Somalia’s Shabab claim disrupting BBC

Harakat al-shabab al-mujahideen, the Somali AQ outlet, just claimed to have disrupted a BBC broadcasting signal in Somalia.

On 9 April 2010 the group was able, with its media outlet al-Kata’ib, to prevent a BBC broadcasting station to take up business. The station would have covered (“with all its equipment and signals”) five regions in “the Islamic provinces: Juba, Shbili al-Salafi, Shbili al-Wasati, Banadir (Mogadishu), Bay and Bakul.”

What follows is the usual ranting on how “crusader forces are endangering Islamic principles and moral values”, also implying that besides trying to persuade the pious Somalis away from the jihadist understanding of Islam by broadcasting crusader propaganda and media. Thus the seizure or destruction (not clear in the statement) of the station was undertaken to protect the Muslims. Some gear was stolen by the Harakat and will be used for future broadcasting/online means and the station, as well as the equipment has been ‘documented’ by Harakat as proof of their actions.

Some of the pictures of the statement, note the inflationary use of the stamp “al-Kata’ib”: