Al-Shabaab terrorists are still mulling on a significant terrorist hit in Kenya and Somalia. In our earlier projections, we hinted large-scale attacks to score high and inflict intimidation in Kenya and Somalia.
The psychology of criminal intents is a mindset that consistently revolves around an orbit of effective fatality. A criminal is objective, seeks a more large-scale hit after either of his success, and then retreats to low profile activities to mask identity and his trail to avert being closed in before resurfacing with an atrocity in mind.
Al-Shabaab scored high in the Garissa church attacks in Kenya but that magnitude of impact has not gained the principal objective, fear, intimidation, and horror.
Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Takar, a low profile Al-Shabaab leader with vast connections across the European and Maghreb Al-Qaeda networks, took the credit to the hit. Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Takar, is associated with proselytizing and radicalization of foreign Al-Shabaab sympathizers.
Our intelligence analysis report shows the following about this Al-Shabaab leader
Sheikh Hassan Takar is a Shabab supporter/leader. He formally joined the terrorist group in 2011. Takar has a doctorate in Islamic education.
He has British citizenry. His brother is a decent Sheikh and the Imam of one of the largest Somali Masjiids in UK.Sheikh Hassan Takar believes that anyone that goes against the ideology of Al-Shabaab should be killed
He is associated with assassination of well-known Muslim scholar Sheikh Ahmed Haji Abdirahman in Puntland port city of Bossaso in 2011, (Assassinated by Al-Shabaab gunmen as he left a Mosque), and this assassination of Colonel Abdullahi Salah Nadalo, outside Bulshale hotel in Puntland.
Analysis
Through diagrammatic analysis of the connections between deaths, British citizens serving Al-Shabaab, assassinations of key figures, and recent terrorist activities, we construct a matrix that verifies Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Takar is heading the special operations of the Al-Shabaab.
Firstly, we pin-point the relevance of commonplace scenario in society that people who return from foreign countries are looked at as senior and worthy listening and leading community causes. The Shabaab has accorded Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Takar such favor.
Two, Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Takar brother is an imam in Britain and Takar used this connection to proselytize and radicalize British Al-Shabaab sympathizers who include:
Samantha Lewthwaite aka Natalie Faye Webb, Jermaine Grant, 29-year-old, from Newham, east London arrested alongside 3-others (Warda Breik Islam, Fouad Abubakar Manswab, and Frank Ngala).
Britain considers Al-Shabaab a security threat, due to the presence of British nationals amongst its rank and fold including Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Takar. There are slightly over 50 Britons working in the Al-Shabaab rank and fold (British Intelligence Services).
According to Strategic Intelligence News, family friends or friends who have already gone to the conflict zone such as Hassan Mohamud Takar have connected most Al-Shabaab terrorists of foreign origin operating in Somalia and Kenya to terrorist activities.
Small units have been formed to help cut cost and increase effectiveness. Al-Shabaab has lost both resources and source of revenue. They are employing means that will quickly take effect and bring their economy and ability back.
Small units and gangs will rob and kill to ensure the nightmare factor in their plans is achieved.
Foreign fighters with skills are better when in small units/gangs which they can control and lead through such operations such as ambushes contrary to large militant gangs which are easy to identify and attack.
Possible Terror Targets From Al-Shabaab’s Tukar’s Perspective
As the group retreats to rethink strategy after conducting successful military ambushes on Ethiopian and TFG forces this week, and the attack on a church in Kenya, assassinating a senior government official in Somalia and Kenya will be significant.
According to Hassan Mohamud Takar,
