Radicalization within the Somali-American Diaspora: Countering the Homegrown Terrorist Threat
Abstract
In 2008, Minneapolis resident Shirwa Ahmed became the first U.S. suicide bomber after he detonated his explosives-laden vehicle in front of a government compound in Hargesa, Somaliland. Ahmed's transformation from an average American teenager to an Islamic jihadist was gradual and complex. This thesis will examine how Ahmed, and other Somali American teenagers, morphed into Salafi jihadists. Through interviews with law enforcement officers, social services providers, and homeland security officials, the cultural, religious, and assimilative traits that exist within this unique diaspora community and that have affected the radicalization of its members will be examined. Factors such as historic clan identity, religious pragmatism, pastoralism, and Somali nationalism have generally discouraged first-generation Somali Americans from adopting transnational movements like global jihadism. However, Somali youths are less like their parents and more like their American and European-Muslim counterparts. Thus, they are a virtual "tabula rasa" upon which jihadist recruiters may write and also erase much of the youths' inherent clannish identity and cultural traits. These newly indoctrinated youths rush to embrace American culture but are torn between two diametrically opposed identities. The resulting tension leaves a gap ready to be filled by Salafi Islam. The research for this thesis is broken down into two parts: a study of the two largest existing Somali Diaspora communities in the United States -- the Columbus, OH, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, communities; and profiles of three Somali youths who have been recruited by jihadist groups. Many of these youths are deceased, incarcerated, or still missing, so much of the background data was taken from interviews of friends, families, and teachers of the youths. Once a profile was developed, it was compared with other jihadist recruits in the United States and the United Kingdom Muslim communities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA518724
Entities
People
- Scott E. Mulligan
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School