It is now known why the UK government said SL is a threat to Westerners

[metta]

It can't be because a bunch of reer Waqooyi Shabab members have started to come back home. That has been happening more than a year now. It has to be something else more substantial.

...

 

I have been told by a dhaqan celis relative in Hargeisa this week that he has personally spotted Godane in a Landcruiser being driven by 'unidentified men'.

 

I thought this was a case of mistaken identity and respectfully refused to believe him. However, I heard from an older friend of mine that he has heard himself that Godane has made his way into Hargeisa and has been seen in the city. This got me thinking. Two different sources, it can't be a coincidence :confused:

 

Has anyone else heard from family or friends if Godane has been spotted?

[Mintid Farayar]

metta;914958 wrote:

It can't be because a bunch of reer Waqooyi Shabab members have started to come back home. That has been happening more than a year now. It has to be something else more substantial.

...

 

I have been told by a dhaqan celis relative in Hargeisa this week that he has personally spotted Godane in a Landcruiser being driven by 'unidentified men'.

 

I thought this was a case of mistaken identity and respectfully refused to believe him. However, I heard from an older friend of mine that he has heard himself that Godane has made his way into Hargeisa and has been seen in the city. This got me thinking. Two different sources, it can't be a coincidence :confused:

 

Has anyone else heard from family or friends if Godane has been spotted?

Not credible. Supposedly your friend spotted him in a LandCruiser which means untinted windows, which means others have also seen him as well.

 

A)Given that said individual has a bounty of $7 Million on his head;

 

B)given that he's conducted the only serious terrorist attack in that city where scores of locals where killed or maimed;

 

C)given that the locals are extremely poor and $7 Million would come in extremely handy;

 

D)given that Somaliland would score major points in Western attention by apprehending him;

 

How likely do you think said individual would be- to be riding around Hargeisa chilling in a LandCruiser???

[metta]

It's likely.

 

A) The average Hargeisa resident doesn't know about this bounty.

B) Although they are the suspected perpetrators, Al Shabab to this day did not claim those attacks on Hargeisa and Bosaso.

C) Again, the average Hargeisa resident doesn't know about this bounty nor know how he even looks like.

D) Somaliland has said those Al Shabab members who come back home won't be touched. Now for Godane, his clan would protect him should Somaliland officials apprehend him.

[metta]

Apophis;914983 wrote:

Who was driving, him or Elvis?

Santa Claus was driving.

[Taleexi]

Indeed, it is a Christmas time!

[metta]

Apophis;914993 wrote:

This is why Somalis don't have a stock market. It'll crash within seconds of it going live due to "adeerkay said this" "oh it's been confirmed, my cousin saw it" and so forth.

First of all, the first information was from a trusty relative who isn't your "talk out of your ***" Somali.

 

Secondly, the second information was from a man who said this information before I told him the previous info I heard. It's not like he said "yes, yes" after I told him what I heard. That isn't the case. He said it randomly and that's when I got to think.

 

Thirdly, it is entirely possible. It can be the reason of the UK government's decision to label Somaliland unsafe for Westerners (high positioned Shabab members could have gotten the attention of the UK. Waqooyi Shabab members have been going back home after they abandoned Mogadishu. Why the UK decision now?)

 

Fourthly, this is Somalia. Security is lax. It would have been very easy for him to have went to Hargeisa without being spotted to begin with. You should go to Somalia and see how pathetic security is there.

 

Fifthly, I did not say Godane is walking around the streets of Hargeisa freely and living a normal life. Just that he was spotted.

 

Sixthly, why is it so impossible to believe Godane can be in Somaliland? Al Shabab is divided now and he was thrown out of the Emir position. He personally said Al Shabab has been defeated in December 2012 in a radio address and that Al Shabab is now relying on ambush attacks.

 

At the moment, it is obvious that Godane is safer in Somaliland than koonfuurta now. That can't be denied. If he gets caught by SNA or AU forces in the jungles of Jubbaland, it's game over for him. Whereas SLAND officials capture him in Hargeisa, his clansmen will protect him

[Mintid Farayar]

Metta,

 

You took my original reply as an attack on you personally. That was not what I meant. You're likely correct that the British warning is Al Shabaab-related. You're also correct that the leadership of AS could very easily melt into any number of Somali cities.

 

However, for the top leader of this group (with a $7 Million bounty on his head) to drive around in a LandCruiser, to be seen by people like your 'friend/relative' (even though you state Hargeisawis don't really know what he looks like, but your 'dhaqan-celis' friend who recently returned to the country knows exactly what he looks like?!) does not appear credible.