An al-Shabaab militant monitors Somali citizens in February in Elasha Biyaha. The group reportedly carries out public executions to instil fear in citizens. [Feisal Omar/Reuters]
Religious scholars and legal experts accuse the al-Shabaab movement of committing crimes and carrying out executions under the "false pretext of implementing Islamic law".
Human rights organisations and activists also condemn al-Shabaab's tribunals in areas under its control. Rulings have been made without a fair trial and in violation of Somali and international laws, they say.
Courts run by al-Shabaab have issued sentences including execution, stoning, flogging and cutting off limbs. The al-Qaeda allied movement often warns people against co-operating with the Somali government, even for familial reasons, threatening execution.
Over the past three years, the al-Shabaab movement has executed dozens of men and women throughout the country on charges including aiding the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the AU forces, or spying for neighbouring governments.
In mid-March, al-Shabaab fighters executed a young man in his early 20s in the Galgalato area north of Mogadishu on charges of spying for Somali government forces.
"The application of punishment is a matter for the legitimate state, and is not the right of any group, whether it elects to implement the death penalty or implements the hudud provisions," said Sheikh Abdulqadir Somow, spokesman for the Supreme Council of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa scholars, part of the Federation of Sufi Orders in Somalia.
Sheikh Somow said al-Shabaab has committed crimes and murder against innocent civilians under the guise of spying charges. He said there is disagreement among Islamic jurists about judgements against people convicted of spying, but killing them is not endorsed by Islamic law.
"This group has committed more than a crime, and if you look at the way in which it is killing people, its actions have no legal cover, but are contrary to Islamic law," he told Sabahi. "The al-Shabaab group is seeking to terrorise Somali citizens with these rulings."
Somalis have been shocked by the movement's strict interpretation of Islamic law. The movement decapitated several people on charges of being Christians, spies or apostates of Islam. After the victims are executed, al-Shabaab members bury them in sites called "the infidels' cemeteries", residents of areas formerly occupied by al-Shabaab said.
Over the past three years, the al-Shabaab movement, which was in control of the city, conducted a series of terrifying operations that terrorised much of the city's population," said Omar Isaac, a 43-year-old resident of Baidoa, where allied forces recently gained control. "Baidoa was the scene of the largest execution operation. Elements of the al-Shabaab movement cut off the heads of seven city residents at one time on charges of being Christians and spies in June 2009."
Mohamed Hassan, a 36-year-old resident of Beledweyne in central Somalia, which allied forces took control of this year, said al-Shabaab committed numerous crimes against town residents, and their tactics against citizens reached the point of executing anyone they believed was co-operating with the transitional government or criticising the movement's policy.
"Al-Shabaab militants executed two teenage girls in Beledweyne in October 2010 on charges of spying for the pro-government forces, and that was the first execution of its kind to take place in the town," Hassan told Sabahi.
Hassan said a mass grave created by al-Shabaab was found in Beledweyne containing more than 20 bodies in January. "The corpses found in the mass grave included civilians the al-Shabaab movement killed without trial," he said.
Somow accused al-Shabaab of committing crimes against the Somali people under the false pretext of implementing Islamic law.
"The al-Shabaab group committed crimes in the name of Islam. It is unfortunate that the name of Islam is being used to kill innocent Muslims," he said.
Somow said al-Shabaab "does not have any legal validity to apply these provisions, and it does not have the right to issue judicial rulings because that is the jurisdiction of the official authorities".
Bashir Ahmed, a law professor and an administrator for a local justice watchdog association, said death sentences ordered by the al-Shabaab were issued during show trials that violated international legal standards and human rights.
"The executions carried out by the al-Shabaab movement were issued during show trials, and fair trials are usually not provided for the accused," Ahmed told Sabahi. "The convicted are not granted the right to appeal the ruling against them or challenge the judicial decisions to defend themselves."
He said that not allowing the defendants the right to appeal the judgment against them or defend themselves demonstrates the movement's complete disregard for human life.
Hassan Abdullahi, who works for a local human rights organisation, said al-Shabaab's methods include inviting people to watch executions, causing negative psychological repercussions on viewers, sowing fear rather than furthering justice.
"The Al-Shabaab movement displays severed body parts from the convicted in public squares and hangs them from electric poles so ordinary people can view them," Abdullahi said. "The executions and stonings are conducted in open areas in view of thousands of people who are invited to watch the proceedings as they are carried out."
Al-Shabaab militants force residents to watch the executions, stonings and floggings, he said, using loudspeakers to call people to watch.
"Al-Shabaab militants slaughter civilians and dump their bodies in the streets or markets, and in some cases the severed heads are tossed in the street and the rest of the bodies are left in another area not far from where the heads are thrown in order to terrorise the people and create panic in the hearts of citizens," he said.
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كاطم وشاح
2012-5-25
The Youth Movement in Somalia committed a number of major crimes that claimed the lives of young people in Somalia, including the suicide bombings carried out by one of these gangs that killed a large number of doctors who were celebrating the day of their graduation at a hotel in the Somali capital. This led to the deprivation of the country of Human Services that could have been provided by these doctors to help the Somali people in getting rid of diseases they suffered from, as well as the killing of a large number of students, who had obtained fellowships in Turkey, by a car bomb implemented by the Youth Movement, which led to the killing of a large number of outstanding students of the Somali people, and other shameful criminal acts that made this movement a pariah by the Somali people who want to be rid of them in every way.
عادل الهاشمي
2012-5-25
The criminal acts being carried out by the Youth Movement in Somalia, which affected the people of Somali among the innocent unarmed civilians, are just the same images for the heinous crimes that were practiced by the terrorist al-Qaeda in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many other countries wherein the sinful hands of treachery reached them.
فهد جليل
2012-5-22
Shame on you, O criminals, for your terrorist acts and behavior and crimes, which claim the lives of dozens of innocent people in Somalia every day; all the criticism to you, your terrorist acts and your extremist ideas. We all reject the ideas that you are making, the elements of this menial group through which they claim they are defending Islam. Does the defense of Islam come by targeting Muslims and killing them or does it come by trying to offend our Islamic religion? Stop lying, O terrorists; the Muslims are fed up with the hypocrisy and falsehood of your allegations.
ابو عمر
2012-5-21
I condemn all the terrorist operations carried out by the Youth Movement in Somalia. Such acts are acts and actions carried out only by cowards who are accustomed to bloodshed among the followers of the pariah gangs, which should not be bullying poor civilians who are suffering daily from all the crimes carried out by the committers of vice among the infidels and criminals. Such operations I criticize and I criticize with them the extremist ideology that has brought the elements of this movement to practice the most heinous types of crimes against the Somali people who are exposed to such offensive atrocities that we cannot accept and we even condemn, and reject because they threaten the lives of the innocent civilians who allowed the stray fragmentation among the followers of this movement to carry out such cowardly acts that we denounce and toughly condemn because they are terrorism and criminality themselves. All the criticisms of the terrorist Somali Youth Movement for their heinous terrorist crimes that went deeper in them by the exposure of the civilians among the Somali people who have suffered from all of this terrorism, which increased their daily suffering due to the difficult living conditions that they have already been experiencing caused by this suspicious movement that is implementing the agenda of the terrorist al-Qaeda. Dishonor to all of the terrorists and murderers, and shame on them and their obscurantist ideas that abused us so much. Such ideas that are calling for violence and the killing of innocent civilians, I not only criticize and condemn but reject as well because they are evil thoughts, which call forth more violence in Somalia.
وضاح
2012-5-19
We find that most of their activities are carried out with the objective of just robbing people and stealing money, and of course, Al-Qaeda supports them so as to become a means for them to get money, and consequently diversify their sources of revenue. Then, we have to address the issue of piracy, as this is the terrorist operations that involve the hijacking of vessels and taking their crew hostage and demanding the companies that operate these vessels millions in ransom in exchange for freeing these vessels and those on board, otherwise the consequences would entail the killing of those held hostage, and most of the time they blow up these vessels, of course after having taken all the money or goods on board or anything valuable. The Shabab movement in Somalia is one of the most despicable terrorist movements in the world, not just because of the fact that they kill innocent people, but also because they engage in robbery that could affect poor people also. So, we pray that Allah will rid us of these evil movements, and protect the people of Somalia from their evil.
فيصل
2012-5-17
Whoever sees that he is oppressed or affected, tries to hurt others, and this is what Somalia Al-Shabab Movement does, this movement has no aim but to crimes, murder, bombing and the movement is not called except by only one word which is terrorism, they are terrorists, why terrorism has increased in the world why there is in any country terrorists who do not love the world to stabilize and love to continue crises, they only love killing, bombing and the elimination of all what is beautiful.
قصي احمد
2012-5-14
Allah the Almighty willing, Somalia will become better than before. In fact, we want a strong Arab support so that Somalia would not feel that it is one of the hated countries and does not have a place in the world. God willing, there will be large aids for our people in Somalia given that this filthy Movement has prevented even the humanitarian aids from reaching the country. God willing, this Movement will be eradicated as soon as possible.
محب محمد رجب العسقلاني
2012-5-3
I think that the Shabab movement in Somalia is the cause of all the deteriorating conditions there, in addition to the instability and insecurity in the country. The people of Somalia are facing the harshest, most violent and atrocious conditions due to the presence of these elements whose only concern is to kill people and cause them pain, suffering, trouble, grief, oppression and loss of freedom, peace and calm. These elements are nothing but a terrorist movement that wreaks havoc on everything in their way, and the killing of people has become an extremely easy thing for them, and they no longer differentiate between women, children, old or young. They have always been the cause for all the problems plaguing Somalia, and they are behind the considerable backwardness, poverty, hunger, unemployment, corruption, violence, criminality, chaos, destruction, oppression and famine there, which has been going on for all these past years, and will continue to go on.
تحسين
2012-5-1
The al-Shabaab movement rebels who withdrew from the capital last August continued to strike targets in the center of the coastal city by planting bombs in the roads and using mortars and suicide bombings that killed large numbers but were not monitored, after security forces surrounded the area, in addition to the killing of at least 40 Somali and Ethiopian military officials in a Somalia ambush by gunmen from the “al-Shabaab” Islamic radical movement in the city of Yurkort, Somalia on March 10th, and clashes continued for nearly four hours, as well as the testimonies of the witnesses to the suicide bomber’s attack, which occurred in the Somali capital. On March 14th, after one of its fighter bombers attacked the presidential palace, the “al-Shabaab” movement said that more explosions and bombs will follow. The presidential palace has already been attacked with mortars several times in the last two weeks, but the missile lost its way and did not reach the palace itself, resulting in the deaths of civilians in nearby camps for the displaced who were fleeing from the violence. Also, another bombing happened and the blasts revealed the extent of the development of the intellectual and operational link between al-Shabab of Somalia and al-Qaeda, the mother organization, and supported by frequent information about the participation of a number of those who trained in Afghanistan of different nationalities on the methods and skills of fighting and suicide bombings, according to known Al-Qaeda tactics, and put themselves in the al-Shabab struggling movement, and took up leadership positions and had a bigger impact in the collapse of this movement.
حسام
2012-4-30
What you are doing, Bashar, to the people of Syria, is prohibited.
سراج شوكت
2012-4-30
Since the fall of the Somali government twenty years ago, Somalia has turned into teams, each one seeking to control and each group covering itself in the name of religion and on behalf of the tribe once again, and no one is concerned with the benefit of the Somali people nor the interest of the nation.
سلام سعدون
2012-4-25
The definition of punishment in the law is the sanction that is used for the crime or the mistake that is committed. Applying the punishments is valid in certain countries only, which are the countries that apply the Islamic Sharia approach in their internal policy. Therefore, it is not widespread at all, except in a limited range. Applying God’s punishments to the crimes, as mentioned in God’s Holy book, is an obligatory duty from the legislative aspect, one that each ruler should apply against the one who commits one of the crimes. We find that the death penalty is execution, and the execution is using the sword to cut off the head. The ruler should not have the right to cancel this provision against the one who committed the crime or reduce it, except in one circumstance: when one of the family members of the murdered person gives up his/her right to execute the killer. This is what is called amnesty, and this may be used and this should be in front of the people, so as to be a lesson for others and for those who think of killing the soul which God prohibited to be killed, except when this is right. The application of God’s sanctions should be carried out by the ruler, and it should be done as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, without distortion or the use of alternatives for those sanctions. This is not an obligation for any other party to apply it; so we find it spread in some countries where we find the members of some terrorist cells, ad they apply the sanctions against the people. Who gives them the right to do that? There is nobody who has made them rulers over the people, to apply those sanctions. Applying those sanctions according to justice for the crimes is a very acceptable option for many people, but conditioned with justice, and it must not include any oppression for anybody.
حيدر عاطف
2012-4-25
The youth movement in Somalia is a terrorist movement. This is because of the excessive acts of sabotage carried out by those who kill the innocent civilians who are not guilty of anything. There are many bombing operations that are carried out, and there are many killed and injured who have fallen as a result of those acts. Those groups are known not only for killing, but also for armed attacks in order to carry out the robbery operations to provide them with money. This is in addition to the pirate operations that have become excessive in the recent years up to now, and this is a major reason behind the problems that have become so numerous in many of the African and the European countries. It has become one of the greatest reasons behind the famines that took place in Somalia, so as to steal the humanitarian aid that comes with the aid agencies. In addition, there is the fighting among each other to become the strongest, in order to impose his power over the country of Somalia. The one who suffers from this fighting is the Somali citizen only, who suffers a great lack in the services, such as healthcare, education, water, food and security services. The security services are no longer able to control those extremist groups. This is due to their severe weakness and to not having developed the resistance methods, so that those forces have become hidden. This can be attributed to the weakness of the state resources in providing the security requirements, including the provision of police stations and centers and means of transportation, to sweep the regions, even the weapons. The weapon is available in the hands of those groups, and the number of the members of those groups even exceeds the number of those police forces. This makes the hope of improving the different aspects of life weak. The security aspect is the cornerstone of providing the different services that the citizen requires. The Somali government should cooperate with the African countries so as to provide security aid, including individuals, equipment and finding the required solutions to eliminate those movements that threaten the Somali future. I think that I am dead sure that those countries will cooperate with Somalia with great enthusiasm, so that any African country bordering on Somalia could be kept secure from any direct threat that may be a result of those movements in the future.
زكريا
2012-4-25
I ask God to deprive them from any place on the earth and I ask God to make them fight each other strongly to take our rights from them. The Somali Al-Shabab Movement is one of the filthy groups and does not wish to help Islam or the Muslims, because they killed the innocent Somalis and violated human rights. The poor Somali people suffer from the pains and the disasters and what is happening to them is more than sufficient. I ask God the All-Mighty to save the Somali people from all evils and difficulties. I call on all the Arab and Muslim states to support the Somali people. O God! Do not ever let them know the meaning of rest at any time. I urge all those who have the ability to stand in the face of this dirty organization to do so immediately.
ماهر عبدالحليم
2012-4-25
I see that the cowardly terrorists from the al-Shabab Movement must realize that the truth will prevail and that all their acts are evil and they are no more than conspiracies. We must stand in the face of this movement and show them that they will never conceal the truth and that the Muslim nation insists on getting rid of these mean and disbelieving groups. This stupid movement wants to make Somalia their stronghold, but they do not realize that Islam and the Muslims are stronger than they are and that God would take the rights of the oppressed people.
فاروق محمد
2012-4-24
Some of our youth have weak personalities and some of them are strong, as they don't believe hearsay. I think we have to find a solution to help the weak youth by giving them advice. We should talk to them and teach them that the terrorists are infidels. Their only aim is to kill our people and they don't want anything good to happen to us. All their actions reflect evil and repressed hatred. As Arabs, we have to unite in order to get rid of these malicious and hateful groups. I want every cleric or religious scholar to give constant advice to the youth through the Friday sermons and meetings, or through addressing them in colleges and schools.
حسين صديق محمد
2012-4-19
Because of what the terrorist Somali youth movement is doing in terms of acts that hurt and harm the State of Somalia, we must get rid of them immediately because they are a source of pointless desolation, destruction, degradation and decline in the country issues. They are always seeking to spread their malicious ideas that are close to the ideology of the terrorist al-Qaeda. They are always trying to kill people and shed their blood. All of this is done to gain control over all the issues so they will be managing all the situations of the country, but because of confronting and addressing them, they are not allowed to fully and completely impose control. That is why a lot of the terrorist operations, violence, murder, sabotage, and devastation occur, and everyone rejects their presence. They are the source of tampering and their actions indicate their hatred and malice. They commit inhumane acts without conscience or compassion. Therefore, we should get rid of these elements and eliminate them so they will be a lesson and an example to everyone who would do terrorist and mischievous operations caused by such elements. This youth movement is a terrorist movement inciting violence, terrorism, crime, brutal murder, and rejection of all the solutions. Therefore, they are undesirable groups and their actions are completely unacceptable. They must be eliminated for being the cause of the worsening situation in the country in addition to its large decline. They are elements working to create chaos in the country and seeking ruin, violence and killings. They do not differentiate between man, woman, child, or elderly because everyone is targeted by them. For this reason, it is very important to get rid of these criminal elements and abusers that do not want anything good for the Somali State. They do not want it to calm down, stabilize or live a better life. Hence, it is very important that everyone stands against these elements and that there will be a confrontation that comes through cooperation and synergy among the Somali people in order to be able to tackle these elements that are calling themselves the youth movement that are messing with the security and the stability of the country as well as committing brutal, heinous, cruel, and painful crimes against the poor Somali people.
عماد
2012-4-18
I think that the Al-Shabab Movement in Somali is extremist and it is influenced by the ideas of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, and it serves as a tool that achieves the objectives of this terrorist organization in the land of Somalia against the innocent people, through adopting a murderous, criminal strategy in order to achieve worldly and material benefits. This movement sought to seize power in Somalia at the beginning and it gained great popular support. However, its popularity has deteriorated after declaring its affiliation to Al-Qaeda and carrying out evil acts and aggressive crimes against the peaceful people on behalf of Al-Qaeda in Somalia.
علاوي الفريجي
2012-4-17
The Somali Youth Movement is no more than a movement which incites acts of violence and terrorism, crime, murder and shedding the blood of many innocent Somali people. Thus, we must put an end to these groups and eradicate them through tracking them down, arresting and jailing them to set the lesson for others and for whoever thinks about inciting violence, crime, and murder. The groups of the Somali Youth Movement are terrorist groups that do not want the wellbeing and the stability of the State of Somalia. Thus, they are spreading fear and terror, carrying out bloodshed and murder acts against the Somali people. In fact, they are behind the acts of tampering, vandalism, destruction and deterioration of the security level in the country. Thus, eradicating them is the only solution. The Security Forces in the State of Yemen must work harder and extend their operations in order to get rid of these terrorists, as they are the real cause behind the problems that the country is going through. If they are eradicated, we will get rid of all the problems that took place and are still happening because the Somali people have borne so much due to what is happening on their land. Many of them have been displaced and others have emigrated to different countries in search of security, stability, comfort and peace. Thus, this movement is the main reason behind the chaos taking place in the Somali State. So it is important to eradicate these terrorist and armed members and gangs, which pose a threat to the security, stability and peace of the State of Somalia. In fact, the Government must carry out what is necessary in order to maintain the security conditions of the country.
جابر علاونه
2012-4-16
A human farce.
حسن حلمى
2012-4-15
This is Islam!!!
مهند
2012-4-14
The Al-Shabab terrorist movement, which invaded Somalia, depended very early on the websites to spread false information and destructive ideas. Then, they communicated with some local radio stations to broadcast news about their activities and audio recordings of their senior leaders. The entry of Al-Shabab movement into the world of social networks is undoubtedly one of their propaganda and polarization methods through which it seeks to expand its media activities and it also reflects a trend towards utilization of all possible mass media to deliver its messages to the largest number of recipients. After expelling the fighters of the movement from southern Somalia at the hands of the forces of the African Union and the Somali interim government, some factions belonging to the al-Shabab terrorist movement entered the region. These groups, which belong to the Al-Shabab terrorist organization, suffer from severe pressures in southern Somalia. In addition, many terrorist factions entered the large towns in Somaliland and merged with the other militias, which pose a serious threat to the security of Somalia. Despite the fact that this group would not be able to engage successfully in battles on the Somali lands, it used bombings to destabilize the peace and security in the region. The movement mainly targets the unemployed youth who can be easily misled under the name of the religion. They deceive the young people by making them believe that their criminal acts will admit them to Paradise. Hence, the government should fortify its borders to prevent Al-Shabab’s elements from entering Somaliland to get rid of their terrorist acts. The government should also work on the treatment of important issues and problems that graduated generations and represent easy targets for such terrorist movements. The government should also pay attention to the educational issues and unemployment that make the youth easy prey for the recruitment strategy adopted by Al-Shabab movement. We should intensify the educational and religious awareness-raising programs to enlighten the young people and explain to them that suicide bombings are major sins and not an act of jihad or martyrdom. Inevitably, the movement of Al-Shabab will not succeed as long as there is cooperation between the people and government, and hard efforts to maintain peace in the country.
ward
2012-4-10
Who is up to it?
محجوب
2012-4-10
We hope that the Arab youth wake up and that they do not replace the oppressive regimes, which they revolted against, with even more backward oppressive religious regimes. Civil and secular orders do not fight religion, nor do they impose it; they are systems that give justice to every citizen without exception. Do not turn Egypt and Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, and Jordan into a new Somalia. God created diversity and differences; let the wisdom of God be as it is!