The Al Shabaab Identity
The emergence of Al-Shabaab as a terrorist group occurred about ten years ago in the middle of the spread and divergence of several Islamist militias. The group is connected to Al Qaeda and has been identified by the United States as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) (Dobos, 2016). The group was formally merged with the Al Qaeda in 2012 and has been transformed into a hybrid organization (Jones, 2016). As compared to other affiliates of the international terrorist organization, its operations appear to be independent of the primary operations of Al Qaeda. Initially, Al Shabaab was structured as a militia group with affiliation to the growing Islamic courts that had been developed in Somalia (Marchal, 2011).
The leaders of these courts had differing ideological approaches that were a reflection of the diverse views in political Islam. Therefore, Al Shabaab drew members from across different clans with the aim of unifying various ethnic Somali regions surrounding Somalia under one Islamic Caliphate. The vision of the group for its home country contrasts with existing international efforts seeking to structure a stable government within the country. Since 2011, military activities by AMISOM and an alliance of regional forces from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia have pushed the group from the major cities and ports. Despite this, the group continues to enjoy a degree of freedom of movement while having considerable control of territories in rural areas.
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Since it withdrew from Mogadishu in 2011, the group has carried out constant guerilla attacks on the existing government, civilians, peacekeeping groups, as well as other foreign points of focus across different areas. The avoidance of military confrontation has enabled the group to engage in the preservation of its fighting forces and resources (Marchall, 2011). The group now has fighters that are characterized by enhanced operational readiness, an established chain of command, and communication abilities. This shift in operations and the preservation of fighting forces and resources have affected the areas and locations that the group targets and the reasons they target these different areas. In this paper, an outline of a terrorist attempt towards a local American church will be structured based on the identity of the Al Shabaab.
Target Area: The Miami Church
The Miami church is a local Christian church in the state of Florida. This church is open every day of the week and has a congregation of approximately 600 individuals. Based on a demographic analysis of its population, about 53% of this population is African American compared with 20% of Caucasians, 16% of the population being Asian, and 11% being Latino American. There are also important generational differences as more than a quarter of the population is above the age of 40 years old, half of the population is made of individuals who are 20 years and younger, and the remaining quarter is made of individuals between the ages of 20 and 40 years old.
Reasons for Target
American Military Presence in Somalia
Based on its existing resources and military confrontations, the ideal area to target is an American church. As an American church, the Miami Church is identified as the ideal target as it is frequented by locals and tourists. Due to its diverse population, it acts as a symbol of American unity. The American military has been present in Somalia for an extended time. This military presence has had an adverse impact on the access that the group has to major sources of revenue (Dobos, 2016). Due to the presence of foreign interventions, particularly the activities by the American troops, the Al Shabaab has had to shift to foreign attacks.
Based on this, Al Shabaab is bitter that the American forces have killed a large number of civilians in Somalia as a result of their operations. In the past, the group has threatened to attack the country if it does not remove its forces. The American forces have an important position in the international operations against Al Shabaab in the country. The United Nations (UN) has stated its view on the United States as essential to the counterterrorism efforts within the region (Jones, 2016). As already stated, American and other international forces have structured considerable advancements against the Al Shabaab in the last decade. These activities have resulted in the loss of its strategic territory Kismayu, through which it obtained considerable funds for its operations (Jones, 2016). The American government has been successful in disrupting several large-scale terrorist threats, but there have been several small-scale terrorist incidents within the country. A majority of these were grenade attacks, typically identified by the government as being caused by the Al Shabaab or other groups supporting its propaganda. Most of these attacks were directed at places of interactions such as bust stations and restaurants.
Hence, the best attack would be based on direct retaliation against the American government and would need to be directed at both government and civilian targets. An attack on the American church, if successful, would be a highly impactful operation within the American capital, which hosts some diplomatic missions in the continent. The city is a common tourist destination, largely due to its structure, and one of the regional corners for trade, transportation, and finance. Due to this, several international firms have officers in the city, and there are also several regional humanitarian efforts. As the group has targeted U.S diplomats before, while making several threats against U.S. and Western targets, this church provides an ideal location for the implementation of these threats.
Analysis of the Church as an Ideal Target
The analysis of the Miami church as an ideal target, was conducted through observation to assess the security level of the church, along with the different measures that it has enforced. The observation included the monitoring and recording of activities within the church by agents of the group, and an inspection of the building and the environment that surrounds it. A lot of information concerning the church was also collected from online and website platforms. Based on the analysis conducted, the church is an ideal target for Al Shabaab.
The church is a soft target for the Al Shabaab. Attacking the church would not only involve an attack on the civilians involved but also on the government. The church is filled with a considerable number of individuals, which include large groups of children and elderly seniors. The Christian religious practices within the church encourage individuals to be more hospitable to others despite their backgrounds, which may result in the church lowering its defenses and becoming more vulnerable to others (Spicka, 2018). The church is made up of 600 individuals, with about 54% of this population being female and the rest of the population (36%) being made of men.
The church is small and is only made of one small building and a community center. The church also has a small security team made up of 15 individuals and is primarily composed of volunteers. The structure of the team means that they have limited experience concerning security protocols. This lack of experience means that there is limited incentive for the performance of tasks in a thorough manner. The church is a crucial aspect of the spiritual wellness of this community. These factors make it a highly viable target for a terrorist attack by the Al Shabaab along with attacks by other groups. Based on research, it is clear that the church does not have the funding that it needs for sufficient security. Churches are structured to look open and welcoming and are full of vulnerable civilians, most of whom do not have a background in security activities and operations.
Furthermore, the existing church funding is generally spent on outreaches by the church through missions, classes, and group operations. Due to this, safety measures such as shelters, security teams, and safety plans are nonexistent in the church. Due to its small size, the church does not have the financial capability to set up these measures. Based on its website, the church has been designed to be inviting as a section of its mission. An assumption can then be made that some safety measures can be viewed as being contrary to its goal. Based on the analysis, the church lacks basic measures such as shelters, an experienced security team, cameras, and metal detector checkpoints. The church also doubles as a community center, which makes it a hub for the younger population in the society. Children increase the vulnerability of the church as they are essential to the future of the community (Spicka, 2018). Based on an inspection of the church grounds and an assessment of possible threats, the building does not have protocols, fire exits, or security cameras. There is only one main road leading to the church, which will affect the speed at which first responder teams or law enforcement groups can access the church. There are also very few buildings overlooking the church, which may affect the threat that faces the stopping of the attack.
How to Enforce the Attack
Recruitment
For recruitment, the internet will act as the main tool through which the group can establish connections with and obtain support from which show responsiveness to its mission. The reach of the internet will enable the group to access individuals from around the church and who have relevant and essential information that the group may not be able to obtain through its foreign informants (Omenma et al., 2020). The use of technological restrictions to access these recruitment sites also enhances the difficulty of tracking the group’s activity by American intelligence. During recruitment, propaganda will be tailored to be appealing to vulnerable communities within society. This is because the process of recruiting and radicalizing support is based on an emphasis on individual feelings of injustice and exclusion.
In this case, the propaganda will be adapted to account for the African American community that surrounds the church. This propaganda will account for factors such as the age and gender of the individual, along with socio-economic conditions that they exist in. As already stated, about 53% of the church is made up of the African American population. This percentage is a reflection of the overall population of the society that surrounds the church. Due to the recent increase in the case of social injustices against the African American population, youths within these communities are more vulnerable to the group's propaganda. Therefore, Al-Shabaab propaganda will be directed towards the African American youth.
The use of this channel will be particularly effective for recruiting minors from this community, who make up a greater proportion of the users. This will include the use of media that is most popular with minors such as cartoons, popular music videos, and children's stories Honga, 2019). This media can then promote and glorify activities by the Al Shabaab and be used to recruit and train individuals from the local community who will be used to carry out the attack on the church. For instance, the game may promote the utilization of violence against an American church and reward through the inclusion of virtual successes within these games.
Financing
Financing for this terrorist attack against the church can be obtained in four separate ways. These ways include directly soliciting others, trade through online channels, and the utilization of electronic payment channels. As already stated, efforts by the American military have significantly limited the access that the group has to finances for its activities. Hence, for each attack, Al Shabaab has to find an outside source of financing to support its activities (Honga, 2019). The direct solicitation will include the use of well-structured communication tools to acquire donations. Online platforms may also be utilized as online stores for the sale of items such as books to the group’s supporters.
Online payment facilities can be utilized through illegal activities such as identity theft. Hence, Al Shabaab may utilize profit from stolen credit cards to fund its attack against the church. Financial support presented to seemingly legal firms, such as charities, may also be diverted by the firm for illegal purposes (Omenma et al., 2020). Terrorist organizations such as the Al Shabaab have been known to use shell corporations, in the disguise of philanthropic activities. Hence, the firm may use this group as a way of collecting the finances that it needs for its act of terrorism.
Steps that the American Government may take to counter the Threat
The American government has integrated several security programs to oppose violent terrorist threats and activities within the country. These programs are focused on structuring and collaborating with other countries for their intelligence, military, law enforcement, and judicial capacities resources as a way of strengthening security, countering recruitment to the group, and stemming the flow of terrorist financing (Reeder et al., 2019). This effort is focused on containing any threats that emanate from the Al Shabaab and addressing any homegrown terrorist threats. These programs pose a substantial threat to counter the attack on the American church.
Over the years, the American government has prioritized increasing the capacity of its forces inside and outside its borders, while working closely with other forces such as those provided by the Ethiopian and Kenyan government (Reeder et al., 2019). The American government has also provided considerable security assistance to its partners, which includes millions of dollars in the funding of logistics support, equipment, and training of its troops. This funding has further facilitated capacity building and the education and training of its troops.
Conclusion
In this paper, an outline of a scenario or an attempt of an attack by the Al Shabaab has been made. The location or organization identified as a target for this attack is the Miami church. The Al Shabaab is a terrorist organization, which initially began as a militia, which enforced the judgment implemented by Sharia courts in Somalia. Al Shabaab is now an affiliate of Al Qaeda and has conducted several attacks within and outside Somalia. Due to the effects of the foreign interventions by the American government on the operations of the Al Shabaab, the Miami church acts as the ideal target for the group. This attack is further supported by the absence of security measures in the church, along with its vulnerable population. Based on the factors identified, an analysis of the steps that the government may take to counter this attack has been conducted.
References
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