Al-Shabab, the notorious terror group in Somalia that claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, has released a documentary of that bombing.
In the documentary, it makes claims it will attack malls in the United States and Canada, and shopping districts in the United Kingdom.
More below.
Department of Homeland Security head Jeh Johnson considers the threat serious.
From an article at the BBC (more at the link):
In a video, the group urged followers to carry out attacks on shopping centres in the US, Canada and the UK.
Al-Shabab was responsible for the 2013 attack on Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi that killed 67 people.
Mr Johnson told CNN that the threat was part of "a new phase" of terrorism in which attacks would increasingly come from "independent actors in their homelands".
"Anytime a terrorist organisation calls for an attack on a specific place, we've got to take that seriously," he said.
In the video, a man with a British-sounding accent and full face covering calls on supporters of al-Shabab to attack "American or Jewish-owned" Western shopping centres.
He specifically mentions Minnesota's Mall of America - the US's second-largest shopping centre - and Canada's West Edmonton Mall, as well as London's Oxford Street and the UK capital's two Westfield shopping centres.
Co-ordinates for the various targets were listed on the screen as they were described.
The Edmonton, Alberta
Journal notes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is aware of the video as well, but sees no imminent threat (more with photo at the link):
EDMONTON - RCMP say there is no evidence of any imminent threat to West Edmonton Mall, after the posting of a new online video in which a terror group calls for attacks against the shopping centre.
“The RCMP is aware of the reported existence of an al-Shabaab video which encourages terrorist action be taken against malls globally and that the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, was one of many malls specifically referenced in the video,” the police service said in a written statement Sunday.
“While the exact contents and authenticity of such a reported video is being actively pursued by the RCMP in Alberta with our local policing partners as well as the RCMP nationally and our international national security partners, there is no evidence at this time of any specific or imminent threat to Canadians.”
A statement from West Edmonton Mall said all potential threats are taken seriously, and that extra security precautions have been implemented.
Meanwhile, our friends at
The Blaze are
reporting the revelation as well, noting that Minnesota (home of Mall of America) has a large Somali diaspora, thus al-Shabab might have "special pull" (spin that hatred of the other, Glenn).
The comments on the article at The Blaze are especially enlightening:
Bet the terrorist are also cab drivers friends of Joe Biden.
Not sure what the fellow is referring to up there.
But let us remember that, overall, 50 shades of gray [sic - no capitalisation] is more of a threat to our freedom than things like ISIS.
While
Fifty Shades of Grey in my opinion as an erotic Romance editor is a poorly-written book (I read it), somehow I don't think it is a real threat to our freedom. Censoring it might be a threat to our freedom, though.
the [sic - no capitalisation] very reason I always carry in every mall regardless of signs posted banning the carrying of a firearm.
Yeah, because your disobedience of other's property rights (I thought the right wing was big on property rights) to pack your pistol is going to do a whole lot against something like a bomb. Go ahead though, walk around afraid of everything. You are less free precisely because of your fear.
If you want to see some really rabid and well-thought commentary, I would recommend going to that Blaze article. Bring eyebleach. I leave you with a warning from George Lucas though:
"The Blaze. You will never find a more wretched hive of kooks and wingnuttery. We must be cautious."