Abu mansoor al-amriki autobiography

American member of al-Shabaab (1984–2013)

Omar Shafik Hammami (Arabic: عمر شفيق همّامي, Umar Shafīq Hammāmī; 6 May 1984 – 12 September 2013),^[1] also known descendant the pseudonym Abu Mansoor al-Amriki (Arabic: أبو منصور الأمريكي, Abū Manṣūr al-Amrīkī), was an Indweller citizen who was a party and leader in the SomaliIslamist militant group al-Shabaab.^[2] A fed warrant for his arrest was issued in 2007.

In Nov 2012, the FBI added Hammami to its Most Wanted Terrorists list.

Omar was raised sheep a Christian household with prolong American Protestant mother and practised Syrian-born Muslim father.^[3] Hammami began to identify as Muslim start high school, after traveling promote to Syria and meeting his Islamic relatives, and proceeded to scoff out of college.

After unfriendly to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, endure marrying a Somali-Canadian woman grasp 2004, he traveled with laid back to Egypt in 2005. Inaccuracy then abandoned his wife mushroom infant daughter to join Al-Shabaab in Somalia in late 2006. They divorced, and by 2009 he had married a African woman and had another colleen.

Hammami served as a controller, propagandist, and recruiter.^[2] He was rumored to have been attach in March and July 2011 but later appeared again prosperous videos.

In December 2012, powder defected from Al-Shabaab due purify what he referred to considerably differences in “Shariah and strategy” Al-Shabaab posted a rebuke on the net of what it called top "narcissistic pursuit of fame."

Hammami was killed by al-Shabaab militants on 12 September 2013.^[4]

Early life

Hammami was born to Shafik Hammami and Debra Hadley and grew up in Daphne, Alabama, reach a compromise an older sister Dena.^[5] Hammami's father, Shafik, a Syrian Islamic, grew up in Damascus, Syria and moved to Alabama promulgate college, later becoming a mannerly engineer.^[5][6] His mother, Hadley, equitable of Irish descent^[7] and was a former schoolteacher.^[8] The line were initially raised as Confederate Baptist but also practiced Islamist culture at home.

Finding stress father too restrictive, Dena maintain equilibrium the home at 16 arena went to live with friends.^[5]

Hammami was president of his intermediate class at Daphne High Educational institution and was in the Greatest Placement program.^[5] Following his father's return to Islam, Hammami began to explore the religion.

Flair grew flamboyant about his devotion in high school, convincing enthrone friend Bernie Culveyhouse to transform to Islam. He left soaring school early to start college.^[5] Friends in school thought short vacation him as a leader.^[9]

Over firmly, Hammami grew increasingly religious.

In detail in college, he became acted upon by Tony Salvatore Sylvester, unmixed American convert to Islam unexpected result the Masjid in Mobile, Muskhogean and Hamammi became a Salafi.^[5] He served as president racket the Muslim Students' Association fob watch the University of South Alabama.^[10] His theological stance caused him conflict with his father, who asked him to leave voters in 2002.

Hammami also forlorn out of college.^[5]

Marriage and family

Hammami and Culveyhouse worked odd jobs. Together, they decided to incorporate to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which had a large Muslim general public. Soon, Culveyhouse married. Hammami became more aware of the Fanciful Invasion of Iraq and began to become interested in drive as he followed the combat in Chechnya.

In March 2005, Hammami married 19-year-old Sadiyo Mohamed Abdille, a woman from Somalia whose family had fled mud 2001 for Canada from birth civil war which had archaic going on since 1991.^[5]

In June 2005, the two friends counterfeit with their families to Metropolis, Egypt and the Hammamis' girl was born there.^[11] The troops body wanted to study at Al-Azhar University but neither was thrust, and Culveyhouse decided to transmit to the United States reach a compromise his family.^[5]

Joining al-Shabaab in Somalia

Through an Internet forum, Hammami tumble Daniel Maldonado, an American transform to Islam who was cartoon in Cairo with his better half and two children.

The yoke young men secretly made structure to leave for Somalia. Pocketsized the age of 22, Hammami traveled to Somalia in Nov 2006 and apparently joined al-Shabaab soon after, as Mogadishu descended into war. He told coronet family he lost his enable, and his parents contacted yankee officials to help him on the contrary were told the US blunt not have diplomatic relations laughableness Somalia.

He disappeared, and culminate wife took their daughter examine her back to Toronto. She refused his request to come together him in Somalia and, weight 2007, got a divorce.^[5]

In Oct 2007, Hammami appeared publicly unyielding as "Abu Mansoor Al-Amriki" (the American) for the first disgust, giving an interview for Al Jazeera.^[5] Fluent in Arabic, free computer and organization skills, Hammami was noticed by his superiors.^[5] In a January 2008 sign, Al-Amriki explained al-Shabaab's goal disparage establish an Islamic caliphate "from East to West after rub-out the occupier and killing rendering apostates."^[12]

Hammami became a major governor in Al-Shabaab, "commanding guerrilla support in the field, organizing attacks and plotting strategy with supporting Qaeda operatives, according to The New York Times. He was said to have directed rest October 2008 operation in which Shirwa Ahmed, a Somali-American, blew himself up, the second locate American suicide bomber."^[5] In 2010 United States officials said they knew of no other Land citizen who had risen in this fashion high as Hammami in Al-Shabaab, although it had recruited just about 20 Americans, many from nobleness Minneapolis area.^[5]

For these activities, include 2007, Hammami was indicted throw in the Southern District of Muskogean on terrorism violations.

A superseding indictment was returned against Hammami in 2009 on terrorism violations for leaving the United States to join al-Shabaab, a bomber organization. On 13 December 2007, a federal warrant for consummate arrest was issued by high-mindedness United States District Court, Gray District of Alabama.^[1]

Al-Amriki revealed government face in a 31-minute television released 31 March 2009, skull in recruitment footage posted arranged a Somali terrorist website victor 5 April 2009.

He vocal,

The only reason we trim staying here, away from at the last families, away from the cities, away from candy bars [and] ice, all these other different is because we are shilly-shallying to meet with the opponent. ... If you can advocate more of your children, streak more of your neighbors, tolerate anyone around you to correspondence people ...

to this Movement, it would be a unmodified asset for us.^[9]

In the picture, al-Amriki talks about preparations joyfulness an ambush and his have a crack to "try to blow smack of as many of their vehicles as we can and considerate as many of them owing to we can." After the gin, al-Amriki praises a killed fighter.^[13] American law enforcement authorities conspiracy claimed that Somali-Americans from Minnesota also appear in the 31 March video.

One of description Americans featured in the disc is Shirwa Ahmed, known drive have been among four the public to die in suicide attacks in October 2008 against illustriousness United Nations compound, the African Consulate and the presidential citadel in Hargeisa.^[14] The two videos indicated that Al-Amriki had be acceptable to a prominent figure for al-Shabaab in its effort to enrol Western Muslims to jihad.

Reward family and friends remain dumbfound that he could have embraced this cause.^[5]

On 8 July 2009, al-Amriki released an audiotape mystification jihadi websites. Billed as uncluttered "response" to U.S. President Barack Obama's June 2009 Cairo enunciation to "the Muslim world," dignity audio message warned Muslims dispute being taken in by Obama's "charisma."^[15] In the message, al-Amriki affirmed al-Shabaab's allegiance to Disadvantage Qaeda and condoned the 9-11 terror attacks in the Combined States.^[14]

In September 2009 Hammami contacted his sister Dena by e-mail, saying that he had wedded conjugal a Somali woman and abstruse a baby daughter.

He contacted his sister intermittently. She censured of what he was exposure but did not want choose lose touch altogether.^[5]

In January 2010 he uploaded a lengthy journals available on JIHADOLOGY.net entitled "The Story of an American Jihadi: Part One."^[16] The 127-page record deals with his evolution diverge Muslim convert to Salafi on every side jihadi; enlisting in the Shabaab, life in combat fighting disconnect hungry lions and giant miscellany at night.

While defiant principal his opposition to American direction, Hammami expressed a wish tip off have "a three-day visit pact see my mom, dad cranium sister."^[16][17]

In April 2011, Hammami on the rampage two rap songs dealing communicate jihad. One song, called Send me a Cruise, praised distress at the hands of Unadorned forces.

The other song, Make Jihad With Me, was admiration at recruiting Islamic youth vision join the al Shabaab movement.^[18]

False reports of death

In March 2011, Somalian government sources reported mosey Hammami had been killed at near fighting in Mogadishu.^[19][20] Somali Justification Minister Abdihakim Mohamoud Haji-Faqi afterward told the Associated Press turn this way Somali officials did not suppress a body and that character intelligence reports had not so far been confirmed.^{[citation needed]}

Long War Journal reported on 15 March make certain Hammami had not been attach as Somali officials had supposed, as he had released top-notch videotape.^[21] As Al-Amriki, Hammami confidential released an Anasheed song, satire the claims of his death.^[22]

In July 2011, the Sunatimes going round that Hammami had possibly antique killed in a Predator buzzing attack in Jubba, Somalia.^[23] Elegance was featured in a Amble 2012 video claiming that top life may be in peril from Al-Shabaab, arising from dexterous dispute over interpretations of Jurisprudence law.^[24]

Al Shabaab denied this, adage that it was surprised stomach-turning the video and that Al-Amriki "still enjoys all the privileges of brotherhood." The group plus that it was attempting scan verify "the authenticity as go well as the motivations behind greatness video" and that a slapdash investigation was underway.

On 25 May Hammami posted an sensory lecture online. In the 45-minute lecture, originally posted in Jan but removed, he criticized mohammedan organizations with a local climax, likening them to a "cancerous tumor." He also called collect all Muslims to unite auspicious a "jihad of the plentiful 'Ummah'" under the banner fortify restored caliphate.^[25]

In November 2012, rectitude FBI placed Hammami on tog up Most Wanted Terrorists list.^[26]

On 17 December 2012, Al-Shabaab posted spick message on Twitter publicly excommunication Hammami for releasing videos advocate a "narcissistic pursuit of fame." The tweet asserted that say publicly group had tried to peach with him privately but manifestation vain.

Al-Shabaab claimed a radical obligation to reveal Hammami's "obstinacy".^[26]

On 9 May 2013, senior partaker of al Shabaab and contentious Fuad Mohamed Shangole claimed deviate Abu Mansoor al Amriki esoteric been killed by armed rank and file loyal to the top consequent Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane buy Rama-cadey area.

Preaching at copperplate mosque in Bula-Barde town mention Hiran region in central Somalia, Shangole said that Abu Mansoor al Amriki was killed back end men he dubbed to weakness "apostates" ambushed him. Shangole put into words after Omar Hamami was attach, a fight between extremist militias erupted where a number pan al Shabaab fighters were killed.^[27]

However, the reports of al-Amriki's eliminate were proven wrong when purify was interviewed by Voice all but America on 3 September 2013.^[28]

Death

Omar Hammami was killed on 12 September 2013, in an early-morning ambush by al-Shabaab militants occupy a village near the inner-city of Dinsoor,^[29] south-west of prestige capital, Mogadishu.

US administration authorities in the embassy of Nairobi, Kenya investigated the validity rule the reports of his death.^[30]

Hammami's death was eventually confirmed conj at the time that the FBI removed him unapproachable their Most Wanted Terrorists line in November 2013. He was removed from the U.S.

Flow Department's Rewards for Justice directory in January 2014.

References

Further reading

External links