By Bosire Boniface in Garissa
August 01, 2013
Kenya is investigating allegations that Mombasa cleric Sheikh
Abubakar Shariff Ahmed, known as Makaburi, has become the new spiritual
leader of al-Shabaab-affiliated Muslim Youth Centre (MYC) and is
strengthening ties with Tanzanian extremists.
The MYC, which reportedly tried to rebrand under the moniker al-Hijra in 2012, has been striving to re-assert itself as a regional influence under the guidance of Ahmed, the United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea said in a report released July 17th.
"'Makaburi' has exerted a growing influence over al-Hijra and is determined to redirect the group's resources and manpower from hitting 'soft targets' to conducting complex, large-scale attacks in Kenya on behalf and in support of al-Shabaab," the report said.
The MYC is also attempting to extend its influence by developing ties with Tanzanian affiliate Ansar Muslim Youth Centre, according to the report.
Both organisations have "sought operational direction and guidance since the latter part of 2012 from individuals with former ties to al-Qaeda in East Africa and self-styled al-Qaeda affiliates, including Abubakar Shariff Ahmed 'Makaburi' …," the report said.
Tanzanian Minister of Home Affairs Emmanuel Nchimbi told Sabahi that his government has also been looking into the allegations in the UN report but declined further comment.
Kenyan authorities are aware of the allegations and have been monitoring MYC's activities in Kenya, including online postings, and working with security officials in Tanzania to neutralise any possible terrorist threat, said Coast region Police Chief Aggrey Adoli.
"Most of the information contained in the UN report was in our domain long before it was published and released, but the report has provided some additional insights about the individual and the groups which we are analysing," Adoli told Sabahi.
Kenyan investigations resulted in the arrest and prosecution of several people, including Ahmed, Adoli said.
He said police also put several other people under surveillance over alleged links to al-Shabaab. "We will not rest until those having links with al-Shabaab denounce their violence," he said.
"It would be unfair to discuss Ahmed's [situation] in detail because he faces two separate court cases. It is up to the courts now to mete justice after we provide the available evidence to help in his prosecution,"Adoli said, adding that Ahmed is required to appear in court every Tuesday until his trial, set for August 15th.
The report also extrapolates on allegations made last year in another UN Monitoring Group report that said the Nairobi-based Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee was funding MYC, which mosque officials have denied.
"Al-Hijra and its financier, the Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee, have suffered setbacks from disruptions of al-Hijra's operations by international and regional security services, as well as unexplained killings and disappearances of its members," the 2013 report said.
Ahmed denied the allegations contained in the UN Monitoring Group's latest report and distanced himself from the al-Hijra group and its affiliates.
"I am shocked by this latest report," Ahmed told Sabahi. "While I know that al-Hijra is in Nairobi, I do not know much about it or the Tanzanian group. I am always in Mombasa."
Ahmed also denied that he recruited youths for al-Shabaab or had ties with the mosque committee. "I know nothing about the Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee," he said.
Iddi Waititu Abdallah, treasurer for the Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee, also denied the allegations against his organisation.
In a letter to Kenya's The Standard, Abdallah said, "…[W]e are more pained and embarrassed than other Kenyans that some young men from Majengo have been recruited into al-Shabaab," referring to the Nairobi neighbourhood where the committee's office is located. "We highly regret that this clandestine recruitment was carried out without our knowledge, encouragement or approval."
"I would like to assure Kenyans that we have never funded, never supported nor harboured any terrorists …," Abdallah said, adding that a rival faction among the mosque's leadership were fuelling the claims that the committee was funding MYC.
"Ahmed's [statements] now are different from the Ahmed before Rogo's death," Ochami told Sabahi. When Rogo was alive, Ahmed was explicit and vocal about his extremist views. "But the Ahmed now is humbled and measured," he said.
"Ahmed acknowledges that he was Rogo's close friend for the last decade. In an interview I held with the late Rogo's wife, it was clear from the stamped passport she availed that Rogo visited various parts of Tanzania often," Ochami said.
Having travelled with Rogo to Tanzania and elsewhere, Ahmed could easily be the link between extremist groups in the region, Ochami said. Ahmed could also pose a significant threat as a spiritual leader for regional extremist groups as a successor to Rogo, he said.
After Rogo's death, MYC could have been desperate to find a successor and looked to his close circle to find a suitable candidate who would be able to inspire militants, according to Nairobi security consultant and retired Kenyan army Major Wilberforce Onchiri.
"In some of Rogo's amateur video recordings, Ahmed can be seen behind him. Those close ties led them to be listed on international sanctions for engaging in acts that threatened peace," he told Sabahi. "While it is difficult to pinpoint that [Ahmed] shares Rogo's ideologies, one is judged by the company he keeps."
However, given the charges against him, Ahmed may have reconsidered such a role, Onchiri said.
Deodatus Balile contributed to this report from Dar es Salaam.
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![Kenyan anti-riot police patrol the street in front of a mosque in Mombasa during protests against the assassination of radical cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed on August 31, 2012. [Simon Maina/AFP]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2013/08/01/kenya-mombasa-rogo-340_227.jpg)
Kenyan anti-riot police patrol the street in front of a mosque in
Mombasa during protests against the assassination of radical cleric
Aboud Rogo Mohammed on August 31, 2012. [Simon Maina/AFP]
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![Abubakar Shariff Ahmed, known as Makaburi, during a court appearance in Mombasa on September 6, 2012. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2013/08/01/mombasa-sheikh-makaburi-340_227.jpg)
Abubakar Shariff Ahmed, known as Makaburi, during a court appearance in Mombasa on September 6, 2012. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]
![Kenyan anti-riot police patrol the street in front of a mosque in Mombasa during protests against the assassination of radical cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed on August 31, 2012. [Simon Maina/AFP]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2013/08/01/kenya-mombasa-rogo.jpg)
![Abubakar Shariff Ahmed, known as Makaburi, during a court appearance in Mombasa on September 6, 2012. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]](http://sabahionline.com/shared/images/2013/08/01/mombasa-sheikh-makaburi.jpg)
"'Makaburi' has exerted a growing influence over al-Hijra and is determined to redirect the group's resources and manpower from hitting 'soft targets' to conducting complex, large-scale attacks in Kenya on behalf and in support of al-Shabaab," the report said.
The MYC is also attempting to extend its influence by developing ties with Tanzanian affiliate Ansar Muslim Youth Centre, according to the report.
Both organisations have "sought operational direction and guidance since the latter part of 2012 from individuals with former ties to al-Qaeda in East Africa and self-styled al-Qaeda affiliates, including Abubakar Shariff Ahmed 'Makaburi' …," the report said.
Tanzanian Minister of Home Affairs Emmanuel Nchimbi told Sabahi that his government has also been looking into the allegations in the UN report but declined further comment.
Kenyan authorities are aware of the allegations and have been monitoring MYC's activities in Kenya, including online postings, and working with security officials in Tanzania to neutralise any possible terrorist threat, said Coast region Police Chief Aggrey Adoli.
"Most of the information contained in the UN report was in our domain long before it was published and released, but the report has provided some additional insights about the individual and the groups which we are analysing," Adoli told Sabahi.
Kenyan investigations resulted in the arrest and prosecution of several people, including Ahmed, Adoli said.
He said police also put several other people under surveillance over alleged links to al-Shabaab. "We will not rest until those having links with al-Shabaab denounce their violence," he said.
Charges against Makaburi, Pumwani Riyadha Mosque
Last year, a Mombasa court charged Ahmed with three counts of incitement to violence related to street protests that followed the August 2012 drive-by shooting death of fellow Islamist cleric Aboud Rogo Mohammed. Ahmed was released on bail last September."It would be unfair to discuss Ahmed's [situation] in detail because he faces two separate court cases. It is up to the courts now to mete justice after we provide the available evidence to help in his prosecution,"Adoli said, adding that Ahmed is required to appear in court every Tuesday until his trial, set for August 15th.
The report also extrapolates on allegations made last year in another UN Monitoring Group report that said the Nairobi-based Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee was funding MYC, which mosque officials have denied.
"Al-Hijra and its financier, the Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee, have suffered setbacks from disruptions of al-Hijra's operations by international and regional security services, as well as unexplained killings and disappearances of its members," the 2013 report said.
Ahmed denied the allegations contained in the UN Monitoring Group's latest report and distanced himself from the al-Hijra group and its affiliates.
"I am shocked by this latest report," Ahmed told Sabahi. "While I know that al-Hijra is in Nairobi, I do not know much about it or the Tanzanian group. I am always in Mombasa."
Ahmed also denied that he recruited youths for al-Shabaab or had ties with the mosque committee. "I know nothing about the Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee," he said.
Iddi Waititu Abdallah, treasurer for the Pumwani Riyadha Mosque Committee, also denied the allegations against his organisation.
In a letter to Kenya's The Standard, Abdallah said, "…[W]e are more pained and embarrassed than other Kenyans that some young men from Majengo have been recruited into al-Shabaab," referring to the Nairobi neighbourhood where the committee's office is located. "We highly regret that this clandestine recruitment was carried out without our knowledge, encouragement or approval."
"I would like to assure Kenyans that we have never funded, never supported nor harboured any terrorists …," Abdallah said, adding that a rival faction among the mosque's leadership were fuelling the claims that the committee was funding MYC.
MYC seeking spiritual leader
The denials should be taken with a bit of scepticism in light of the pending court case against Ahmed, said David Ochami, a Mombasa-based journalist who covers militant groups for The Standard."Ahmed's [statements] now are different from the Ahmed before Rogo's death," Ochami told Sabahi. When Rogo was alive, Ahmed was explicit and vocal about his extremist views. "But the Ahmed now is humbled and measured," he said.
"Ahmed acknowledges that he was Rogo's close friend for the last decade. In an interview I held with the late Rogo's wife, it was clear from the stamped passport she availed that Rogo visited various parts of Tanzania often," Ochami said.
Having travelled with Rogo to Tanzania and elsewhere, Ahmed could easily be the link between extremist groups in the region, Ochami said. Ahmed could also pose a significant threat as a spiritual leader for regional extremist groups as a successor to Rogo, he said.
After Rogo's death, MYC could have been desperate to find a successor and looked to his close circle to find a suitable candidate who would be able to inspire militants, according to Nairobi security consultant and retired Kenyan army Major Wilberforce Onchiri.
"In some of Rogo's amateur video recordings, Ahmed can be seen behind him. Those close ties led them to be listed on international sanctions for engaging in acts that threatened peace," he told Sabahi. "While it is difficult to pinpoint that [Ahmed] shares Rogo's ideologies, one is judged by the company he keeps."
However, given the charges against him, Ahmed may have reconsidered such a role, Onchiri said.
Deodatus Balile contributed to this report from Dar es Salaam.
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