Ethiopia Hosts, Finances and Trains Eritrean Radical Islamic Terrorist Groups

The so-called Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement is an Ethiopia-backed Al-Qaeda terrorist group that had direct ties to Osama Bin Laden when he was living in the Sudan



Ethiopia Hosts, Finances and Trains Eritrean Radical Islamic Terrorist Groups.

By Abel Kebedom

It is public knowledge that the minority regime in Ethiopia has been handled in kids gloves by the western world, especially by the United States and its European allies. Its crimes have been purposely overlooked by its handlers even if these crimes are counter to the harmony, unity and peace of the people of the region and beyond. The minority regime in Ethiopia executed Oromo women and children in a gestapo style in a broad day light in the streets of Addis Ababa, it interfered in religious rights and violated dignity of religious institutions and their worshipers, pushed Ethiopians out from their land by force and rented it to the so called investors, discriminated against other ethnic groups, conducted indiscriminate bombings and killings in Ogden and other places in Ethiopia, violated the territorial integrity of neighboring countries etc. Yet the United States and its European allies continue to look the other way and give the Ethiopian minority regime a license to kill, torture, rape, arrest and harass the Ethiopian people indefinitely.

One of the reasons for such American and European deep silence on the serious crimes of the Ethiopian minority regime against the people of Ethiopia and neighboring countries is the pretext that it fights Moslem fundamentalist group in Somalia. Although the official information indicates Ethiopia’s minority regime presence in Somalia is to fight Al shebab the realty may be different. Many observers are not sure whether the Ethiopian minority regime props up or fights al-Shabaab in Somalia. This is a regime that plants bombs in a public place to blame and arrest opposition groups. It is known that Ethiopia Minority regime wants al-Shabaab to remain active in Somalia so that it continues to enjoy the support it is getting from the western world. Moreover, earlier this year a Somaline military official suggested that the Ethiopian soldiers in Somalia may not be there to fight al-Shabaab but for other ulterior motives. Moreover, A Kenyan official doubted the role of Ethiopian troops in Somalia as peace keepers. Such claims are likely to be true because the western support to the minority regime in Ethiopia is crucial for its survival and the regime has a vested interest in keeping that support for the years to come. How do you do that? It is simple. When Alshebab is in a weaker positon give it a breathing room by withdrawing your troops and lend material support by pouring arms into the illegal arms market in Somalia. Remember previously the Monitoring group has reported that the majority of the arms in Somalia’s notorious arms market originate from Ethiopia. Then to make sure that such ulterior motive is not known by the western world, declare that you are sending more troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabaab. Yes, that is the game to keep al-Shabaab going for ever. By the way most Somalis perfectly know such Ethiopian game in Somalia.

The irony is a minority regime that claims fighting Al-Shabaab in Somalia is hosting, training, financing and arming at least four Al Shebab like Eritrean Radical Islamic subversionist groups. These groups are Eritrean National Salvation Front-ENSF (Eritrean Islamic Jihad), Eritrean Islamic Party for Justice and Development-EIPJD, Eritrean Islamic Congress-EIC, and Eritrean Nahda Party-ENP. Although the organizations operate under different names and covers all of them agree on the promotion of the Islamic religion in Eritrea, establishment of an Islamic State in Eritrea and overthrow of the circular Eritrean government by force. To achieve their objective, they conduct killings of innocent civilians, foreigners and off course destroy public institutions. Since their inception the subversionist groups have conducted many terrorist activities inside Eritrea and the few that gained media attention are:

1. “Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF) in a statement said its armed wing has carried out the attack on Wednesday at the garage located in Qohawta neighbourhood in Asmara” Sudan Tribune, By Tesfa-Alem Tekle March 15, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA).


2. “April 12, 2003: Timothy Nutt, a 49-year-old British geologist was murdered in western Eritrea allegedly by ERIJ. Nutt's throat was cut and his vehicle had been burned. His body was found in a dry stream-bed near the village of Bisha. Nutt reportedly worked for the Canadian firm Nevsun Resources, a mineral exploration company specializing in gold and diamond mining”.


3. August 10, 2003: Two aid workers were killed and another injured when their vehicle was attacked by gunmen in Northern Eritrea. The victims worked for Mercy Corps, a US charity, which has long had a presence in the region. Eritrean authorities suspect Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (ERIJ). 

Christina Lee, indicates that the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement is rumored to be an Al Qaeda affiliate and supports Al Qaeda's mission of establishing a worldwide Islamic theocracy. The question is why is the minority regime in Ethiopia that claims fighting Al Shebab in Somalia is allowed to host, train, finance and arm these Al shebab like radical moslem fundamentalist groups and why are the United States and its European allies are not punishing it for that?

Remember although the monitoring group said there is no evidence that Eritrea supports Al Shebab and is constantly attacked by the minority regime in Ethiopia, the united states and its allies were quick to sanction Eritrea and have refused to lift the sanctions until this day. Such double standard by the United states and its European allies undermines the war against terror and lends hand to the minority regime in Ethiopia’s effort to plant a seed of terrorism and Mayhem in the land of peace and harmony of Eritrea. Yes, the Tigrean minority regime effort to turn Eritrea in to African Lebanon seems to have a tacit agreement and support from the United states and its European allies but until when? Are they waiting until these terrorist groups get a foot hold in the country and reach a point of no reverse like Somalia, Libya and Nigeria? Could the minority regime in Ethiopia be looking for another Somalia like Eritrea that will help it to continue enjoying the western support it is getting now in the pretext of fighting terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism in neighboring Eritrea? Is that in the best interest of the United states and its Western allies? The Eritrean radical Islam fundamentalist groups hosted, financed and trained by Ethiopia could be a stepping stone to ISS and al-Qaida entry to Eritrea and other horn of African countries. Ethiopia might say it controls the activities of these terrorist organizations. The truth is Ethiopia cannot even control the raging Oromo, Afar, Tigrai, Ogadeni, Beneshangul and Sidama and Amhara rebellion right in its soil let alone Eritrean terrorist groups. Better act sooner than later. If not the current misdeed may come to bite hands later.

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