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| US-born 'jihadist rapper' Omar Hammami reportedly killed in Somalia | US-born 'jihadist rapper' Omar Hammami reportedly killed in Somalia |
| (6 days later) | |
| A rapping jihadist from Alabama who ascended the ranks of Somalia's al-Qaida-linked militant group and was on the FBI's most wanted list with a $5m (£3.2m) reward for his capture was reportedly killed on Thursday in an ambush ordered by the militant group's leader. | A rapping jihadist from Alabama who ascended the ranks of Somalia's al-Qaida-linked militant group and was on the FBI's most wanted list with a $5m (£3.2m) reward for his capture was reportedly killed on Thursday in an ambush ordered by the militant group's leader. |
| Omar Hammami, a native of Daphne, Alabama, who was known as Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, or "the American", died in southern Somalia following several months on the run after a falling out with al-Shabaab's top leader, the militants said. | Omar Hammami, a native of Daphne, Alabama, who was known as Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, or "the American", died in southern Somalia following several months on the run after a falling out with al-Shabaab's top leader, the militants said. |
| Reports of Hammami's death crop up every few months in Somalia, only for him to resurface a short while later. But a US terrorism expert who closely follows the inner workings of al-Shabaab said he thought the current reports of the death were accurate. | Reports of Hammami's death crop up every few months in Somalia, only for him to resurface a short while later. But a US terrorism expert who closely follows the inner workings of al-Shabaab said he thought the current reports of the death were accurate. |
| "I think it's very likely true based on the sources I am seeing," said JM Berger, who runs the website Intelwire.com. | "I think it's very likely true based on the sources I am seeing," said JM Berger, who runs the website Intelwire.com. |
| Militants did not immediately present proof of Hammami's death. | Militants did not immediately present proof of Hammami's death. |
| A member of al-Shabaab who gave his name as Sheik Abu Mohammed told the Associated Press that Hammami was killed in an ambush in Somalia's southern Bay region. Some of Mohammed's associates carried out the killing, he said. | A member of al-Shabaab who gave his name as Sheik Abu Mohammed told the Associated Press that Hammami was killed in an ambush in Somalia's southern Bay region. Some of Mohammed's associates carried out the killing, he said. |
| Along with Adam Gadahn in Pakistan – a former Osama bin Laden spokesman – Hammami was one of the two most notorious Americans in jihad groups. He grew up in Daphne, a community of 20,000 outside Mobile, the son of a Christian mother and a Syrian-born Muslim father. | Along with Adam Gadahn in Pakistan – a former Osama bin Laden spokesman – Hammami was one of the two most notorious Americans in jihad groups. He grew up in Daphne, a community of 20,000 outside Mobile, the son of a Christian mother and a Syrian-born Muslim father. |
| His YouTube videos that featured him rapping and his presence on Twitter made him one of the most recognisable and studied US foreign fighters. The US put Hammami on its most wanted terrorist list in March and offered a $5m reward for information leading to his capture. | His YouTube videos that featured him rapping and his presence on Twitter made him one of the most recognisable and studied US foreign fighters. The US put Hammami on its most wanted terrorist list in March and offered a $5m reward for information leading to his capture. |
| US prosecutors had charged Hammami with providing material support to terrorists. | US prosecutors had charged Hammami with providing material support to terrorists. |
| Hammami moved from Alabama to Somalia and joined al-Shabaab in about 2006. He fought alongside al-Shabaab for years until they had a falling out amid signs of increasing tension between Somali and foreign fighters in the group. He first expressed fear for his life in a web video in March 2012 that publicised his rift with al-Shabaab. | Hammami moved from Alabama to Somalia and joined al-Shabaab in about 2006. He fought alongside al-Shabaab for years until they had a falling out amid signs of increasing tension between Somali and foreign fighters in the group. He first expressed fear for his life in a web video in March 2012 that publicised his rift with al-Shabaab. |
| The first serious attempt on his life was made in April. | The first serious attempt on his life was made in April. |
| "Just been shot in neck by shabaab assassin. not critical yet," Hammami tweeted after the April attack. He later wrote on Twitter that the leader of al-Shabaab was sending in forces from multiple directions. "we are few but we might get back up. abu zubayr has gone mad. he's starting a civil war," Hammami posted. | "Just been shot in neck by shabaab assassin. not critical yet," Hammami tweeted after the April attack. He later wrote on Twitter that the leader of al-Shabaab was sending in forces from multiple directions. "we are few but we might get back up. abu zubayr has gone mad. he's starting a civil war," Hammami posted. |
| Hammami accused al-Shabaab's leaders of living extravagant lifestyles with the taxes fighters collected from Somali residents. Another Hammami grievance was that the Somali militant leaders sidelined foreign militants inside al-Shabaab and were concerned only about fighting in Somalia, not globally. | Hammami accused al-Shabaab's leaders of living extravagant lifestyles with the taxes fighters collected from Somali residents. Another Hammami grievance was that the Somali militant leaders sidelined foreign militants inside al-Shabaab and were concerned only about fighting in Somalia, not globally. |
| The leader of al-Shabaab, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, is also known as Godane. | The leader of al-Shabaab, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, is also known as Godane. |
| Berger said Hammami had been "a thorn in the side of al-Shabaab" for more than two years and "one of the few surviving dissenters after Godane's bloody purge over the summer". | Berger said Hammami had been "a thorn in the side of al-Shabaab" for more than two years and "one of the few surviving dissenters after Godane's bloody purge over the summer". |
| Militants in Somalia have long hosted foreign fighters in the country. US officials say al-Shabaab, which has been around since about 2006, counts several hundred foreign fighters among its ranks, including several dozen Somali-Americans from Minnesota. | Militants in Somalia have long hosted foreign fighters in the country. US officials say al-Shabaab, which has been around since about 2006, counts several hundred foreign fighters among its ranks, including several dozen Somali-Americans from Minnesota. |
| Al-Shabaab and al-Qaida announced a formal merger in February 2012, but the Somali militant group maintained a reputation as being hostile to foreign fighters. | Al-Shabaab and al-Qaida announced a formal merger in February 2012, but the Somali militant group maintained a reputation as being hostile to foreign fighters. |
| "Hammami brought a lot of unwelcome outside scrutiny on Shabaab from the international jihadist community. His story will likely be a case study on what can go wrong when westerners join jihadist movements," Berger said. | "Hammami brought a lot of unwelcome outside scrutiny on Shabaab from the international jihadist community. His story will likely be a case study on what can go wrong when westerners join jihadist movements," Berger said. |
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