Somali Shabaab's threat to strike U.S. seen empty

MOGADISHU — Somalia's Islamist al Shabaab rebels are seen as lacking the numbers and unity of purpose to carry out a threat by one of their leaders to attack the United States on its own territory.

Fuad Mohamed Khalaf, number three in the group, said on Monday the al Qaeda-linked Islamists would carry out attacks in the United States if President Barack Obama and American citizens did not convert to Islam.

While al Shabaab managed to carry out a major bomb attack in Uganda earlier this year, Somalia analysts based in the country and outside this week dismissed the threat against Washington as propaganda.

"I do not believe al Shabaab can implement its threat to the U.S. It is more propaganda," Rage Farah, a history lecturer at a Mogadishu university, told Reuters.

"Al Shabaab itself admits that it failed to overcome AU (African Union) forces. They may threaten Uganda, countries that are within their reach."Read More