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Analyst Sees Internet and Mosques Radicalizing Young Somalis

   Said Samatar, professor of African history at Rutgers University fears
   recent arrests in New York would be bad for Somalis in particular

   James Butty | Washington, D.C. 07 June 2010
   Somalis  carry  a wounded civilian, who was wounded by mortar shrapnel
   during  clashes between Somali insurgents and African Union troops, as
   he arrives at the Medina hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, 23 May 2010

Photo: AP

   Somalis  carry  a wounded civilian, who was wounded by mortar shrapnel
   during  clashes between Somali insurgents and African Union troops, as
   he arrives at the Medina hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, 23 May 2010

   A  Somali-born  U.S.  professor is blaming the radicalization of young
   Somalis on Internet exposure and indoctrination in mosques.

   This  comes as police in New York Sunday arrested two men who they say
   were  allegedly preparing to join an al-Qaida-linked militant group in
   Somalia.

   Said  Samatar,  professor  of African history at Rutgers University in
   the  state  of New Jersey told VOA he lives about an hourâs drive from
   the homes of the two suspects identified as 20-year old Mohamed Hamoud
   Alessa and 26-year old Carlos Eduardo Almonte.

   He  said  he fears the arrests will be bad for Moslems in general, and
   for Somalis in particular.

   âI  never  thought  in  my life that the day will come when I would be
   harboring  or  I  would  be  a terrorist neighbor. Unfortunately, that
   would  be bad for Moslems in general and Somalis in particular because
   now  I  think  the  FBI  (Federal  Bureau  of  Investigation)  will be
   following our movement,â he said.

   Professor  Samatar  said  the  arrests  refocus  attention in Somalia,
   especially  at  a  time when the West has been suspecting that Somalis
   were being recruited by Al-Qaida through the militant group Al-Shabab

   He  expressed  regrets  that young Somalis were being brain-washed and
   radicalized by the Internet and some mosques.

   âAs  you  know,  the  world,  because  of the Internet, has become one
   global  village  now. So, the indoctrination they received through the
   Internet,  plus  going  to these mosques where they are brainwashed by
   these  Pakistani,  Afghani  mullahs, the guys with the long beards who
   would  tell  them  about  this  world  of pleasure that is waiting for
   them,â he said.

   Professor  Samatar said the inability of young people to cope with the
   challenges of life in America often drive them to the mosques where he
   said they sometime find relief in the teachings of the mullahs.

   He  said  the  greatest peril facing Western countries is not from the
   threat posed by international terrorists.

   âThe  danger  facing the West is young people who are brought up here,
   who  speak  English  like  Americans, but with an accent, who know the
   American  culture,  who have American passports. The West is in danger
   from  these people being turned into what they called sleeper cell(s),
   waiting  to  be  triggered by (al-Qaida mastermind Osama) Bin laden in
   his own good time,â Samatar said.

   He  said  there  are some attempts in the Somali-American community to
   help  young  people. But, Professor Samatar said the ideology of dying
   in the service of God seems to be appealing to some young people.

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