Al-Shabaab: Unterschied zwischen den Versionen

Al-Shabaab’s income in 2009-2010 was believed to be $70-100 million, taken from various sources including taxation, extortion, and smuggling and to a limited and uncertain extent the taxation of piracy. Speculation is, pirates are funding Islamic terrorist organizations by buying their freedom through paying ‘tax’ and that the links between Somali pirate groups and the al-Shabaab are growing. It is known that criminal and insurgent groups form alliances of convenience; but this is yet to be proved in the case of Somali pirates. There are reports suggesting that al-Shabaab have made use of pirate groups to ferry weapons and train theirs fighters in naval combat in exchange for protection, but there is no solid evidence for this.  There are reports that al-Shabaab first got involved in maritime terrorism in 2007. In February 2011 pirates were held captive by al-Shabaab as they refused to give up a 5th of their income to the terrorist militia. There are reports stating that al-Shabaab receive about 30% of pirates income, in 2009 pirates paid al-Shabaab 27 Million US-Dollars. Between 2007 and 2010 the group was responsible for five maritime attacks which were carried out against harbor facilities as well as ships. Even though there is no concrete knowledge of the group collaborating with Somali pirates there is a growing concern on this development. According to the head of the U.N.'s counter-piracy division, Colonel John Steed, Al-Shabaab has increasingly sought to cooperate with other criminal organizations and pirate gangs in the face of dwindling funds and resources. Steed, however, acknowledged that he had no definite proof of operational ties between the Islamist militants and the pirates. Detained pirates indicated to UNODC officials that some measure of cooperation on their part with Al-Shabaab militants was necessary, as they have increasingly launched maritime raids from areas in southern Somalia controlled by the insurgent outfit.

While Al-Shabaab has been reduced in power and size since the coordinated operation between the Somalian military and the Kenyan army began, the group has continued its efforts at recruitment and territorial control. The group maintains training camps within areas near Kismayo in the southern regions of Somalia.