Al-Shabaab executes four men for spying

Al-Shabaab fighters said Sunday afternoon it had executed four people it accused of espionage for the country’s Western-backed government, the United States and neighboring Kenya in Jamame town some 70 km (43 miles) north of Kismayu.
According to al Shabaab’s radio, Al Andalus, the four executed men were sentenced to death on Friday afternoon “after they were proved working with the CIA, Kenya and Somalia.”

“They were publicly beheaded in a field in Jamame town of Lower Jubba region,” Al Andalus said, referring to an area in southern Somalia.

According to the radio broadcast, the beheaded men include, Sayid Ali Abdi who was accused of “working with (the) CIA”, Ahmed Ibrahim 28, was accused of spying for Somalia’s neighbor Kenya, Yussuf Makaraan Mohamed who allegedly said to have been working with CIA and Abdullahi Omar Hassan who was accused of with Somali government.

A local resident who asked for anonymity said that people in the area had been asked by al Shabaab to gather near its camp.

“We thought there was a lecture, however we witnessed three men shot dead and another beheaded in front of us,” he said.

The group has vowed to fight the Western-backed Somali Federal government and often carry out similar executions in their strongholds areas in Southern Somalia.