In the first publicly acknowledged military action against Somalian territory since 1993, the U.S. targeted key Al Qaeda operatives on the run in Somalia. Among them is Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, a.k.a. Harun Fazul, suspected of masterminding the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, for which he was indicted in the U.S. Previous CT Blog posts provided background on the Al Qaeda operatives in Somalia and targeted in the strike, and the slow recognition of Al Qaeda's role in the ICU:
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross:
"Islamic Courts Abandon Kismayo, Establish 'Shadow Governments,'" January 1: "Thus far, ICU forces have been melting away as the Ethiopians advance. This is reminiscent of the Taliban's dispersal after Kandahar fell in Afghanistan. There is confirmation that the three suspects in the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings who were in Somalia escaped during the ICU's retreat."
"Somalia's Terrorists," Dec. 29: "Fazul Abdullah Mohammed and Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, members of al-Qaeda's Somali cell, had returned to Somalia. They were financed by Sudanese al-Qaeda operative Tariq Abdullah (a.k.a. Abu Talha al-Sudani), who operated between Somalia and the UAE. Mohammed and Nabhan were involved in preparations for the 1998 embassy bombings, and masterminded the November 2002 Mombasa attack on the Paradise Hotel."
Douglas Farah:
"The Wrong Questions on Somalia," Jan. 8: "But there is ample evidence, from their own statements and actions, that the Court leadership that triumphed was a intergral link in the Islamist narrative, woven and rewoven in different conflicts around the globe."
"Blind Spots on Somalia," Dec. 18: "One of the most astonishing statements in today's Washington Post look at Somalia comes from John D. Negroponte, the director of national intelligence. Negroponte said that "I don't think there are hard and fast views," on al Qaeda in Somalia..."
"A Belated Acknowledgement on Somalia," Nov. 30: "Finally, rather than pretending Somalia is an unimportant side show in fighting Islamists in Africa, a senior official has actually acknowledged what is really happening. Jendayi Frazer, the State Department's head of Africa, told reporters that al Qaeda is operating 'with great comfort' in Somalia."
