Uganda detains five Pakistanis over terror suspicions

Uganda arrested five Pakistanis suspected of terrorist links in the African country’s oil-rich Western region two weeks ahead of the second anniversary of the bombing attacks in Kampala for which al-Shabaab claimed responsibility. 

In 2010, Uganda was hit by a pair of suicide bombings at screenings of the World Cup.  More than 80 people were killed. 

According to Ugandan police spokesman Judith Nabakoba, the five men were arrested after they crossed over from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they allegedly met with the Allied Democratic Forces.  The ADF is an Islamist Ugandan group aiming to overthrow the Ugandan government and orchestrated a series of attacks in the late 1990s.

The five said they were only traveling to spread Islam. 

After the arrests, Uganda issued a terror alert and warned people militants may attack viewings of the Euro Cup.  This, compounded by the United States Embassy in Kenya’s warnings of an “imminent” attack in Mombasa, where a grenade attack in a bar killed at least three, has put regional security institutions on high alert. 

Both Uganda and Kenya cooperate with the United States and other Western and African powers in Somalia and to combat Islamist militants and other security threats in the region.  Islamist groups, such as al-Shabaab, threaten Kampala and Nairobi with retaliatory attacks. 

US expands intel gathering in Africa: "We should not show to al-Qaeda that we are working with Americans"

The United States expanded intelligence-gathering operations in both sub-Saharan and North Africa by establishing a network of air bases for spying on terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab, Boko Harem, AQIM, and even AQAP in nearby Yemen, as well as tracking down Joseph Kony, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

According to the WaPo, the bases in Uganda, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Djibuti, Kenya, and the Seychelles are used for "small, unarmed turboprop aircraft disguised as private planes" to avoid drawing attention and are "equipped with hidden sensors that can record full-motion video, track infrared heat patters, and vacuum up radio and cellphone signals."

 Djibril Bassole, the foreign minister of Burkina Faso, praises the intelligence gathering operations and security agreement between his country and the United States.

"We need to fight and protect our borders," he said.  "Once they infiltrate your country, it's very, very difficult to get them out.

Some discretion is necessary, he says.

"I cannot provide details but it has been very, very helpful.  This cooperation should be very, very discreet.  We should not show to al-Qaeda that we are working with the Americans."

Oops.  Pretty sure they know now.  

Special Ops forces, working with a sizable contingent of contractors, fly intel missions over the continent.  The Special Ops depend heavily on contractors for much of the work, in effect outsourcing intelligence gathering efforts. The nature of the agreements leaves little accountability or means of renumeration for contractors or their families if things go wrong.

The article is worth reading in full, but one thing I noted about both stories was the mention of plainclothes civilians and military officers in bars and restaurants in the region. The first story placed special emphasis on the presence of service members an contractors in Ouagadougou, the capital of Muslim-majority Burkina Faso. The second placed emphasis on the presence of contractors in Kampala, which was attacked in July 2010 by al-Shabaab.  Over 70 were killed and around 70 were injured when the Somali-based group attacked World Cup screenings.

I'm not sure what the mention of these foreigners in the capitals--especially in the BARS in these countries--added to the stories aside from placing these guys and mzungus (white people) who have nothing to do with the operations at risk of retaliation attacks.  In the case of Ouagadougou, the story even mentioned locals appreciate them for the business they bring.  In the case of Kenya--I mean, al-Shabaab already attacked them. 

Shabaab places bounty on Obama: For you, ten camels. "Old Woman" Hillary only worth ten roosters, hens

"Whoever reveals the hideout of the idiot Obama will be rewarded with 10 camels, and whoever reveals the hideout of the old woman Hillary Clinton will be rewarded 10 chickens and 10 roosters," said Fouad Muhammad Khalaf, a member of al-Shabaab.

SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant organizations, reported Khalaf made the comment after Friday prayers, mocking a United States bounty on members of the Somali organization.

"I can assure you that these kinds of things will never dissuade us from continuing the holy war against them," continued Khalaf.  "There is nothing new in the fact that infidels pay to have Muslim leaders killed.  They already did that by offering camels for the head of the Prophet Mohammed, and the dollar is the camel of today."

Khalaf was referring to a story in the Quran in which an offer of 100 camels was made for the Prophet when he was fleeing Mecca for Medina.

On Thursday, the Department of State announced a $7 million bounty for al-Shabaab founder and leader Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed, more commonly known as Godane or Abu Zubayr, and a $5 million bounty for information on the whereabouts of Khalaf and three other members of the militant group.  Three million was offered for information on two other members of the group.

Al-Shabaab took control over large swaths of Somalia after the fall of the Islamic Courts Union after an Ethiopian invasion in 2006.  The Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which once controlled only blocks in Mogadishu, successfully reclaimed several key bases from al-Shabaab in recent months with the assistance of troops from the African Union.

According to VOA, after years of war, Somalia is working to attract investment and business back to Mogadishu.

"Now, business, hotels, restaurants have started opening, roads are building, schools are building so now, a lot of hope [is] there," said MP Mohammed Amin Osman.