Somali Islamist leader vows holy war against 'Christian invaders'

[Jacaylbaro]

MOGADISHU (QRN) — A key Somali Islamist leader on Tuesday called for jihad, or holy war, vowing that a bloody insurgency against the Ethiopian-backed government in Mogadishu would end only with the return of Islamic law.

 

"Our mission is clear. What we want is to free our country from Christian colonisers -- by this I mean Ethiopia," said Sheikh Mukhtar Robow, a radical Islamist leader who recently resurfaced in the Somali capital.

 

"At this point, jihad is all we need. There is no political process we can be involved in unless we get a government practicing Sharia (Islamic law)," the militant leader told AFP by phone.

 

Sheikh Mukhtar -- also known as Abu Mansur since he trained in Afghanistan and fought alongside the Taliban there in the early 2000's -- presented himself as "a spokesman for the Islamic movement" in Mogadishu.

 

"Our aim is to liberate our country from the Christian invaders and those who assist them, and I assure you that the holy war against them will not stop until the Islamic flag is raised," he added.

 

Sheikh Mukhtar was a deputy security chief for the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), an extremist militia that briefly controlled large parts of the country last year before being ousted by Ethiopian troops supporting the transitional government.

 

The militant was also a leader and spokesman for the Shabab movement, officially the youth branch of the ICU which effectively acted as the most radical military arm of the organisation.

 

Since Ethiopia wrested final control of Mogadishu from the Islamists in April, the seaside capital has been rocked by almost daily violence between insurgents and government forces.

 

The current insurgency blends remnants of the ICU and the Shebab movement, as well as various elements from clans and other movements opposed to the current interim government.

 

Sheikh Mukhtar is not a member of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia, an Islamist-dominated opposition umbrella group formed last month in Eritrea aimed at ousting Ethiopian troops.

 

He rose to prominence in 1996 when he commanded militiamen fighting Ethiopian forces that had invaded Somalia's southwestern Gedo region.

 

He later played a key military role in defeating US-backed warlords during the so-called "Second battle of Mogadishu" in early 2006.

 

 

 

Source AFP

[Seekknowledge]

Is this "Abu Mansur" going to fight the Christian Eritian backed ICU as well?

[Juje]

^^

I think there is a clear message to them in his statement - he doesnt want to see any other governance in Somalia except that of his wishes and understanding of Islam. Hence apart from swearing at the Ethiopians and their stooges he is also telling the Asmara group 'to sit on it' - well not in literal terms.

You see it is not only the TFG that is fundementally divided.

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by Seekknowledge:

Is this "Abu Mansur" going to fight the Christian Eritian backed ICU as well?

I thought the I.C.U was defeated in seven days and the Ethiopians were gonna leave in 2 weeks?

[Seekknowledge]

My understanding is that the ICU said they will invade Ethiopia in seven days hence gave an excuse Ethiopia to invade Somalia leaving the youth to fight them and go to heaven quickly while giving themselves time to escape even negotiate with the Americans to spare their lives. If this "Abu Mansur" wants to fight against christians then why is he not fighting is own master (Christian Eritrea)? At least the TFG is not denying that the Ethiopians are helping them (which by the way is wrong). No one is fighting for Islam here. All sides are interested only POWER and if this means using Islam as a weapon they have no hesitiation about it. Somalia doesn't need TFG or ICU what they need is a real leadership that cares about the people.

[Jacaylbaro]

looooooooool

 

 

I agree with you ,,,,, he should fight both

[Fabregas]

Originally posted by Seekknowledge:

My understanding is that the ICU said they will invade Ethiopia in seven days hence gave an excuse Ethiopia to invade Somalia leaving the youth to fight them and go to heaven quickly while giving themselves time to escape even negotiate with the Americans to spare their lives. If this "Abu Mansur" wants to fight against christians then why is he not fighting is own master (Christian Eritrea)? At least the TFG is not denying that the Ethiopians are helping them (which by the way is wrong). No one is fighting for Islam here. All sides are interested only POWER and if this means using Islam as a weapon they have no hesitiation about it. Somalia doesn't need TFG or ICU what they need is a real leadership that cares about the people.

The Alshabab and their associates boycotted the meeting in Asmara.Therefore you have no proof that Eritrea is the master of him or any others. As for fighting against Eritrea, I believe you didnt think carefully when you said this. I will leave you think about the logics and reasoning of that. After that we will have a proper discussion! Lastly, the I.C.U didnt say they would invade Ethiopia in eight days. Nor did they ever make any declrations of war against Ethiopia, when there was no Ethiopians on Somali soil. Did you see them make declrations of war against Ethiopia when they where fighting the Somali warlords? The answer is no! Thus, when they made their declarations of war against her, She had sent thousands of troops to Somalia. In other words Ethiopia invaded Somalia and they called the people to resist them as Islam calls to. This is the sunnah of the Prophet saw, his companions and the consensus of the Ulema.

[rudy-Diiriye]

well, all i gotta see here is that, its time to kick some of that azz! yall with me!! holla

 

lets do it.

[Seekknowledge]

Fatah_Al_Soomaal, Would the Alshabab and "Abu Mansur" fight also the Christian Eritrean backed ICU?

[Fabregas]

I fail to see how this question is irrelevant. But before I answer, I have requested from you to explain the reasoning and logics behind such a decision.

[ElPunto]

^I also 'fail to see how this question is irrelevant' - so I'd love to hear you answer it.

[Fabregas]

I told you I will answer once he-she explains the logistics and reasoning behind taking such a decision.

[ElPunto]

^But you said 'I fail to see how this question is IRrelevant'. Oh never mind.

[Fabregas]

Saxiib, if you want to be a cheerleader for Zenawis war against Islam, the shariah and his assault on Somali populations, then by all means be my guest. But let us not use "Christian Eritrea" as an execuse.

[ElPunto]

^The only thing I cheerlead for is the proper use of the English language especially when so clearly pointed out to you.