An update on this story. "Al-Qaida vet 'takes over Somali jihadists," from UPI, March 11:
MOGADISHU, Somalia, March 11 (UPI) -- The reported takeover of Somalia's al-Shebab Islamists by al-Qaida veteran Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, alleged mastermind of the 1988 [sic] U.S. embassy bombings in East Africa, could rally the divided jihadists as they brace for a U.S.-backed government offensive.
According to counter-terrorism operatives in Kenya, Somalia's northern neighbor that sides with the beleaguered TFG in Mogadishu, officials believe Fazul took command of the jihadist forces following the assassination of Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan by U.S. SEALs on Sept. 14.
Nabhan's convoy was attacked by U.S. Navy helicopters south of Mogadishu near Baraawe in a raid codenamed Operation Celestial Balance in which he was the main target.
The Kenya-born Nabhan, a close associate of Fazul for many years, was wanted for involvement in the Aug. 7, 1998, embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es-Salaam, Tanzania, in which 241 people were killed.
U.S. authorities also wanted him for twin attacks in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa on Nov. 28, 2002 -- the suicide bombing of the Israeli-owned Paradise Hotel and a near-simultaneous two-missile attack on an Israeli airliner that had just taken off from the city's airport. The bombing killed 15 people; the missiles missed the Boeing 757 taking Israeli vacationers home.
Fazul was born in the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mozambique in 1972. He trained as a computer expert and speaks five languages, including English, French and Arabic.
While pursuing Islamic studies in Pakistan, he was recruited by al-Qaida in 1991 and was sent to Somalia to help train Islamist militiamen. He has been closely linked to them since.
He took over leadership of al-Qaida's East Africa cell following the embassy bombings and was heavily involved in the African "blood diamonds" trade to fund al-Qaida....
He "was heavily involved in the African 'blood diamonds' trade to fund al-Qaida..."
Like other al Qaeda, he probably believes that 20 percent of all mineral wealth (including diamond revenue) is due to the caliphate.
"According to counter-terrorism operatives in Kenya, Somalia's northern neighbor..."
Kenya is to the north of Somalia? Since when?
He...was heavily involved in the African "blood diamonds" trade to fund al-Qaida....
....................
And most diamonds are bought in the West. Yet another way we are funding those who seek our destruction.
If you do buy diamonds, purchase them from a reputable firm like South Africa's DeBeers. Or go for a simple gold band—when I got married, I did.
For those who don't want to finance the jihad:
you can buy beautiful coloured diamonds from Australia.
Australia produces some lovely blood-free diamonds - Argyle diamonds, mined and cut in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. You can get pink and gold as well as white: indeed, the Argyle mine produces 90 % of the world's pink diamonds.
http://www.argylediamonds.com.au/7025.html
http://www.argylediamonds.com.au/
I have heard that some of the local Aboriginal Australians are thinking of getting training as diamond cutters as, I understand, First Nations people have done in Canada.
Canada too produces some lovely diamonds.
http://www.canadia.com/latest/index.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/26/world/native-canadians-bask-in-new-business-climate.html?pagewanted=2
"...dozens of Native Canadians are being trained for skilled jobs in a string of new diamond cutting and polishing businesses near the Yellowknife airport. Tiffany is building its own facility, which will employ 50 polishers and lend Yellowknife international panache in the diamond world."
"'There are lots of opportunities,'' said George Larocque, a 22-year-old cutter and polisher at Arslanian Cutting Works, a company that is partly owned by a Native Dogrib concern. Mr. Larocque said he earned more than $300 a week, a 20 percent raise over his previous position as an airport cargo loader. ''Maybe someday I can travel around the world to sell diamonds,'' he said. ''I want to see where this gets me.''
So there you go, folks: buy Canadian diamonds, buy Australian diamonds - of course, take great care to insist on the full authentication of same - and benefit your fellow Kafir.
Make sure, when you make the purchase, that you explain *why* you are choosing diamonds from these non-Muslim regions; so as to try to keep your money away from the financiers of Jihad.