The Somali militant group al Shabaab has formally joined al Qaeda, the terror network's leader Ayman al Zawahiri has announced in a new video.
Ayman al Zawahiri, who has posted a new video announcing the merger of the two terror groups Photo: AFP/Getty Images
11:49AM GMT 10 Feb 2012
3 Comments The move is an apparent bid to boost morale after months of setbacks to al Qaeda - including the loss of founder Osama bin laden.
One analyst said the connection could signal that the insurgents, known as resourceful, determined and increasingly web-savvy, had al Qaeda's approval for attacks against the West.
In a video posted on Islamist forums on Thursday, al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahri said: "Today, I have glad tidings for the Muslim ummah (nation) that will please the believers and disturb the disbelievers, which is the joining of the Shabaab al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia to Qaedat al-Jihad to support the jihadi unity against the Zionist-Crusader campaign and their assistants amongst the treacherous agent rulers.
"I appeal to our people in Somalia not to follow those who teach ill, and the weak leaders who brought the crusader rabble to the land of pure Islam."
The clip included an audio recording by al Shabaab's leader Sheikh Abu Zubeyr, in which he pledged allegiance to Zawahiri, who took over the reins of al Qaeda last year following the killing of bin Laden in a US attack in Pakistan.
Al Shabaab, which controls large areas of Somalia, voiced support for Zawahri soon after he took over al Qaeda and has had openly declared links to the network for more than two years.
While counter-terrorism experts say al Shabaab has received advice and training from some members of al Qaeda, it has tended to see itself more as an ally or affiliate than a direct outpost of the core organisation.
Initial Western official reaction was dismissive, pointing to the apparent weakness of al Qaeda's top leadership, based in the mountainous border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"Zawahiri's announcement just formalizes what everyone already knew: al Shabaab is an affiliate of al Qaeda. This doesn't change the fact that al Qaeda's core is still suffering and trying to remain relevant," a US official said on condition of anonymity.
Analysts said the move appeared partly a propaganda gambit by an al Qaeda leadership weakened by drone strikes and a failure to carry out a major successful attack in the West since 2005.
While counter-terrorism experts say al Shabaab has received advice and training from some members of al Qaeda, it has tended to see itself more as an ally or affiliate than a direct outpost of the core organisation.
Initial Western official reaction was dismissive, pointing to the apparent weakness of al Qaeda's top leadership, based in the mountainous border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"Zawahiri's announcement just formalizes what everyone already knew: al Shabaab is an affiliate of al Qaeda. This doesn't change the fact that al Qaeda's core is still suffering and trying to remain relevant," a US official said on condition of anonymity.
Analysts said the move appeared partly a propaganda gambit by an al Qaeda leadership weakened by drone strikes and a failure to carry out a major successful attack in the West since 2005.
