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| US 'jihadist rapper' claims to have survived attempt on life by al-Shabaab | US 'jihadist rapper' claims to have survived attempt on life by al-Shabaab |
| (14 days later) | |
| An American "jihadist rapper" in Somalia has claimed that he survived an attempt on his life by Islamist militants who have turned against him. | An American "jihadist rapper" in Somalia has claimed that he survived an attempt on his life by Islamist militants who have turned against him. |
| Omar Hammami, who moved from Alabama to Somalia in 2006 and is believed to have fought for the radical al-Shabaab group until a bitter falling out, tweeted on Thursday: "Just been shot in neck by shabab assassin. not critical yet." | Omar Hammami, who moved from Alabama to Somalia in 2006 and is believed to have fought for the radical al-Shabaab group until a bitter falling out, tweeted on Thursday: "Just been shot in neck by shabab assassin. not critical yet." |
| He continued: "Sitting in tea place then 3 shots behind to left. pistol i think. they ran." In another tweet he commented: "Cheaper than a drone, but expensive on shabab's credibility. the shooter's been i.d.'ed as known shabab assassin." | He continued: "Sitting in tea place then 3 shots behind to left. pistol i think. they ran." In another tweet he commented: "Cheaper than a drone, but expensive on shabab's credibility. the shooter's been i.d.'ed as known shabab assassin." |
| Hammami also published four photographs, one showing his face with a bloody neck and a blood-stained T-shirt. He said he sustained a neck wound but the bullet missed the arteries and the windpipe. | Hammami also published four photographs, one showing his face with a bloody neck and a blood-stained T-shirt. He said he sustained a neck wound but the bullet missed the arteries and the windpipe. |
| The American, who turns 29 next week, is believed to have fought for al-Shabaab in Somalia against the US-backed government and gained notoriety for posting YouTube videos of jihadi rap songs such as Send Me a Cruise [Missile]. It is believed he helped the group recruit other American-born Islamists. | The American, who turns 29 next week, is believed to have fought for al-Shabaab in Somalia against the US-backed government and gained notoriety for posting YouTube videos of jihadi rap songs such as Send Me a Cruise [Missile]. It is believed he helped the group recruit other American-born Islamists. |
| He was added to the FBI's list of most-wanted terrorists last year with a $5m (£3.3m) bounty on his head. The agency describes him as "armed and dangerous". | He was added to the FBI's list of most-wanted terrorists last year with a $5m (£3.3m) bounty on his head. The agency describes him as "armed and dangerous". |
| But his relationship with al-Shabaab soured early last year with a very public spat. He spoke of his fears for his life in an online video and claimed he received another death threat earlier this year. | But his relationship with al-Shabaab soured early last year with a very public spat. He spoke of his fears for his life in an online video and claimed he received another death threat earlier this year. |
| Hammami – also known as al-Amriki, or "the American" – is believed to have riled the group by accusing its leaders of corruption, murder and ignoring global jihad in favour of domestic Somali affairs. He has complained that foreign fighters are being marginalised. | Hammami – also known as al-Amriki, or "the American" – is believed to have riled the group by accusing its leaders of corruption, murder and ignoring global jihad in favour of domestic Somali affairs. He has complained that foreign fighters are being marginalised. |
| Al-Shabaab has dismissed his statements and actions as motivated by the "narcissistic pursuit of fame and … far removed from the reality on the ground". | Al-Shabaab has dismissed his statements and actions as motivated by the "narcissistic pursuit of fame and … far removed from the reality on the ground". |
| On Friday Hammami tweeted that the leader of the Islamist group was sending in forces from multiple directions: "We are few but we might get back up. abu zubayr has gone mad. he's starting a civil war." | On Friday Hammami tweeted that the leader of the Islamist group was sending in forces from multiple directions: "We are few but we might get back up. abu zubayr has gone mad. he's starting a civil war." |
| According to locals, the attack occurred in Raamo Cadeey town, 60km south of Baydhabo, the provincial capital of Baay region in southern Somalia. | According to locals, the attack occurred in Raamo Cadeey town, 60km south of Baydhabo, the provincial capital of Baay region in southern Somalia. |
| Witnesses said there was intense gunfire between two rival factions of al-Shabaab. Hammami was heavily defended by fighters, who were mostly foreigners. Tensions between the two factions remained high on Friday. | Witnesses said there was intense gunfire between two rival factions of al-Shabaab. Hammami was heavily defended by fighters, who were mostly foreigners. Tensions between the two factions remained high on Friday. |
| Sheikh Abdirahman Janaqow, a former justice minister of Somalia's transitional federal government, said the rift between Hammami and Ahmed Godane, a senior figure in al-Shabaab, had become too wide to ignore. "The nature of the attack is like a war of gangs, in which the leader kills all his fellow men at the end in order to protect his power," Janaqow said. "Now Godane attempts to keep his power against his rivals." | Sheikh Abdirahman Janaqow, a former justice minister of Somalia's transitional federal government, said the rift between Hammami and Ahmed Godane, a senior figure in al-Shabaab, had become too wide to ignore. "The nature of the attack is like a war of gangs, in which the leader kills all his fellow men at the end in order to protect his power," Janaqow said. "Now Godane attempts to keep his power against his rivals." |
| Hammami grew up in Daphne, Alabama, the son of a Christian mother and Syrian-born Muslim father. He regularly holds informal conversations on Twitter with a group of American terrorism experts and recently gave a Twitter interview to Wired magazine. | Hammami grew up in Daphne, Alabama, the son of a Christian mother and Syrian-born Muslim father. He regularly holds informal conversations on Twitter with a group of American terrorism experts and recently gave a Twitter interview to Wired magazine. |
| After he publicised the alleged attempt on his life, one of his Twitter followers, a counter-terrorism expert from Canada, replied: "@and your still tweeting. It's like your a cat with 9 lives!" Hammami responded: "'I'm on a mission from God.' minus the blues music" – in an apparent reference to the film The Blues Brothers. | After he publicised the alleged attempt on his life, one of his Twitter followers, a counter-terrorism expert from Canada, replied: "@and your still tweeting. It's like your a cat with 9 lives!" Hammami responded: "'I'm on a mission from God.' minus the blues music" – in an apparent reference to the film The Blues Brothers. |
| Earlier this year the rapper published an autobiography, The Story of an American Jihadi. A US newspaper, Christian Science Monitor, described it as a "strange mixture of childish humour (he writes 'ha ha' a lot to indicate something he found funny) and deadly serious description of his life with al-Shabaab". | Earlier this year the rapper published an autobiography, The Story of an American Jihadi. A US newspaper, Christian Science Monitor, described it as a "strange mixture of childish humour (he writes 'ha ha' a lot to indicate something he found funny) and deadly serious description of his life with al-Shabaab". |
| Al-Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011 by African Union and Somali forces. This week Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, reopened the British embassy 22 years after it was closed. | Al-Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu in 2011 by African Union and Somali forces. This week Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, reopened the British embassy 22 years after it was closed. |
| But security remains volatile in the Somali capital and on Thursday night the deputy chief prosecutor, Ahmad Shaykh Nur Maalin, was shot dead by three masked men – the most senior official to be killed in the city since a new government took office last year. | But security remains volatile in the Somali capital and on Thursday night the deputy chief prosecutor, Ahmad Shaykh Nur Maalin, was shot dead by three masked men – the most senior official to be killed in the city since a new government took office last year. |
| Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said: "The targeted killing of Ahmad Shaykh Nur Maalin, a senior prosecutor in Mogadishu, only days after the attacks on the city's main courtrooms, sends a chilling message." | Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said: "The targeted killing of Ahmad Shaykh Nur Maalin, a senior prosecutor in Mogadishu, only days after the attacks on the city's main courtrooms, sends a chilling message." |
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