Bin Laden letters reveal contested relationship with al-Qaeda affiliates

May 03, 2012

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Former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had deep concerns about the direction al-Qaeda affiliates were heading, private letters found at the time of his death in May 2011 and released to the public on Thursday (May 3rd) reveal.

In the last years of his life, Bin Laden's public statements focused on the injustices of those he called "enemies" of Muslims. Bin Laden's private correspondences point to a different concern: Muslims' suffering at the hands of his jihadi "brothers".

Two of the 17 de-classified documents concern al-Qaeda's relationship with Somali militant group al-Shaaab. In one letter dated August 7, 2010, Bin Laden responded to a request for affiliation from Mukhtar Abu al-Zubair, the leader of al-Shabaab. In the letter, Bin Laden recommended the establishment of an "Islamic Emirate of Somalia", but he denied al-Zubair's request for al-Shabaab to join al-Qaeda.

"Now, in relation to the issue of unity, I see that this obligation should be carried out legitimately and through unannounced secret messaging, by spreading this matter among the people of Somalia, without any official declaration by any officers on our side or your side, that the unity has taken place," Bin Laden wrote.

He said a public declaration of unity would "anger and mobilise" their enemies, and potentially harm Muslims living in Somalia who are "suffering from immense poverty and malnutrition" due to ongoing wars in the country.

Bin Laden said he would use a sermon to encourage Arab merchants to support development projects in Somalia. "Therefore, by not having the mujahidin openly allied with al-Qaeda, it would strengthen those merchants who are willing to help the brothers in Somalia, and would keep people with the mujahidin," he wrote.

In another letter sent to Bin Laden in December 2010, believed to be from a high-ranking figure, possibly Ayman al-Zawahiri, the author criticises Bin Laden's approach towards al-Qaeda affiliates, specifically referencing the previous letter regarding al-Shabaab.

"I see it to be very essential for al-Qaeda to confirm and declare its linkage with its branches... Therefore, please reconsider your opinion not to declare the accession of the brothers of Somalia so as not to be pressured later on to announce our disassociation with them or with others...," the letter said.

The other documents released also point to a similar discord among al-Qaeda leaders on the issue of affiliate groups. Some urge senior leaders to avoid association with groups that do not consult al-Qaeda but act in its name. Others believed the inclusion of regional jihadi groups would bolster al-Qaeda's growth and expansion.

Bin Laden offered a third position: to maintain communication with the groups without formal declaration of unity.

Al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda formally announced their merger in February, nine months after Bin Laden's death.

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Reader's Comments

  • abdihamid adan
    June 23, 2012 @ 05:41:18AM

    in somalia there are only muslims,whom are they fighting with if there are no christians

  • MATAR
    June 20, 2012 @ 01:57:23AM

    Evil will never ever triumph over good and therefore al-shabab is a passing dry clouds.They will have a humiliating defeat and the proponents of their ideals will rot in hell forever.

  • zablon
    June 19, 2012 @ 08:18:24AM

    i am worried third world war will start soon if alshabab are not stopped as soon as possible

  • madaha m
    June 15, 2012 @ 08:33:34AM

    Muslims are not participating on that AL SHABBAB BUT FEW OF THEM are dealing with it.

  • IDRISA
    June 12, 2012 @ 05:35:49AM

    ALLAH BLESS ALL MUJAHIDEENA AGAINST IMPURITIES FROM WESTENERS PEOPLE( KUFAR);AND DESTROY THOSE ENEMY OF ALLAH LIKE SAITOTI LANATUL-ALLAH

  • windex
    June 4, 2012 @ 05:25:40AM

    from deep down in my heart i knew OSAMA,undertook his plans according to the the things and incidents that he knew well of.Although he had shortcomings deep down he was a good man to,although he is assumed or maybe dead that man died with alot of secrets we will never know.All i pray of is peace and may the lord almighty guide and protect us.

  • SALLU JOHNSON
    June 4, 2012 @ 02:38:59AM

    SOMALIA NEEDS A BRACING FROM WITHIN TO CONQUOR THE CIVIL MALADY. WHY DO THEY KILL EACHOTHER? SUPPRISINGLY I HAD A STINT STAY IN KISMAYU IN THE MID 80'S WERE ONE COULD TELL OF A POOR ADMINISTRATION BY POOR SAMALI PEOPLE. EDUCATION COULD HAVE OFFERED A LEAD, WHICH UNFORTUNALY I COULD NOT SEE ANYOF A SCHOOL LIKE MATERIAL.

  • omary pangani
    June 3, 2012 @ 02:48:52AM

    al shabab have not muslim islam is peace why? al shabab have not want to peace

  • nsanya
    June 2, 2012 @ 06:35:38AM

    Al shabaab, Alqaeda, Boko haram and the like belong to the devil. Muslims and Christians of many denominations belong to the God Almighty. Our starting point is to fight them fiercely until they are all gone. However, I wish they could come forward and repent for we could offer them lessons from Bibles and Quraan books that would change their wrong concepts and become good people. This planet is for us all. It is wrong for them to decide who should live and who shouldn't.

  • Halima Omar
    June 1, 2012 @ 02:17:11AM

    Remember all Al- shabaab are not muslims.coz in Islam We dont encourage killing of that sort.

  • kajuju
    May 31, 2012 @ 06:20:02AM

    you may be saying that the al-shabab who are bombing you are bombing your self.i think there is something behind it.

  • Abbey King
    May 31, 2012 @ 04:04:50AM

    Readers, Have you given your life to Jesus? Are you born again? If you die today where will you spend your eternity - Heaven or Hell? If an unbeliever kills you today and gives his life to Jesus tomorrow he will make it to heaven. So l implore you readers if you are not in Christ, your life will be in crisis as what people are experiencing today in the hands of al-qaeda,al-shabab,boko haram and the rest. I pray The Almighty God will open their eyes to see the destruction so that they will embrace Jesus and peace will reign in Jesus name. Give your Life to Jesus, Be Born again today! Shalom!

  • azaar
    May 30, 2012 @ 02:52:34PM

    al-shabab n aqadal are just street gangs with no misson or vission led by gangs. They are there for minority interest. please stop klling innocent people otherwise you will be responsible for innons blood

  • rose ngugi
    May 30, 2012 @ 09:06:51AM

    Am so certain that this world is almost ending

  • wanyama
    May 30, 2012 @ 05:14:16AM

    rabish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • EUNIA
    May 29, 2012 @ 03:29:56AM

    eunia GOD IS LOVE LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER

  • KEVIN KIMARIO
    May 28, 2012 @ 02:40:06AM

    I have always wondered why powerful and evil but desperate and insecure people or groups of people have used religion as an instrument to manipulate the poor and ignorant for achieving predetermined ends.

  • Mariam
    May 27, 2012 @ 04:53:27PM

    They fooled us when we thought they were actually fighting for Islam. But as soon as they started killing our own people, mothers and children, and above all when they massacred the first medical graduate in Mogadishu, then we started questioning their motives. Now, it is as plain as the sky that Al-Shaytaan, as well call them in Mogadishu here are simply murderers paid to kill Somalis. If they are men enough they should go and face soldiers in the front-line instead of hiding behind women veils to blow themselves in public and only ending up killing innocent civilians. This horror movie called Al-Kabab is over, they should go to their masters and return back with another movie. Our soldiers and our brothers from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti and Kenya are liberating us. Very soon we Al-Shabaab will be cleared from Somalia, inshaAllah. Al of you who have commented here and supporting those thugs called Al-Shaytaan are ill-advised and brainwashed like our little knowledgeably brothers and sisters they brain wash every other day to end their lives. Bye Bye Al-Shabaab, we do not want to see you again!

  • daisyney
    May 26, 2012 @ 04:32:44AM

    killin of innocent blood is really a sin we should have a loving heart,, coz we are all going to be judge by our deeds,,prayer is a master key!

  • ibrahim
    May 25, 2012 @ 09:01:14AM

    5, 2012 @ 06:30:20pM does this mean al-Qaeda and al-shabab are one? then the war is spreading so much and cant be handled easily!

  • NAMUNYU P.J
    May 25, 2012 @ 12:50:46AM

    THE PAIN ,TRAUMA AND ABOVE ALL THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO DELIBERATE KILLINGS OF INNOCENT UNARMED PERSONS BE IT CHRISTIAN ,MUSLIM OR PEGANS FOR THAT MATTER IS EVIL NO MATTER FROM WHAT ANGLE YOU LOOK AT IT. I WONDER WHAT SOME OF US WILL TELL GOD ON JUDGEMENT DAY!

  • ALFAWAZ MUHAMUUD
    May 24, 2012 @ 03:06:42AM

    ALSHABAAB HURAAH KIP GOING,UNITED WE STAND AND DIVIDED WE GONA PART,LONG LIVE AL-QAEDA LONG LIVE AL-SHABAAB

  • jamal malinzi
    May 22, 2012 @ 08:52:18AM

    African we don't want killing of each other because we are fighting against poverty,ignorance. We are in proccession or pray and accuse this situation. If there are not enough space for cultivating please we are warm welcome and we will give them farmer here in tanzania soon.

  • daniel
    May 22, 2012 @ 12:57:01AM

    why do musils like to kill inocent pepiole who are power less and claim its Alah or Jihad war. is

  • Abdulmalik Khalifah Juma Baitairi
    May 19, 2012 @ 04:56:39AM

    ALLAH BAREEK MUJAHEDEEN! LONG LIVE AL-SHABAAB, LONG LIVE AL-QAIDA, LONG LIVE ISLAM!!

  • KIBWAGE THOMAS
    May 18, 2012 @ 07:41:54AM

    the people of somalia needs security.for the last 21yrs they have known nothing other than war,malritinitration,rape and paying taxes to those jihadists.time has come for them to surrender and join the winning team.

  • sila mutungi
    May 16, 2012 @ 09:36:43AM

    It is unfurtunate that while a lot of muslims do not support killing of inocent people a few are doing it with impunity.My request to both muslim and christians is to join hands and deliberate on the best ways possible of bringing pease and leaving together as brothers and sisters.And my quetion to muslims is this, If christians woke up one day and start killing and forcing musilms to convert to to christianity,How would they feel?! Angain, if only people can know what evil dids muslims (especilly the rich) do,you'll pity them therefore lets forget our religions and join hands for the beterment of pease in the world.

  • evans elaine
    May 16, 2012 @ 09:04:39AM

    people like al queda and al shaabab are just crooks and criminals fighting for their own interests regargardless of religion and politics they are desguising on.

  • abdikarim
    May 16, 2012 @ 08:29:51AM

    there is no god.. its just us, so lets stop killing each other

  • newton onde
    May 16, 2012 @ 07:07:30AM

    that's fullfilment of prophecy(mathew 24)

  • frank
    May 15, 2012 @ 10:44:05AM

    i pity this poor, hungry and malnourished guys calling themselves alshabaabho are being cheated by merchants to fight for wat they call islam oppression. they should know that every country provides for the right of worship and therefore there is nothing like "muslims suffering in the hands of christians". thats just a mental perception.instead they should be fighting for sustainable development and equitable trade with the western countries

  • abdikarim
    May 15, 2012 @ 10:43:58AM

    there is no god, people just kill each other because they think their god wants them to

  • EDWARD KIPLIMO CHEBATOK
    May 15, 2012 @ 05:45:49AM

    Muslims we request you to stop the fight as you understand that you are just a small group that even when they decided to get rid of you it will take very little time but you should understand that they are just compromising you because God wants us to live as brothers and sisters, but if they are to decide to get rid of you, it will only take a very little time. So please stop the fight.

  • Zaphania Eli
    May 15, 2012 @ 04:07:27AM

    Tolerance amongst various religious factions should be upheld. People of the world need a peaceful co-existence and not bloody confrontations.

  • joni k
    May 15, 2012 @ 03:38:28AM

    The thing that people to understand is that no one who an opportunity of living more than once and we all got ourselves on planet earth without having made any application.Whenever one kills ,he/she should understand that afterwards death will as well meet him/her.this means that if you kill so as to make the world your own ,too bad.

  • graca mine
    May 15, 2012 @ 02:45:19AM

    we should unite all religions and decist from the groups. Al qaeda and Al shabab are terror groups so why do we volunteer to join them and what are our gains? let us stop and think fast by using the love God gave us we can decist from these groups because they are a menance to everybody. God never comanded any religion to kill.

  • nuune
    May 14, 2012 @ 08:08:24AM

    i dont like AL-shabaab and i will never encourage pple to listen but 4 the case of osama is another story

  • salaaf yare
    May 13, 2012 @ 01:02:14PM

    u know alshabab are like a compony ,so they need to make a profit ,we have to decide to fight them .the islam is a peacefull religion

  • james born
    May 13, 2012 @ 12:14:58PM

    love is the only key to heaven so let us love one another as children of one Father God the almighty. he loved us first and so let us follow in his foot steps.

  • Abdifatah
    May 13, 2012 @ 11:59:12AM

    julius please don't called Jesus God even himself he has not claimed Godness......if its there show us a single verse or chapter from the Bible the other hand in Islam its prohibited to kill anybody either he is a Muslim or a Christian and if one does he will go to hellfire. Anybody who terrorizes the peace of a country is Alqaida so what do we call Americans who disturbed the peace of Iraq saying he was looking nuclear weapon.. how many innocent people has he killed ? How many are homeless ,how many people became refuges ,,,,HOW????? Everybody is a Alqaida unless we love each other and give others peace

  • lydiapshio
    May 13, 2012 @ 10:08:48AM

    OUR LORD JESUS IS LOVE,HELOVES ALL OF US WITH NO LIMITATION,WHAT HE LEFT TO US IS LOVE SO IT IS BETTER TO LOVE EACH OTHER AS HE LOVED US SUCH THAT HE DIED ON THE CROSS BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE TO US.HE LOVES US TO INFINITY.WE MUST LOVE EACH OTHER,HE COMMANDED US.

  • alex
    May 13, 2012 @ 08:32:27AM

    this war must stop

  • Bashir
    May 12, 2012 @ 02:15:10PM

    Politics and religion are two different things, if Alshabab want to spread islam, then it should not be through war, the word of God is spread through preaching not fighting, let Alshabab and alqaeda understand that the people deing in Somalia and other parts of the world are innocent.Not only Somalia is suffering, we have Boka Haram in Nigeria. People should stop striving for their intrests in the name of Islam.

  • Manasseh Muuo
    May 12, 2012 @ 01:00:24PM

    lets uphold peace and harmony God loves peace.GOD loves us why don't we love one another the way GOD does.

  • joseph shanga kea
    May 12, 2012 @ 11:43:54AM

    Brothers and sisters, in the Bible or Quran, does any page say kill one another? Lets love one another. Be a Muslim, be a Christian.

  • Rono
    May 12, 2012 @ 09:29:53AM

    I personaly believe there is a strong relation btwn the two groups.Whichever goes first the better for the world

  • Adam
    May 12, 2012 @ 06:52:51AM

    Please ask yourself what made Al-qaeda? and what is their course? & when will Al-Qaeda stop?

  • FREDRICK OLIMA
    May 12, 2012 @ 05:05:45AM

    I am very worried that all the group has a fighting force (spirit of encouragement 2 war) behind them. It is agroup in the world not only the somali. I wonder that this muslims' God does not want peace lets all pray for them to change.

  • BRANNIE MOSSAWA
    May 12, 2012 @ 04:29:38AM

    i URGE MY BROTHERSAND SISTERS TO DESIST FROM JOINING GROUPS THAT USE VIOLENCE AGAINST POEPLE WHO PROFESS TO DIFFERENT FAITHS.GOD IS ONE AND HE MADE US ALL REGARDLESS OF WHAT COLOUR RACE OR CREED THEY BELONG.GOD MADE ONE WORLD AND HE GAVE IT TO US ALL.

  • ibnsuleiman
    May 12, 2012 @ 02:58:17AM

    al-qaeda is not an islamist jihad, its was formed by osama to fights for his right when he was betrayed by us.

  • Abdirahim Bule
    May 11, 2012 @ 06:31:26PM

    alshabaab, alqaidah, are never, representative,of any muslim minded creature on this earth, But fugitives confused by ambitions and fallout with great masters to serve, as a result of that, the So called "super victim without bitter somali", who have been victims of international greed, for cunturies, and the effect of suffering only focused and felt since they losed the remaing feeble sovereignity of 1992. then from this point they proceeded into depth of the suffering, mastered & piloted by clanical war lords. under this confusions of lucking sovereignty,poverty, ignorance,emerged the diferent doctrines, purposes serving diferent aims took over by surprise young generations, already fragile conciousness of this Generations can easily be manipulted by rebellious attitude, to the rest of the world. So stop Bubbling, the somalis needs love, and symphathy, From humanity

  • escobar
    May 11, 2012 @ 10:54:28AM

    i think is hould have read tha article,because then,i could have given my opinion on the details

  • bombaata john
    May 11, 2012 @ 07:38:09AM

    The collabo between al-QAEDA and AL-SHAABAB cant be handled easily.

  • ali
    May 11, 2012 @ 05:09:47AM

    dear christian (including Julius M above), Islam doesnot command to kill innocent people. so dont judge those who kills people are commanded by islamic law, never!!. Islam is peace religion, its name " Islam" means "peace". Even to kill some one for the sacrify of the whole world is not allowed in islam!!.

  • samwel mose
    May 11, 2012 @ 04:47:53AM

    nothing goes on forever especially if the voice of the people is against it. let all african dictators and those clinging to power learn something from these

  • yuda
    May 11, 2012 @ 01:34:05AM

    to business people, they say more profitable investment are those invested at a very high risk. so the somalians must be gaining so much profit right now!

  • george kakan
    May 10, 2012 @ 02:57:06PM

    i pray that normancy comes to somali soon

  • johnson
    May 10, 2012 @ 12:39:31PM

    the people misleading others will always pay for their actions. osama did and the others will definitely do.

  • Kim
    May 10, 2012 @ 12:03:12PM

    God created us all for his honor and glory. In the Scriptures, The first Murder was commited by Cain when he saly his brother.Well He pleaded wwitnh God for lenience, This proofs that God /Allah is merciful, I appeal to all people killing each other in the name of God to stop. we can not take Gos place. if any one, any humanbeig comitts sin, God will punish that being.we dont have to take Gods chair to avenge/kill, maim,altmately The Day of Judment will come and all man will be answerable for their dees, so why force or kill fellow beings, supposed your ar the one being killed! do you think that bad deeds like murder wil take you to heaven? No, heaven is for saints, forgiven sinners and to the best of my knowledge and the only truth, God only gave us one way to enternity! One one way. The way of Cross.

  • toosane
    May 10, 2012 @ 08:38:57AM

    Everyone knows the best way to go about duties politically but we can now see that they are not performing according to our expectations.

  • james mwau
    May 10, 2012 @ 08:04:38AM

    Do u mean al-queda and al-shabaab are one and same group that is bad.

  • nansanga godwin
    May 10, 2012 @ 06:30:06AM

    Just like the death of their leader Bin Laden,all the remaining alshabaab will die soon except if they repent to jesus.

  • jason black
    May 10, 2012 @ 06:21:35AM

    i think al-qaeda's top leadership caused binladen his life on the issue of afffiliates or maybe it was just time for a regime change over, forcefully.

  • prince charming
    May 10, 2012 @ 01:22:51AM

    Julius keep that love to your village folk. foreigners have always interfered with somalia. Ordinary somalis are peaceful people.

  • KAMAU WA KARIUKI
    May 9, 2012 @ 07:28:41AM

    war make people poor and very far away from truth. we are all equal before the Most High God.

  • Sami
    May 9, 2012 @ 02:09:46AM

    Most poor somalis have died, maimed, refugeed, more are dying of poverty because of these few individuals? No wonder Bin Laden deserved to die the way he died and fed to the fish. Damn him and his affiliates!

  • tumo benjamin
    May 8, 2012 @ 09:51:00AM

    Their days are numbered,time is coming when dogs and maggots will celebrate over their flesh and blood as they do right now.

  • JULIUS M
    May 7, 2012 @ 05:20:59AM

    DEAR MUSLIMS, LORD JESUS OF NAZARETH LOVES YOU, THATS WHY HE DIED ON THE CROSS FOR EVERYBODY. PLEASE STOP THE WAR AND REPENT AND PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH ANYTIME NOW !.I LOVE YOU MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS BUT JESUS LOVES YOU MOST.

  • saeed saeed
    May 6, 2012 @ 03:01:58PM

    Osama Bin Laden is a Muslim and a human being who can do wrong like any other person but the problem with him is that his ideologies have spread like a fire in the bush and caused the death of many people composed of both Muslims and Christians without any reason. Even though there are several Jihadist groups, some of them are judicious and fair in their judgment. Yet, all of these groups resort to killing and perpetrate killings against civilians. The son of Godane (zubayr) has no idea or enough knowledge on Jihad (holy war) because if he could be knowledgeable on holy war, he could have taken Osama’s strategy by helping the poor Somalis who were stricken by famine and victimized by the international community in the name of Al-Qaida. The Son of Godane is ignorant for following Al-Qaida for no reason. The problems caused by Al-Qaida to both the Muslims and Christians are many and it is not confined to only one religion. I am praying to the Almighty God to show him the straight path. Amen.

  • guled
    May 6, 2012 @ 03:16:17AM

    sorry this is very bad ashabab is not somali people

  • Bekar Striker
    May 5, 2012 @ 11:12:27AM

    does this mean al-Qaeda and al-shabab are one? then the war is spreading so much and cant be handled easily!

  • jama
    May 4, 2012 @ 11:15:04AM

    it may be possible,and it's Not so important to the Declined somalis.

  • robert calmax
    May 4, 2012 @ 10:37:17AM

    this article is usefull to me

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