Al Qaeda Cheerleading Somali Islamists

Osama bin Laden’s deputy has called on Somalia’s Islamic militants to carry out suicide attacks on Ethiopian troops fighting in their country, according to a taped message posted on the Internet Friday.

Al-Qaida’s No. 2 also implores Muslims worldwide to support Somalia’s Islamists with fighters, money and expertise.

“I speak to you today as the crusader invader forces of Ethiopia violate the soil of the beloved Muslim Somalia,” Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahri said in the recording.

Considering that the Ethiopians have routed the Somali Islamists and have cornered roughly 600 of them in the far South of the country near the Kenyan border, I'd say that Zawahiri's exhortations to fight are an attempt to salvage a deteriorating situation.

The specter of an insurgency remains a definite possibility throughout Somalia, and it's one that Zawahiri is clearly hoping to ignite.

UPDATE:
Well some foreign jihadis have made their way into Somalia to fight the Ethiopians and stir up trouble. ABC News' Blotter reports that American passports were found among were among the bodies of jihadis killed in the battles with Somali and Ethiopian forces.

According to the same source, most of the foreign passports were Sudanese, Pakistani and Yemeni, but several American, British and Australian passports were also recovered.

The senior Somali government official told ABC News that the American passports found on the dead bodies near Baidoa, in Somalia, would be turned over to the American government.

Others commenting on this aspect of the story: Blue Crab Boulevard notes that the Ethiopian offensive has put the kibosh on the al Qaeda plans. Astute Blogger finds that this confirms the Bush vision of fighting the jihadis overseas so that we don't have to deal with them over here. I'm not sure I completely agree, but it has worked out that way so far. The key to keeping the fight overseas is to vigorously protect the rear - ensuring that the jihadis aren't able to operate inside the US and extend that to Europe as well. Europe is the battleground that has yet to play out since it is far too easy for the jihadis to enter overland. Jawa Report also comments.

Technorati: somalia, ethiopia, eritrea, african union, council of islamic courts, genocide, crimes against humanity, jihad, failure, and united nations