A military court in Mogadishu has sentenced Ahmed Ali Aybakar to ten years in prison for being a key al Shabaab facilitator in Mogadishu. The court acquitted him of belonging to the terror organization but termed him as a key al Shabaab sympathizer in Somalia’s capital.
Aybakar was accused of renting houses for members of al Shabaab in his name allowing them free movement within the capital as they plan and execute attacks. He was arrested at a Mogadishu hospital in July of this year as he attempted to secure treatment for a wounded al Shabaab member. He had presented the wounded terrorist as his cousin as revealed by court documents as well as that not being the first terrorist he had helped seek treatment.
Al-Shabab which is an Al Qaeda affiliate to Somalia has been waging wars against the government and the African Union mission to Somalia in an attempt to overthrew and impose their strict version of the Sharia.
Sympathizers and facilitators like Aybakar especially in big towns in Somalia have continually helped the terrorists evade capture and even provide them with the means to conduct attacks. Al Shabaab has a wide network of sympathizers and facilitators that allow them to scout, conduct reconnaissance and even orchestrate attacks without being caught.
