Somali – praag.org

Hawks investigating al-Shabab

The Hawks’ crimes against the state unit are investigating alleged activities by al-Shabab in South Africa.

This follows revelations by Kenyan authorities that one of the suspects in the devastating attack on a Nairobi shopping centre has been travelling on a false South African passport.

Al-Shabab, based in Somalia and linked to global terror network al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack on the Westgate Mall in Kenya, which claimed at least 72 lives.

Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko confirmed on Tuesday that the police are conducting an investigation.

There has been running gun battles, bomb blasts and grenade attacks in the mall since Saturday. Eleven terrorists were in custody. The death toll is expected to rise.

A South African woman is feared to be among the victims not yet identified, South Africa’s ambassador to Kenya, Ratubatsi Moloi, told Eyewitness News.

The British national Samantha Lewthwaite, who was married to 2005 London suicide bomber Jermaine Lindsay, had been using a possibly falsified South African passport bearing the name Natalie Faye Webb to enter Kenya.

She allegedly entered the country on the passport last year with her three children. An arrest warrant was issued for her this year after allegations she was plotting attacks on Kenyan coastal resorts.

Beeld reported yesterday that Lewthwaite had visited South Africa several times.

South African police sources said Lewthwaite had recently become “someone of interest” to the Hawks investigators probing al-Shabab for allegedly raising funds and possibly recruiting jihadists in the country.

Home Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said the necessary steps had been taken to ensure the “wrong” elements could not “obtain our passports for use in their nefarious activities”.

Though there is a sizeable Somali community in South Africa, Somali Association of SA vice-chairman, Ibrahim Shuriye, said al-Shabab had “no support from our community”.

“They claim religion as their motive, but religion does not teach the use of violence,” he said. – timeslive/AFP

Somali-owned shops re-open after attacks in South Africa

Several Somali-owned shops re-opened for business on Thursday as a wave of looting and xenophobic violence in South Africa’s coastal city of Port Elizabeth was brought under control.

More than 150 small grocery shops were looted in four days of violence which was sparked by the killing of a 19-year-old South African boy by a Somali shop owner after an argument over cellphone airtime on Sunday.

“No incidents of looting have been reported since last night (Wednesday),” police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills said.

She added that “police will continue to maintain a high presence” in a number of affected areas.

Police arrested 111 people in connection with the pillaging. The man accused of killing the South African teenager was arrested but later released due to lack of evidence.

Violence spread to several townships in the eastern coastal town.

“Engagements with representatives of the foreign nationals, the community and other stakeholders will continue to make sure peace and calm returns to the area,” said Mills.

But some Somalis said they were still nervous.

“I am still nervous but the police have promised us protection, and some members of the community are supporting us and that is why I am back,” Aran Adbikarin.

Amid widespread poverty and unemployment, frustration in South Africa’s run-down neighbourhoods often boils over into anti-immigrant violence.

An explosion of deadly attacks in 2008 killed more than 60 people and displaced thousands into refugee-style camps.

Locals often accuse foreigners from other African countries of stealing their jobs and women.

Foreign-owned shops are also accused of uncompetitive business, selling their wares at lower prices than their South African counterparts.

South Africa plays host to millions of asylum seekers and refugees from across the continent. – AFP

Seven arrested after looting Somali-owned shops in PE

Seven men have been arrested for looting and burning Somali-owned shops in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape police said on Monday.

“We can confirm that seven suspects have since been arrested and charged with public violence. All the suspects are in their late 20s,” said Colonel Sibongile Soci.

They were expected to appear in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Soci said no new incidents had been reported and the police were closely monitoring the situation.

At least 10 shops in KwaZakhele and New Brighton were attacked.

Brigadier Miranda Mills said two shops were looted and burnt in Ntintili street, and a car parked outside was also set alight at the weekend.

Several other shops were targeted on Sunday following the arrest of a Somali man accused of shooting dead a man outside a shop on Saturday evening.

“According to a witness there was an argument between the suspect and the victim. The [police] arrested the suspect and the firearm used… was recovered,” said Mills.

Police had since moved some foreigners out of the area. – Sapa

Mob justice in Motholo, South Africa

A mob assaulted a man after he allegedly robbed a shop owned by a Somali national in Motholo on Friday, Limpopo police said.

Constable Moses Molepo said the 29-year-old man and two other men broke into the shop, assaulted and robbed the owner of an undisclosed amount of money and stock in the early hours of the morning.

“The one suspect was severely assaulted by members of the community and the other two fled the scene,” said Molepo.

The man was in a critical condition under police guard at the Mankweng Hospital.

He would appear in court when he had recovered.