An Urgent Call by Abu Yayha Al-Libi to Revive the Jihad in Somalia

On March 25, 2007, Islamist websites posted a 29-minute video of a speech by Abu Yahya Al-Libi ("the Libyan"), an Al-Qaeda activist who escaped from a U.S. military prison in Afghanistan in July 2005. The video was produced by Al-Sahab and featured English subtitles.

Al-Libi's video appeal is a desperate attempt to revive the jihad in Somalia. In it, he addresses the mujahideen of Somalia, whom he calls "the army of difficulty, resolution and perseverance," urging them to persist in their guerilla warfare against the occupiers in the face of all the difficulties. He explains that guerilla warfare is the ultimate solution in their situation, where the enemy has clear military superiority, because this kind of warfare extracts the smallest price from the mujahideen while inflicting many losses on the enemy. He advises the mujahideen that "after adversity comes comfort, after difficulty comes ease, and after hardship... relief," adding: "Shed the feeling of despair... repel the illness of weakness, and know that Allah is with you, surrounding you with his protection, defending you with his strength."

Al-Libi calls upon the mujahideen to announce clearly that the goal of their jihad is "the expulsion of the occupier and his helpers and the establishment of an Islamic state in the land of Somalia." He also pleads to other Muslims to stand by the mujahideen and participate in their jihad. Al-Libi dismisses those who render jihad a choice saying: "It is a prescribed and decreed devotional act, which was rendered a duty by the God of gods... [in the verse] 'Fighting is prescribed to you and you dislike it [Koran 2:216].' He asserts that "there is no life for the believer, no standing for this religion, and no establishment for this Lord's shari'a without jihad.

"You should know," asserts Al-Libi "that the Abyssinians [i.e. the Ethiopians] did not enter your land and occupy your homes through conferences, negotiations or agreements but... by [declaring] a blatant war" for which they sought help from their allies. Thus, says Al-Libi, the mujahideen must resort to fighting and killing the infidels in order to reclaim the sovereignty of their land. Al-Libi advises the mujhahideen: "Launch against them attack after attack, lay ambushes for them, shake the land beneath them with... mines, demolish their bases and fortifications with martyrdom operations and car bombs." Al-Libi determines that there is no difference whether the occupier comes with a tank like the Ethiopians, or "under the cloak of international legitimacy, U.N. resolutions, peacekeeping forces, or the African Union... Don't be deceived by their slogans and don't let Satan trap you in their nets."

Al-Libi warns the mujahideen to beware of those who attempt to foment discord among the mujahideen by posing as supporters of jihad while advocating rational behavior, political sophistication, or moderation, so as to create a rift within the jihad camp.

He concludes his message by calling on those who engage in media jihad to spread the news about the mujahideen and their sacrifices, to encourage people to join the jihad in Somalia, and to assist the mujahideen in any way necessary. He says: "The fruits of your entire efforts, whether via sounds, videos or texts, are harder on the infidels... than the rockets and missiles [that fall] on their heads."