Somalia extremists urge attacks on US shopping malls

[webfact]

Somalia extremists urge attacks on US shopping malls
By ANDREW MELDRUM

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A video purported to be by Somalia's al-Qaida-linked rebel group al-Shabab urged Muslims to attack shopping malls in the U.S., Canada, Britain and other Western countries.

U.S. authorities said there was "no credible" evidence suggesting a U.S. mall attack was in the works.

The threat by the al-Qaida affiliate came in the final minutes of a more than hourlong video released Saturday in which the extremists also warned Kenya of more attacks like the September 2013 assault on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi in which 67 people were killed.

The masked narrator concluded by calling on Muslims to attack shopping malls, specifically naming the Mall of America in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, as well as the West Edmonton Mall in Canada and the Westfield mall in Stratford, England. The authenticity of the video could not be immediately verified by The Associated Press.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security provided local law enforcement agencies and private sector partners with "relevant information regarding the recent al-Shabab propaganda video," DHS press secretary Marsha Catron said in a statement.

"However, we are not aware of any specific, credible plot against the Mall of America or any other domestic commercial shopping center," Catron said.

The Bloomington Police Department said additional security measures had been put in place at the Mall of America, one of the largest malls in the nation.

Speaking earlier on morning talk shows in the U.S., Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson called the video "the new phase" of the global terrorist threat and warned the public to be vigilant.

"These groups are relying more and more on independent actors to become inspired, drawn to the cause and they'll attack on their own," Johnson said, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union."

"I am very concerned about serious potential threats of independent actors here in the United States. We've seen this now in Europe, we've seen this in Canada."

Asked about the specific threat against the Mall of America, Johnson said: "Any time a terrorist organization calls for an attack on a specific place we've got to take that seriously. What we're telling the public is you've got to be vigilant. ... There will be enhanced security there that will be apparent, but public vigilance, public awareness and public caution in situations like this is particularly important."

In the slickly produced video posted online, a masked man, his face wrapped in a black-and-white kaffiyeh-type scarf and wearing a camouflage jacket, declared: "Westgate was just the beginning." The video included footage from major news organizations showing the assault on the mall and said it was in reprisal for alleged abuses by Kenyan troops against Muslims in Somalia.

"What if such an attack were to occur in the Mall of America in Minnesota? Or the West Edmonton Mall in Canada? Or in London's Oxford Street?" said the man, who spoke with a British accent and appeared to be of Somali origin.

The Mall of America said in a statement that it was "aware of a threatening video which includes a mention and images of the mall," and said extra security had been put in place.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton was monitoring the situation and has been in regular contact with the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety which is coordinating with federal and local law enforcement agencies and the Mall of America "to assure the safety of all Minnesotans," said a statement released by the governor's press secretary Matt Swenson.

Shoppers seemed undeterred Sunday by the threat.

"I'm more afraid of the cold today than any terrorists," said Mary Lamminen, of St. Paul.

David Modrynski said he talked with his wife and son about whether to visit the mall after hearing about the video. "But we can't stop living our lives because somebody says they're going to do something," Modrynski said.

While al-Shabab has carried out attacks in neighboring Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti, which all have troops fighting the extremists as part of the multinational African Union force, the al-Qaida affiliate has never operated outside East Africa and the Horn of Africa.

Minnesota, home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., has been the target of terror recruiters in the past. Since 2007, more than 22 young Somali men from Minnesota have traveled to Somalia to join al-Shabab, and a handful of Minnesota residents have also traveled to Syria to fight with militant groups within the last year, authorities say. At least one Minnesotan has died while fighting for the Islamic State group.

On Thursday, a 19-year-old Minneapolis man who was stopped at a New York City airport in November as he and three others were allegedly attempting to travel to Syria was indicted on charges associated with supporting the Islamic State group.

Last week U.S. Attorney Andy Luger led a Minnesota delegation, including law enforcement officials and Somali community leaders, to a White House summit on countering extremism and radicalization. In his remarks, Vice President Joe Biden held up Minneapolis, Boston and Los Angeles as examples of communities moving ahead with programs to counter extremism locally.

In Kenya, the government dismissed the al-Shabab video.

"They're using propaganda to legitimize what cannot be legitimized. When you lead a group to go and attack a shopping mall and kill innocent shoppers that cannot be legitimized, those were not soldiers," Interior Ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka said.

"Muslims also died in the Westgate attack. It's in our interest to ensure Somalia is stabilized because the instability affects us. The video is cheap propaganda trying to re-write history and to get more support from those support them."
___

Associated Press writers Tom Odula in Nairobi, Kenya; Jeff Baenen in Minneapolis; Kia Farhang in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Thomas Strong and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-23

[Mosha]

Not just the ISA

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/police-assessing-al-shabaab-uk-mall-threats/ar-BBhQHwl

[WitawatWatawit]

Headline I'd like to see:

US malls urge attacks on Somali extremists.

[HeijoshinCool]

Terrorizing shopping malls would be an easy and excellent way of damaging a country's economy. But it never happens.

Deduce for yourself, why that is.

[Ulysses G.]

Terrorizing shopping malls would be an easy and excellent way of damaging a country's economy. But it never happens.

Never say never.

On 21 September 2013, unidentified gunmen attacked the upmarket Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The attack, which lasted until 24 September, resulted in at least 67 deaths, including four attackers. Over 175 people were reportedly wounded in the mass shooting, with all of the gunmen reported killed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westgate_shopping_mall_attack

[chooka]

That's great news, now the missus won't want to go shopping. Happy Days for me.

[CraigSchuler]

Don't they know most shopping malls are pretty much empty? Most Americans can't afford the place anymore.

Edited February 23, 2015 by CraigSchuler

[HeijoshinCool]

Terrorizing shopping malls would be an easy and excellent way of damaging a country's economy. But it never happens.

Never say never.

On 21 September 2013, unidentified gunmen attacked the upmarket Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The attack, which lasted until 24 September, resulted in at least 67 deaths, including four attackers. Over 175 people were reportedly wounded in the mass shooting, with all of the gunmen reported killed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westgate_shopping_mall_attack

.

Thanks, Ulysses, but I was talking specifically about America.

The Mall of America has been "threatened" many times over many years, but apparently even though four barely trained and unlicensed "pilots" can skillfully maneuver complex multi-engine jet airliners to within inches of their targets, including skimming the ground, no one has yet displayed the basic skills needed to fill the vents in a shopping mall with chemical or biological weapons easily made in your kitchen.

There are a number of inexpensive, virtually foolproof ways to wreak economic havoc, yet it's never yet been done.

Scare tactics for control.

[bangon04]

"On Thursday, a 19-year-old Minneapolis man who was stopped at a New York City airport in November as he and three others were allegedly attempting to travel to Syria was indicted on charges associated with supporting the Islamic State group."

Better to let them go. But just make sure they never come back.....

[ggt]

These attacks...if successful...will likely kill a bunch of teens who are there for the socializing...and a few senior citizens...who are there walking to get their exercise...

How about focusing on a more appropriate target...dummies...

[sdanielmcev]

I think they've already attacked the Wal-marts with ugly sticks.

[IAMHERE]

Terrorizing shopping malls would be an easy and excellent way of damaging a country's economy. But it never happens.

Deduce for yourself, why that is.

Amazon ???

[IAMHERE]

These type of threats make me start to think the bad guys don't have a nuke in a suitcase, one of those Russia (Putin) has lost track of, that is the threat I am scared of.

[Suradit69]

Terrorizing shopping malls would be an easy and excellent way of damaging a country's economy. But it never happens.

Deduce for yourself, why that is.

"But it never happens."

Depends on what you mean by "terrorizing." Plenty of domestic nutcases have no scruples about malls or schools or post offices or ...

MELBOURNE, Fla. —Witnesses described panic and chaos moments after police said a man opened fire inside the food court at Melbourne Square Mall Saturday.

a Pittsburgh-area shopping center on Saturday evening, wounding three people, two critically, in a shooting that targeted one of the victims, police said. The mall and a hospital's emergency room were placed on lockdown as police searched for the suspect.

[Jan 2014] someone opened fire inside the Mall in Columbia, in Columbia, Maryland, leaving three people dead including the person believed to be the shooter.

One of the three bodies was found beside a gun and ammunition, which is what has lead the Howard County Police Department to assume that person was the shooter. They have not yet said if the shooter took his own life or was shot by someone else, or if the two victims were targeted.

Already this week, one person was killed on the campus of South Carolina State University andanother at Purdue University. Shots were reportedly fired at the University of Oklahoma on Wednesday, and earlier in the week a BART officer in San Francisco accidentally shot one of his colleagues dead.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Suradit69

[arjunadawn]

They are not "extremists." Each time you see such 'replacement' phrases know you are being trained to perceive the politically correct. I cringe when I read "extrem[ist]." It implies we have some collective base-point as humans and we thus measures another's distance from all of us, and determine the least useful defining aspect- 'they are far away from the center of some spectrum'- thus extreme (what utter nonsense). Instead, lets not measure us to estimate others but take at face value who others state they are- in this case islamic jihadists, in another islamic jihadists, in another muslim jihadists, or jihadists, or islamists, or islamic terrorists, or muslim terrorists, or Soldiers for Al Lah, or Slaves of Al Lah. Lets stop defining the threat by referencing ourselves (the victims) as implicit in the threat. These people are not the extreme of 'us.' The mere notion is smokey, vague, meaningless, and void; it is offensive. The extreme for most of 'us' could never arrive at such a state.

These people are muslim. They are islamic. They have two legs. Most piss standing up. They eat through their mouths. They have two eyes (well, some still do), they worship the koran, and they want to kill others because others are not them. They are not extremist so identify them for what they are. Africans are not dark white people. Women are not incomplete men. Children are not small adults. Extremists are not us at the far end of some spectrum- they are muslim jihadists infused with an ideology that promises supremacy both in this life and later. The first victim of this Third Jihad is language. The second victim is... well, everyone! They are not extremists. They are in fact orthodox muslims. They most certainly are not 'us' in the far spectrum of some vague human meter- "extreme."

[Steely Dan]

I obviously hope any plots to attack malls are thwarted, but should there be an attack can I be the first to point out - It will have nothing to do with Islam, but simultaneously the Muslim community will be fearing a backlash.

[arjunadawn]

I obviously hope any plots to attack malls are thwarted, but should there be an attack can I be the first to point out - It will have nothing to do with Islam, but simultaneously the Muslim community will be fearing a backlash.

Some may not realize but when the koran is read today's events and the response and the then response of the muslim community reads exactly as it did in Mecca 1,400 years ago. It is the very same exact vile acts, responses and reprimands from the populace, and claims of victimization from those who passively or actively engaged in the acts that alienated the Meccans. It is virtually indistinguishable. Remember how it ended for the Meccans!

Edited February 23, 2015 by arjunadawn

[Steely Dan]

Now let's see - Somali extremists threaten to attack shopping Malls. What should be done about this? Answer: let in 800 Somali immigrants a month, what could possibly go wrong?

https://refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/somali-islamic-terrorists-threaten-attack-on-mall-of-america-we-are-bringing-in-over-800-somali-refugees-a-month-right-now/

[arjunadawn]

Now let's see - Somali extremists threaten to attack shopping Malls. What should be done about this? Answer: let in 800 Somali immigrants a month, what could possibly go wrong?

https://refugeeresettlementwatch.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/somali-islamic-terrorists-threaten-attack-on-mall-of-america-we-are-bringing-in-over-800-somali-refugees-a-month-right-now/

Of course the source of jihad, the terrorism, etc., the common source, is well known by any fool. People/media keep asserting the stupidity of Obama et al (or his policies) in not naming islamic terrorists... islamic terrorists; as if it is his progressive vision; a different policy; or even poor leadership that guides him otherwise. This is hardly the case. A close inspection of Obama's policies, however disagreeable, do not reveal stupidity rather they reveal a very concerted underlying effort to enhance islam, exploit the weaknesses of the West, and to facilitate first the transfer of land and power from local arab strongmen to jihadi terrorists (many people are not aware that the caliphate, the jihad, the islamists, do not have for their first target the west of even Israel; the first target/tier has always been what they see as illegitimate rulers), and second, the transfer of weapons and wealth of the West under the premise of battling islamic terrorists the West themselves created. Viewed piecemeal, Obama's polices and actions may have variable explanations or unapparent outcomes but when considered collectively, through the lens of cui bono?, they all reveal 1. a steadfast, inexorable explosion of islamist fundamentalism, 2. a rise in their military power so significant as to render their fairly immune to all but the most concerted efforts, and 3. increasingly larger land and economies.

The appropriate inclusion of the descriptive term "islam" is not avoided because he incredulously refuses to hand the terrorists a boon but the self evident descriptor "islam" is not named because it keeps the West off balance while the West is repopulated with the very threat source Obama refuses to note exists. As long as "islam" IS sterilized and interference ran by this white house with the red herring that Obama just sees the world differently and refuses to hand the terrorists a boon, Obama is empowered to move vast numbers of people out of the middle east and into the West- a total redistribution of power and insinuation of people. Obama has tipped his hand repeatedly that the assertion I submit above is indeed his intention. Obama's sole priority abroad IS to empower islam while simultaneously running interference for islam (all the actors in this tale want a caliphate). I state again, Obama has made it his number one priority to enhance/empower islam throughout his administration. It can not be argued either that his islamic empowerment stops at Iran, or IS, or jihad, or any islamist (pick a name); Obama empowers Islam, period (few realize the dynamic playing out within islam today is not even with reform, moderate, or radical labels. The only battle being waged within islam today is between the Muslim Brotherhood and their supporters (Obama) and those like IS and their supporters (the countries that have banned the MB)!

http://nypost.com/2015/02/18/obama-refuses-to-acknowledge-muslim-terrorists-at-summit/

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/02/why-obama-wont-talk-about-islamic-terrorism/385539/

2009

2010- http://mediamatters.org/blog/2010/07/06/yet-again-an-obama-official-says-muslim-right-w/167265

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/06/nasa-official-walks-claim-muslim-outreach-foremost-mission/

2012

2014

2015- http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/01/08/6-times-the-obama-administration-said-its-job-was-to-promote-islam/

When islamic terrorists attack in America they will remain islamic terrorists, and the transfer will continue. This president is wrapped tightly into the islamic fold. People dream if they proffer other explanations; there are none!

Edited February 23, 2015 by arjunadawn

[cookee68]

What amazes me is the fact that Muslims, are doing fine killing their own kind without the help of anyone,

[cookee68]

I obviously hope any plots to attack malls are thwarted, but should there be an attack can I be the first to point out - It will have nothing to do with Islam, but simultaneously the Muslim community will be fearing a backlash.

Life is life. the same could be said about many innocent religious groups that have been killed, by the hands of one religion, Shit sticks