Osama advised al-Shabab on "good governance"

[InvisibleHand]

Bin Laden's letter to Godane (translated to English): http://www.ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uplo ... -Trans.pdf

BBC NEWS:
Retrieved: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18628145

Documents found inside Osama Bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan following the US special forces raid that led to his death last year have revealed how the al-Qaeda leader sought to advise an affiliate group in Africa on "good governance".

One of the 17 documents recently posted online by the US military's Combating Terrorism Centre (CTC) at West Point - out of a total cache of 6,000 - is a letter addressed to the leader of the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab, Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamud Godane, also known as Mukhtar Abu Zubair.

In the letter, dated 7 August 2010, Bin Laden gave Godane advice on leadership, saying he should "adhere to a noble character", which could be seen in his "forgiveness, justice, patience and good relationship with his citizenry".

Christopher Anzalone, a doctoral student studying Islamist movements at McGill University in Canada, believes this "suggests that the late al-Qaeda Central leader viewed Somalia as one of the locations where the 'mujahideen' had the greatest chance of setting up a kind of insurgent-jihadi state with broad territorial control, in this case over much of the country south of Puntland".

The authors of CTC report on the documents, Letters from Abbottabad: Bin Ladin Sidelined?, conclude: "Bin Laden's advice is not for stylistic flourish; it is intended to signal to Abu Zubair that his leadership is ultimately measured by how well Somalis are governed and their needs met".

In February 2012, Godane announced the merge of al-Shabab and al-Qaeda and "pledged obedience" to al-Qaeda's new leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, but before his death Bin Laden advised him against such a move.

He also recommended not announcing the creation of an "Islamic state" in Somalia, saying it would "escalate" the enemies "anger and mobilize [them] against" al-Shabab.

The Saudi also thought the publicly revealing al-Shabab's affiliation with al-Qaeda would affect aid efforts "to Muslims in Somalia".

The released documents suggest that Zawahiri disagreed with this stance, with the Egyptian counselling in one letter that it would be better for al-Qaeda to be publicly associated with al-Shabab.

"Bin Laden was remarkably prescient with regard to the possible downsides of al-Shabab continuing its predatory behaviour," says Mr Anzalone.

"This behaviour," he adds, "includes imposing high taxation and requisitioning of livestock and other supplies, as well as battlefield tactics in Mogadishu which led to AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) retaliation, which had an impact on the population and threatened to turn the public more against al-Shabab."
A woman walks through the war-damaged streets of Mogadishu (26 June 2012) Al-Shabab's affiliation with al-Qaeda and its tactics have alienated many Somalis

The editor of the Somali War Monitor website, A R Sayyid, says: "It is difficult to understand al-Qaeda/al-Shabab relations through these few released documents".

"Somalia was seen as inhospitable for al-Qaeda to establish a foothold even after the 'Blackhawk Down' incident in 1993."

"Nevertheless, Somalia has been important from the perspective of al-Qaeda, even before the al-Shabab movement emerged late 2007," he adds.
'Pens and swords'

At the end of his letter to Godane, Bin Laden writes: "Attached is a book [entitled] Niqat al-Irtikaz (Focal Points)".

The book is available on jihadist web forums and argues that a true jihadi movement will act as a "fulcrum against global Crusader-Zionism and the secularism [that stands] behind it" and help "retrieve the Muslim Umma's (Nation's) self-confidence in the confrontation".

The author of Niqat al-Irtikaz, an Egyptian Salafist cleric, Abu Ahmed Abdul Rahman al-Masri says that at the heart of such movements are scholars waging jihad with "their pens and swords".

The book presents Sayyid Qutb as an example. Qutb, who advocated the use of jihad (struggle) against jahili (ignorant) societies, both Western and so-called Islamic ones, was executed by the Egyptian authorities in 1966.

His writings - particularly the 1964 work Milestones - inspired the founders of many radical Islamist groups, including Islamic Jihad and al-Qaeda.

It seems Bin Laden sent Godane Niqat al-Irtikaz to persuade him that he too could become an inspiration for jihadists worldwide if he put its ideas into practice in Somalia.

[InvisibleHand]

Letter: bin Laden to Godane
Retrieved: http://www.ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uplo ... -Trans.pdf

In the Name of God…

Henceforth…

To Most Generous Brother Mukhtar Abu al-Zubayr (var. al-Zoubair)
I hope that you receive this letter from me while you are fine
and well with all the brothers and followers…

Hereinafter…

We received your generous letter and I was happy reading what
this letter contained about most jihad groups having united to
join you; also about certain issues which occurred, of which you
debated two important issues: 1) the issue of declaring the
“country” (meaning the Islamic emirate); and 2) the issue of
unity with the brothers within the declaration of the “country.”
I see that there should be a practical working emirate on the
ground but without declaring it in the media or confirming it in
any paperwork, in order to avoid these documents leaking out to
the enemies – should it happen for any reason.

This is my opinion, but you are there on the ground and you see
all realities; whatever you see and witness live, the absent
does not see. Therefore, you would balance out between the pros
and cons on the issue of declaring or not declaring the
establishment of the emirate; or you may balance things out on
your side – as I see it – to make the declaration under the name
of the Islamic Emirate of Somalia, with its named emir to be the
Emir of the Islamic Emirate of Somalia.

Now, in relation to the issue of unity, I see that this
obligation should be carried out legitimately and through
unannounced secret messaging, by spreading this matter among the
people of Somalia, without any official declaration by any
officers on our side or your side, that the unity has taken place. But there
remains the situation of the brothers on your side and their
talking about their relationship with al-Qa'ida, if asked. It
would be better for them to say that there is a relationship
with al-Qa'ida which is simply a brotherly Islamic connection
and nothing more, which would neither deny nor prove.
And for the above matter, there are two reasons:
The first: If the matter becomes declared and out in the open,
it would have the enemies escalate their anger and mobilize
against you; this is what happened to the brothers in Iraq or
Algeria. It is true that the enemies will find out inevitably;
this matter cannot be hidden, especially when people go around
and spread this news. However, an official declaration remains
to be the master for all proof. Also, there will be fields open
to those who would like to provide rescue assistance to Muslims
in Somalia, to deny this reality which is not based on
definitive evidences. Therefore, such would minimize the
restraints on Muslims in the region of the emirate and likewise
on the emirate proper.

The second: The matter is that some Muslims in Somalia are
suffering from immense poverty and malnutrition, because of the
continuity of wars in their country; I have a determined plan of
action, using one of my sermons to press the merchants in the
countries of the Arabian Peninsula to support pro-active and
important developmental projects which are not expensive; we
happened to have tried these in Sudan. Therefore, by not having
the mujahidin openly allied with al-Qa'ida, it would strengthen
those merchants who are willing to help the brothers in Somalia,
and would keep people with the mujahidin.

The above are some of my viewpoints about what you proposed in
your loving letter, including the other issues which you had,
which Shaykh Mahmud („Atiyah) will answer you about.
And before closing: we pursue your news and victories through
the media; May God reward you blessings for all your efforts and
your jihad.

Regarding your strike against the African Forces, you must
review it enough to minimize the (damages) on Muslims from their
onerous attacks against Bakarah Market.

Maybe your operations against them (TN: African Forces) could be
during their arrival to or departure from the airport and
without conducting your operational attacks against their
headquarters unless those operations were large or through
underground tunnels helping you reach the heart of the camp; and
with time, an external attack. Anyway, we hope that you review
this matter and may God empower and bless you with accuracy
against your target.

In closing: I press upon you as much as I press upon myself to
remain devout, patient, and persistent in upholding the high
moral values which were upheld by an “Emir of reconciliation”
toward his community, which is, with God's help, the dream of
the Emir in his pardon, his justice, his patience, his good
treatment of them, and his refusal to burden them with what they
cannot not handle.

I would like you to pass on my greetings to all those
respectable mujahidin brothers on your side for whom we pray to
God the Almighty to render them victorious against their enemies
and to protect them from the wickedness of traitors.

Our last supplications go to God, the Lord of the Universe, with
prayers and peace unto our Prophet Muhammad, all his lineage and
companions.

Peace to you and the mercy and blessings of God
Your Brother Zamaray

Friday August 7 2010

Attached is a book (titled) “Niqat al-Irtikaz” (Fundamental
Points)
(TN: End of Letter)

[gobdoon]

Fikradaasu wa tan ugu baaqayna Alshabab tan iyo intii la as aasay oo waxay ahayd inay wax walba kahor mariyan nabada iyo inay somaliya yeelato dawlad cadaali ah oo dimoqraadi ah , dadka shicibka ah oo masakiinta ah oo dagaaladii wordhlodska ku dhamaadayna ayan dhibin oo caburin , lakiin wa dad xun oo damiir wadani nimo aan lahayn , waxayna aniga iltahay raga madaxdooda kamid ah oo ina Godane ugu horeeyo inay wateen fikrado mangaab ah oo Somaliya aan qasno oo gubno anago shaati Muslim isticmaleyna si ay somaliland ictiraaf u hesho waxana laga yaaba inay toos ugu xiranyihiin Siilanyo iyo Riyoole.