Good idea: “A ban would make membership in the group a criminal offense and would mean it could not lawfully raise money or conduct other activities on British soil.” “Britain to Ban Somali Islamic Militant Group,” from Voice of America, March 1:
The British government says it is banning the Somali militant group, al-Shabab and designating it a terrorist organization.
The British Home Office said the move to ban al-Shabab is necessary.
Al-Shabab is a militant Islamic group fighting for control of Somalia against the country’s transitional government. The group has pledged its allegiance to al-Qaida and has vowed to set up a strict Islamic state in Somalia.
Roger Middleton is a Horn of Africa analyst with London’s Chatham House research center. He tells VOA even though few reliable details are known about al-Shabab, its top leadership clearly talks about global jihad.
“They talk very much along those radical Islamist lines. It is not clear though whether the rank and file of al-Shabab fighters are actually not more concerned with nationalist issues within Somalia – taking control of Somalia from foreigners,” he said.[…]
The common thread is the desire to impose Islamic law: Think jihad globally, wage jihad locally.
The British Home Office order to ban al-Shabab must now be approved by parliament. A ban would make membership in the group a criminal offense and would mean it could not lawfully raise money or conduct other activities on British soil.
The United States has already designated al-Shabab a terrorist organization.