Terrorism In Africa

Boko Haram’s Newest Wave of Terror

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:34:09 +0000

Boko Haram Rains Down Week of Terror

Nigeria’s terrorist group Boko Haram seems unstoppable. Over the past week they have added more churches, police instillation, and newspaper offices to their list of bombings, leaving forty people dead and close to a hundred wounded.

Newspaper Office Bombings

On April 26th, a suicide bomber plowed his SUV through the gates of the ThisDay newspaper office in Abuja and drove into the welcome center before the detonating a bomb. In a simultaneous, coordinated bombing at the ThisDay offices in Kaduna their was more carnage. In a video posted on Youtube, Boko Haram proudly claimed responsibility for the attacks that left seven people dead.

IN the video, the Abuja suicide bomber is shown smiling into the camera just before he drove his vehicle into the offices. The terrorist group’s spokesman said that the bombings were in relation for the newspaper’s reports of the Miss World beauty pageant held in Kaduna in November 2002. He said, “We attacked ThisDay because we will never forget or forgive anyone who abused our prophet.” The video contained threats against several other Nigerian newspapers and even some foreign correspondence, and added a warning that others were “on the verge of joining this list if they are not careful”.

Christian Worshipers Killed

The newspaper office bombings were followed on Sunday, April 29th, by attacks on church services in Kano and Maiduguri the hometown of Boko Haram. At least 19 people worshipers were killed. In the Kano attack, gunmen mowed down Christians just as they were about to receive Holy Communion. This seems to add to Boko Haram’s intention to attack at the most holy Christian occasions adding to their Christmas and Easter bombings.

Police Commissioner Target

On Monday, April 30th, a massive bomb explosion tore apart a building of the Taraba State Ministry of Finance in Jalingo. At least 20 workers were wounded. Analysts believe that the target was the Police Commissioner who was expected to be in building that morning, but he escaped harm. Jalingo is the capital of Taraba state, and is now the site of one of Boko Haram’s the southern most strikes.

On Tuesday, May 1st, former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma said publicly, “I used to tell myself that we shall muddle through but believe me, in the last two months, I began to wonder – our house is on fire. Nigeria is becoming like Somalia. The Somaliasation of our country is going on now. We have to sit down and tell ourselves the truth. Our house is on fire, let us not deceive ourselves. We must tell ourselves the truth”.

The jihadist group has claimed responsibility for killing at least 440 people this year alone. Just a few weeks ago Boko Haram warned that it would bring down the government and “devour” President Goodluck Jonathan within three months. They seem well on their way to keeping that promise.

Boko Haram’s Newest Wave of Terror

Nigeria’s Boko Haram Strikes on Easter Sunday

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:05:27 +0000

AFP Photo

Boko Haram Strikes Again

Boko Haram terrorists seems to be intent on hitting Christian Churches in Nigeria during the most sacred days on the Christian calendar. Easter Sunday a suicide bomber attempted to drive his car into the compound of the ECWA Goodnews church in Kaduna. When he was refused to pass through a barrier near the church, he drove around the block and his bomb detonated. At least thirty-six people were killed, many of them motorcycle taxi drivers waiting at a stand where fuel was being sold.

Northern Nigeria has been terrorized by the jihadist group Boko Haram for almost two years. The past few weeks had been relatively calm. On Christmas day, forty-four worshipers were killed in Abuja when a car bomb was detonated in the parking lot of a Catholic church.

The bomb was highly explosive on Easter Sunday catapulting the engine of the Honda Accord more than a quarter of a mile away from the site of the explosion. The explosion carved out a meter deep crater and causing extensive damage to scores of buildings in the area including the Fina White Hotel. Mangled cars and motorcycles littered the street.

It was a horrific scene with emergency workers and the Red Cross recovered body parts with in a quarter mile radius of the blast.

Kaduna Church Counts Blessings

Members of the ECWA Goodnews church count themselves relatively blessed because the bomber had been turned away at a barrier they had mounted near the church building. Church members manning the barrier said the man told them he lived in a house just past the barrier, but the church member did not recognize him and denied him passage.

Such barriers are set up by many of the larger churches in Kaduna and elsewhere in the north on a regular basis, but security was more intense on Easter Sunday.

Nigerian Christians Target

For the past couple of months, Christian leaders have called on their members to remain law abiding and in prayer over what they termed persecution. Boko Haram has warned all Christians and southerners to leave the north of Nigeria. Many have returned to the more peaceful south of the country.

Nigeria’s Boko Haram Strikes on Easter Sunday

al-Shabaab Sends Woman to Kill Somali PM

admin — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:37:29 +0000

(Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP Photo)

al-Shabaab Sends Woman Terrorist

A young female suicide bomber killed six people in Mogadishu on Wednesday. She was a member of the al-Shabaab terrorist group. Carrying a Police ID the woman entered the Somali National Theater and quickly detonated the bomb she was wearing. Six people were killed, including two of the country’s leading sports officials.

Said Mohamed Mugambe, head of the Somali football federation, and Somali Olympic committee chief Adan Hagi Yabarow were both killed instantly.

The woman had been seated under a tree outside the theater. When the voice of the Somali Prime Minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, began to boom over the loudspeakers she quickly jumped to her feet and approached the entrance. She was confronted by police who denied her entry. Special security officials of the PM standing near by overruled the police and directed them to allow the woman to enter because she was in possession of the Police ID.

The Al-Shabaab terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack. It was clear that their main target was the Prime Minister. He escaped without injury. The killing of the prominent sports officials was a severe blow to a government that has been desperately attempting to regain some semblance of peace and credibility before the world. The new National Theater being the venue of the attack gave al-Shabaab the opportunity to destroy a symbol of the government’s progress.

The Prime minister told reporters that, “The suicide bomber was a young, slim lady with plaited hair. She wore a veil and carried a police identity card.” Though not a new tactic, the use of a female suicide bomber shows how determined al-Shabaab is to thwart the government. The terrorists had been driven out of the capital, Mogadishu, three months ago, yet they had continued with intermittent attack in the city. This new incident may signal a renewed campaign by the jihadists.

al-Shabaab Sends Woman to Kill Somali PM

Terrorism in Kenya Easy Target in the Past – Will It Happen Again?

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:23:32 +0000

Terrorism in Kenya

Terrorism Africa News
There is a Swahili proverb that states, “When two bull elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled.” So has been the experience of terrorism in Kenya. The East African country has been turf on which terrorists have struck non-Kenyan interests in the past, leaving many Kenyans dead and property destroyed.

US Embassy Bombing

The whole world is aware of the bombing of the Kenyan and Tanzanian embassies in August 7, 1998 in which hundreds were killed and many more maimed for life. The bombings were attributed to members of Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ). The bombing was believed to be in retaliation for the United States torturing and extraditing four of their members to Albania for trial and imprisonment.

Israeli Hotel Bombing in Mombasa

Another case of terrorism in Kenya was the bombing of the Israeli owned Paradise Hotel in Mombasa, in November, 2002. A red Land Cruiser slammed through the gates of the hotel, crashed into the lobby and blew up. The target was the Israeli tourists who had just arrived on a charter jet from Israel. Yet, of the thirteen who were killed, ten were Kenyan employees of the Paradise. Nine of which were traditional dancers who were entertaining the newly arrived guests. A Lebanese jihadist group called the army of Palestine claimed credit for the attack.

Nairobi’s Norfolk Hotel Bombing

Way back on New Year’s eve 1980 the PLO was behind the bombing of Kenya’s famed Norfolk Hotel, killing twenty and wounding more than eighty. Some among the dead and many of the wounded were Kenyan employees of the Jewish owned hotel. In claiming responsibility the terrorists said the attack was in retaliation for Kenya’s allowing Israeli military planes to refuel in Nairobi during their raid to free Israeli hostages at Uganda’s Entebbe Airport, four years prior.

What Now?

In the years since the attacks outlined above, Kenyan security forces have undergone extensive training and have collected massive intelligence, but in a country were Christians, animists and Muslims live side by side in relative peace, they have a difficult job ferreting out possible threats. Now that Kenya is directly involved in fighting al-Qaeda linked, al-Shabaab, in Somalia one can only wonder if the next experience of terrorism in Kenya will be a massive retaliation for that involvement.

Terrorism in Kenya Easy Target in the Past – Will It Happen Again?

AQIM Gives Proof They Have German Hostage

admin — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 21:38:14 +0000

Terrorism Africa News

In a statement to the Mauritian news agency, ANI, and posted on Internet forums, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), said it was holding a German national, Edgar Fritz Raupach, hostage.

There was indication in the statement were Raupach was being held. According to a Nigerian security source Raupach is a German engineer who was kidnapped in Kano, Nigeria’s second largest city earlier in the year. Two other engineers who were taken hostage in northern Nigeria aound the same time were killed in a foiled rescue attemp by Nigerian and British troops earlier this month.

AQIM Makes Demands of German Government

AQIM says they are hold the German and demanding the release of Uma Saifullah al-Ansariya (whom they also called Filiz Gelowicz) who is being held in a German. She is the wife of a member of a terrorist cell called “Sauerland bombers” who had made plans to bomb U.S. facilities in Germany.
AQIM and Nigeria’s Boko Haram seem once again linked. Kano has been the site of many recent attacks by Boko Haram who has claim linkage with AQIM in the past.

AQIM Gives Proof They Have German Hostage

Boko Haram and Government Talks Off

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:29:35 +0000

Boko Haram Quits Talks

Terrorism Africa News
Some Nigerians mustered hope against hope that the talks between Boko Haram terrorists and the government would bring about some form of peace. Yet their hopes have been dashed.

Boko Haram Spokesperson Announces Breakoff of Talks

In a phone call Wednesday, a Boko Haram spokesman declared that the talks between the jhadist group and the federal government of Nigeria have been halted. The halt comes in reaction to what the spokeman said is the government’s failed promises and recent round up of some of its leadership.

The talks were brokered by some influential Nigerians who Boko Haram trusted and respected. The talks began a few days back have been broken off due to what what Abu Qaqa, the terrorists spokesman, called insincerity on the part of the Federal Government. The government had asked Boko Haram to cease violence during the talks, but Qaga said that the government was using the lull act of inelegance and capture some of Boko Haram’s leaders. Qaqa said the group will now continue with their activities to bring about Sharia throughout the entire country.

“Almighty God has told us repeatedly that the unbelievers will never respect the promises they make. As such, henceforth, we would never respect any proposal for dialogue”. Qaqa added.

Terrorists to Continue to Fight Nigerian Government

It seems that the breakdown of the talks is a signal that Boko Haram is not interested in any negotiations. “In fact, we have closed all possible doors for negotiation. We would never listen to any call for negotiations. Let the government forces do whatever they feel they can do and we too would use all the wherewithal at our disposal and do what we can,” Qaqa said.

In defiant yet confident tone Qaqa added, “The fact is that, we do not have an element of doubt in our minds that one day, we would surely emerge victorious from this onerous encounter.”

Boko Haram Calls on all Muslims

The spokesman ended his statement with plea to “all Muslims in this part of the world to accept the clarion call and fight for the restoration of the Caliphate of Usman Danfodio which the white man fought and fragmented. The white man killed prominent Islamic clerics and emirs and also replaced the white Islamic flag with the Union Jack. We want all our people to come together and restore our lost glory.”

Boko Haram and Government Talks Off

Retaliation by Christians – Twist in Fight Against Boko Haram

admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:43:53 +0000

Boko Haram’s attacks on Christian churches, schools, and related targets have caused analysts and reporters to wonder just when the Christians would begin to retaliate. Christian leaders had called for calm in the beginning, yet latter exhorted followers to protect their lives and properties from the jihadist terrorists. It seems that at least some Christians have had enough and are beginning to retaliate.

Yesterday, Sunday, March 12th, at least 10 people died as a result of a suicide car bombing at St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Nigeria’s central city of Jos. The bomber, who was stopped at the gates to the church, detonated explosives killing himself and half a dozen people, including boy scouts who were in the courtyard of the church.

The citizens of Jos have seen religous violence in the past. In fact it had been a major flashpoint over the past decade for fights between Muslims and Christians.   Since Christmas Boko Haram bombers have targeted many churches in the city. One of the worst attacks occurred on February 26st, when a suicide bomber slammed his explosive laden car into a church in Jos, taking the lives of at least ten people and wounding thirty-eight. On that day, Christian youths caught two Muslims and beat them to death in revenge.

In response to yesterday’s Boko Haram suicide attack, Christian youths captured and killed at least 10 Muslims in reprisal attacks.

As reports of these reprisals are reported in the press, over twitter, and blogs, one can only wonder how soon it will be before Christians in other Nigerian cities respond.

Retaliation by Christians – Twist in Fight Against Boko Haram

Britian and Italian Killed by Boko Haram

admin — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:50:42 +0000

Britian Chris McManusand Italian Franco Lamolinara were killed in a rescue attempt that failed today in northern Nigeria.

The pair were engineers working on a building project when they were kidnapped more that a year ago. Very little has been know about their whereabouts and condition for some months.

The British government, in recent days, received information that led them to believe the pair was in eminent danger of being killed by their captors.   Acting on that belief, Prime Minister John Cameron sent British troops to rescue them.

The British troops, together with Nigerian security forces, mounted an operation earlier today. The British troops where the first to enter the compound where the two were held. They found that McManusand and Lamolinara had already been slain.

Some of the kidnappers were arrested.

President, Johnathan Goodluck of Nigeria said that the kidnapers were members of the jihadist, terrorist group Boko Haram who have been responsible for several hundred deaths in the past six months.

Reports are that the British government did not inform the Italians that they were mounting, now failed, rescue attempt.

Britian and Italian Killed by Boko Haram

When are Terrorists called Terrorists?

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:58:49 +0000

Over the past year Boko Haram has ratcheted up its bombings and gun battles in Nigeria. They have blown the United Nations headquarters in Abuja to smithereens; slaughtered more than a hundred church goers on Christmas day; successfully sent suicide bombers to kill policemen and destroy several of their stations; broke into prisons freeing their comrades. Yet, the United States government is still reluctant to officially call this jihadist sect terrorists.

Boko Haram has unapologetically claimed responsibility for all of the above acts, and many more. Some of their leaders have claimed ties with al-Qaeda. While some analysts doubt that. No one knowledgeable of Nigerian affairs would want to contend that Boko Haram could never acquire the knowledge to build bombs on their own, yet the tactics of multiple, simultaneous bombings, that has become a regular part of their repertoire in the past year, does parallel al-Qaeda’s MO.

The U.S. State Department has 49 groups on its roles of officially designated foreign terrorist organizations. Only one of those groups has its origins in sub-Saharan Africa, al-Shabab in Somalia. Al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda recently produced a joint statement and video formally cementing their relationship. The United States has been involved in the battle against al-Shabaab through lending logistic and surveillance support to the Somalian transitional government and Kenya troops fighting in southern Somalia. Further, U.S. drones have dropped bombs on suspected al-Shabaab leaders homes and hideouts. Weather or not al-Shabaab being official labeled as a terrorist organization has given the U.S. the freedom to act against them is a matter of conjecture.

Boko Haram has been much more active than al-Shabaab in the past twelve months, yet the U.S. has not given any overt assistance to the Nigerian government to reign in these jihadists. Peter Lewis, director of African Studies at The Johns Hopkins University in Washington only goes as far as labeling Boko Haram a violent insurgency. He states that Boko Haram is a well organized and capable insurgency that has “a claim on the loyalties and ideas of only a tiny minority of northern Nigerians.” Terrorism In Africa News has heard many times from sources within Nigeria that Boko Haram has most of its loyalty in the north among the financial and political elite.

Dr. Jean Herskovits, of the State University of New York, said in an opinion piece in the New York Times, that placing Boko Haram on the U.S.’s official list of terrorist groups “would make more Nigerians fear and distrust America.” She could be correct in that Muslims may fear drone attacks from the U.S. like those that took place in Somalia.

Boko Haram has been successful in instilling fear in many Nigerians through ritual beheading of Christian preachers and threats against the non-Muslim southerners living in the north, President Goodluck, and all “infidels” in the country.   The Nigerian security forces are so far ineffectual against the group and a mere U.S. designation that Boko Haram as a terrorist organization will not change that.

In my own opinion we do not need some formal definition, nor official U.S. designation, in order to call terrorists terrorists. An organization is a terrorist group when they commit and claim responsibility for acts of terror over and over again. That is why, here at Terrorism In Africa News, we refer to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, al-Shabaab, the Lord’s Resistance Army and Boko Haram as terrorist groups.

When are Terrorists called Terrorists?

Ethiopian Troops Take Baidoa from al-Shabaab

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:23:39 +0000

Ethiopian troops Tuesday took Baidoa from al-Shabaab terrorists. This is the premier accomplishment of the Ethiopians since the moved troops across the border into Somalia in November. The Ethiopian forces are the main line moving against al-Shabaab in the north of Somalia. Kenyan troops have been fight al-Qaeda linked terrorsts in the south, while transitional government and a contingent of troops from other African nations (AFRICOM) have seemingly made headway against them in Mogadishu.

The Ethiopian troops met little resistance from al-Shabaab who had moved most of their troops out of Baidoa in the past week.   They pulled out of Mogadishu in much the same fashion a couple of months ago.

Baidoa is the largest city in the northern region and its lost is a strategic blow to al-Shabaab who had not faced near the opposition in the north as in the southern region of the country. Al-Shabaab publicly owned up to the loss of the city saying their withdrawal had been a a tactical not wanting to suffer large numbers of casualties the mechanized units of the Ethiopian forces.

It is reported that Ethiopian troops are continuing their journey southward.

The taking of Baidoa came after a strong contingent of the Ethiopian forces moved last week from Luuq district in the Gedo region towards Yeed district in Bakool region.

Informants on the ground in the area report that the Ethiopian contingent is equipped with tanks and other mechanized, military weaponry. There are approximately 2000 troops in the movement.

One must wonder how al-Shabaab with limited finances can continue to fight on multiple fronts. What we could be witnessing is an intentional or forced concentration in the southern regions. This could spell more trouble for Kenyan troops who are already under heavy pressure on the battle field and mounting political pressure at home.

Ethiopian Troops Take Baidoa from al-Shabaab