An image grab provided by the SITE Intelligence Group on February 9, 2012 shows Al-Qaeda's chief Ayman al-Zawahiri announcing in a video-relayed audio message posted on jihadist forums that Somalia's extremist Al-Shabaab fighters have joined ranks with Al-Qaeda network. AFP PHOTO
Daily Nation
Monday, February 13, 2012
KDF spokesperson Major Emmanuel Chirchir, who made the announcement on his twitter handle @MajorEChirchir on Monday, however gave no indications on whether Kenyan forces planned to utilise the suggested public display by Al-Shabaab to attack the group's members.
" Al shabaab planning demonstrations within areas of control aimed to indicate al shabaab-al Qaida merger has local support," said Major Chirchir.
A second tweet stated " Kismayu demonstration already on, agenda Al Qaida-AlShabaab merger and Somali London conference. Forced demonstration!!"
Al-Shabaab controls mostly central and southern regions of Somalia where the suggested demonstrations are likely to be held.
"I will break the good news to our Islamic nation, which will... annoy the crusaders, and it is that the Shabaab movement in Somalia has joined Al-Qaeda," Zawahiri said in the video.
"The jihadist movement is with the grace of Allah,
growing and spreading within its Muslim nation despite facing the
fiercest crusade campaign in history by the West," said Zawahiri in the
video released by Al-Qaeda's media arm As-Sahab.
Somalia's President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, in response to the
announcement, said Al-Qaeda should be listed as a colonial power in
Somalia.