From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2013
Muslim leaders in Kenya may have condemned the terror attack by the Al-Shabaab terming them barbaric terrorists who do not represent the religion or its faithful alright, but the fact that they don’t condemn their spiritual leaders who support A-Shabaab and preach hatred is not something to be taken lightly.
When Sheikh Aboud Rogo Mohammed became involved in indoctrination of Muslim youths with a weekly lecture at his Masjid Musa in Mombasa in 2007, lectures that presented the Somalia war as the ultimate jihad, Muslims were behind him.
Rogo issued many fatwas during this period, indicating that working for the Kenyan government was apparently haram (forbidden by Islamic law). In his preachings, Rogo gave a message of martyrdom to young Muslims.
He also developed propaganda CDs and other materials praising Al Qaeda. Rogo visited Somalia in 2009, and he allegedly joined military training camps there. He was probably assassinated by American agents, according to the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia.
Rogo was accused of radicalisation and recruitment of youth to join Al Shabaab in Somalia. The UN Monitoring group on Somalia and Eritrea Also released a report linking Najib Balala and nominated MP Amina Abdallah, claiming they funded the proscribed militia group.
The report said Balala and Amina donated Sh200,000 and Sh500,000 respectively towards the construction of Pumwani Riyadha Mosque, but the funds were directed to the al-Shabaab in Somali, according to the report. Balala has since defended himself over the accusation insisting he has no links with the group.
The alleged support began when Kenya’s anti- terrorism law was enacted, according to the report dated July 12, which suggests that it could be continuing. The youth leaders told journalists at a press conference that they had evidence of many youths who have been recruited through the mosque and called for a thorough investigation by the government.
After the killing of Rogo, Mombasa witnessed violent demonstrations, claiming four people’s lives and wounding many others as well as damaging three churches. The next day clashes continued in Mombasa. Two prison officers were killed in the ensuing riots.
Similar support by the Muslims was that of a controversial Jamaican-born Muslim cleric who was deported from Kenya soon after he landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Qatar.
Sheikh Bilal Philips, a renowned Muslim scholar who is banned from preaching in most European countries was arrested due to security concerns after he arrived in Nairobi.
Anti terrorism police officers said they had received reports he was scheduled to preach and give lectures in various mosques in Nairobi and Mombasa.
In his tape Jihad, the father-of-four told Muslim women to raise their children “with the jihad mentality” by giving them toy guns. In the tape recorded after 11 September, he said: “The way forward is the bullet. Our motto is ‘might is right'”.
Since jihad is intrinsic to Islam because the Holy Qur’an requires it of every Muslim, it is very difficult to change a Muslim from this belief. Jihad means to struggle in the way of Allah. It is why one ideology that plays a role in Islamic terrorism is the principle of jihad.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
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Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002