In Summary
Some 20 young Somali-Americans traveled to Somalia to join the jihadist group, Al-Shabaab.
Two have since defected from the group narrates of deadly adventure that ruined their future while fighting for the militia group.
They warn youths against being brainwashed and radicalized into joining the militia groups.
Minnesota men who joined the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab militia group in Somalia now feel remorseful citing deadly adventures that have ruined their future.
More than ten years ago, 20 young Somali-Americans left their families, schools and jobs, returned to their native horn of Africa nation Somalia where they joined Al-Shabaab jihadist group.
Narrating the ordeal, two of them who defected from the militia group 16 months ago, have been hiding in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, troubled of being hunted down by the group’s assassins.
Ahmed Ali Omar and Abdulkadir Ali Abdi narrated their live of fear while fighting for Al-Shabaab. They would have been killed or jailed if he stayed with the group referencing spying claims on foreign fighters within Al-Shabaab.
During an interview on an investigative program, the two were remorseful noting that future is ruined and warned others, especially youths from joining jihadist groups.
What made the two to defect from Al-Shabaab?
According to Omar there were a series of incidents that turned him and Abdi against Al-Shabaab.
The truck bomb attack at a Mogadishu Zobe’s intersection on October 14, 2017 that close to 600 killed and scores injured impacted the two of what the militia group was doing is wrong.
The attack that is the single largest terrorist attack in African history also left even some members of Al-Shabaab lost wives and relatives killed in the blast, Omar adds.
After Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility of the attack, the group also released pictures of the assault and explained why most those killed were innocent civilians but according to Omar, there was no clear explanation to convince people to accept what happened.
Omar and Abdi notes highlights of Al-Shabaab’s harsh treatment to Somali people, including senseless killing of innocent civilians, looting of people wealth and apostatizing people, thus the militia group designated Muslims as non-believers in order to justify their killing citing Somalia is largely a Muslim country.
The two finally defected to the Somali government in September 2018. They were put into a rehabilitation program where they have renounced violence and are ready to be put in positions where they can help security forces.
Ruined lives
The duo were born in Somalia but relocated to the United States with their families in 1990s at time there were chaos and violence in Somalia. They settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has the largest Somali-American community in the U.S.
The two were approached by Al-Shabaab recruiters to return home and take up arms. Omar, who initially wanted to be a doctor after graduating high school, arrived in Somalia in late 2007 at age 19 while Abdi joined the group a year later, at age 17.
Their departure put their families and community a harsh spotlight, as the FBI and law enforcement agencies hunted for the recruiters. Some Minnesota Somalis described them as brainwashed young men, but others said pro-Al-Shabaab locals manipulated them.
Though the two have wasted their time while in the jihadist group in Somalia, Minnesota community leaders say they are happy that young men after such a long time are denouncing Al-Shabaab after realizing how wrong their ideology is.
Omar and Abdi also adds that several of their Minnesota colleagues are in Al-Shabaab detentions because the group accused them of having intentions to defect.
