalia on April 22, violence has sparked instantly, only this time in the form of outright terrorism. He galvanized a previously timid fanatics and clan chauvinists, using a sophisticated but toxic terror manifesto: a peculiar mix of Wahhabi ideology and clan zeal.
For all practical purposes, Sheikh Aweys has successfully derailed the Djibouti peace process that fathered the inept TFG 2.0. His terror manifesto is implemented by an axis of anarchy that, unwittingly or otherwise, justifies his murderous project in cacophony.
The Terror Manifesto
Sheikh Aweys’s life as a colonel in the now defunct Somali Army and later in al-Ittihad was defined by either a religious or clan zeal. Or both. Depending on the drift of the day, he had deployed the two transcendent identities of Somalia when his politics demanded. In 1993, he joined Gen. Mohamed Farah Aidid in the struggle against the Americans. Sheikh Aweys’s fingerprints are engraved in the events of Black Hawk Dawn. In the mid-1990s, he led the fledgling al-Ittihad to disastrous encounters with Ethiopia. Once that project run amok, he returned to Mogadishu, until the advent of the Arta government, for which Sheikh Aweys was a ferocious supporter.
In 2005, Sheikh Aweys was the only Islamist who openly joined Mogadishu’s erstwhile warlords in their charade against fellow warlord, Abdullahi Yusuf. Brazenly, Sheikh Aweys attended a luncheon in Balcad, courtesy of Muse Sudi Yalahow. The warlord-Islamist alliance short-lived, and, emblematic of him, Sheikh Aweys switched sides and deployed his religious zeal. Three months into the Union of Islamic Courts’ reign, Sheikh Aweys summoned who’s who of the Wahhabi superstructure in another brazen attempt to wrestle power from the young, more popular Sheikh Sharif.
The Wahhabi establishment delivered. They nominated him the head of the “Shura Council,” a Machiavellian tactic designed to dwarf the moderate wing of the UIC. Meanwhile, the axis of anarchy---the very same people who continue to justify Sheikh Aweys’s ruthless agenda---backed him handsomely. His next move was to provoke Ethiopia to attack---part of an unfinished business he long espoused. Instead of winning, he’d find himself holed up in Asmara.
The Axis of Anarchy
Sheikh Aweys’s terror manifesto wouldn’t have taken off the ground, had it not been the fiduciary contributions of six men. Each is crucial, and is motivated by either clan zeal or a religious one. I will list them based on importance to Sheikh Aweys:
- Sheikh Hassan Turki: A long-time ally and a fellow al-Ittihad alumnus. Like Sheikh Aweys, he espouses both religious and clan zeal. His support for Sheikh Aweys is motivated by a religious zeal. His primary goal is reclaiming the Somali region of Ethiopia, where he was born. He serves as the chief military advisor and supplier to Sheikh Aweys. Should things get riskier in Mogadishu, Sheikh Aweys plans to escape to the vast jungles of Lower Jubba, where Sheikh Turki maintains a several hundred strong militia.
- Sheikh Mohamed Umal: Another al-Ittihad alumnus and a towering moral arbitrator among Wahhabis. He, too, is motivated by a religious zeal. Based in Nairobi, this globe-trotting figure is remarkably popular among the larger Salafi establishment in Somalia and beyond. Using his superior oratory skills and knowledge of the Wahhabi doctrine, he serves as the chief recruiter and Mufti, rendering legitimacy to Sheikh Aweys’s terror manifesto. Sheikh Umal called the TFG 2.0 “an apostate,” and signed off the Jihad to overthrow it. Moreover, he’s a key financial backer of Sheikh Aweys. He organized the $25,000 flight from Asmara to Mogadishu. An investigation is closing in on him.
- Mohamud Ulusow: As the chairman of the “Ayr Political Committee,” of which Sh. Aweys is a member of, Mr. Ulusow is tasked with “clanizing” the conflict and spearheading an aggressive international clan campaign. He’s motivated by grand old clan zeal. He tries to sell Sheikh Aweys’s agenda to the diplomatic corps in Nairobi, where he’s mainly stationed. But also frequents in Europe, Canada and the US, where he’s a citizen of. His articles are widely found on Somali websites, justifying for Sheikh Aweys’s terror enterprise. Ulusow’s most hypocritical assertions are against Ethiopia and its leaders---the very same leaders that he kneeled before when he led a Ayr delegation to Addis Ababa in 2007, and had an amicable “bi-lateral talks” with Meles Zenawi. (Footnote: another brazen act by Ulusow is that he claims to be a doctor, even though he never earned a PhD. He reportedly has an MA).
- Yusuf-Garaad Omar: As the head of the BBC Somali Service, the largest media outlet in the country, this gentleman is the chief image-maker and spin doctor for Sheikh Aweys. He singlehandedly created the oversized image of Sheikh Aweys in the eyes of the Somali people, as well as the international community. For example, a recent analysis done by one of Yusuf-Garaad’s protégés at the BBC, Sheikh Aweys is described as the “kingmaker” in Somalia. At the BBC, Sheikh Aweys is routinely characterized as a pious and eminent Muslim scholar. He’s all but that. Additionally, Yusuf-Garaad never links the overall upsurge of violence to Sheikh Aweys, even though the bloodletting reignited pointedly upon his unholy return to Mogadishu. Yusuf-Garaad is motivated by clan zeal.
- Abukar Omar Addaan: As one of Mogadishu’s most notorious money lords, this wheelchair-bound tycoon is the undisputed chief financier of Sh. Aweys’s terror manifesto. Except the negligible religious motivation, Mr. Addaan is a profiteer of a perpetual anarchy. His private seaport, Eel Ma’an, would close instantly, should a strong central government emerge. He wouldn’t let that happen.
- Yusuf Siyad Indha’adde: This career warlord and certified gangster is the most elusive warlord in Somalia. His allegiances shift constantly. When Sheikh Aweys returned, he picked him up from the airport, and, within few days, surrendered his weapons to him. Since then, he “joined” the TFG 2.0----probably as a mole and a chief destroyer from within. His motivation is purely clan in nature.
Together with this impeccable network, Sheikh Aweys re-launched his terror manifesto upon his return to Somalia. Most observers correctly blame Al-Shabaab for the uptick in violence. But they turn a blind eye to the terror “kingmaker” whose return marked the surge in bloodletting. Al-Shabaab was too timid, too demoralized to attack Sh. Sharif’s nascent government. Sheikh Aweys energized the base to attack.
I don’t subscribe to the Western version of who ought to be a terrorist. But most Somalis wholeheartedly agree that Sheikh Aweys terrorizes the innocent residents of the capital with his terror manifesto. Adding an insult to the injury, he unashamedly tells them that, if they’re murdered by his wrath, they will enter the heaven from its best gates!
It’s about time to put a stop to his terror manifesto and the axis of anarchy that helps him continue to wreck havoc on our nation. We’ve done it to Abdullahi Yusuf. He deserves no less.
Said Shiiq, PhD,
E-Mail: sshiiq@yahoo.com
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