The Man Who Killed Osama Revealed -Ex Seal Robert O'Neil!

Only a handful of people knew the man who Killed  terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden.... until yesterday! The man now is an international figure and a motivational speaker seeking to cash in a little glory for having pumped the bullet into the head of the worlds most wanted figure. Ex Seal Robert O Neil is the man , his former colleagues in Seal Team Six are unhappy though, they prefer remaining anonymous  both in and out of the service as "Silent Professionals"(See Letter from from Force Master in Chief and Commander of the Naval Special Warfare community below)   but Robert O Neil couldn't let that moment of glory pass by! He alludes to the fact that a number of congressmen and media already knew his identity it was therefore a matter of time and to pre-empt a scheduled interview with Fox Tv , he went public !

The World is not safer with Osama now deep under  but accordng to Robert O'Neil -he says that has brought closure to the families of the victims of 9-11 World Trade Centre terrorist attacks. Question is will he now be the target of terrorist jihadist out to avenge the death of Osama? That's a risk he was  willing to  contend with by going public;Robert O Neil -The Man.I'm sure Hollywood will be on his tail chasing for exclusive movie rights!

Kenya "Westgate Mall Terrorist Attack" Verified information Sources

Unfortunately the internet is awash with misleading information including reputable "foreign News Websites" whose local correspondents are peddling unverified information with intent to "be the first" in breaking out news.This is expected as the whole international attention is now focused on the terrorist attack attributed and claimed by Somali based Al Qaeda linked- Al Shaabab Militia.

For local Kenyan sources that are producing verified information please check up the following twitter handles:-

1.@Joelenku- Kenya's Cabinet Secretary Interior and Co-ordination of National Government
2.@kdfinfo- Kenya Defence forces official Information Channel
3.@InteriorKE -Official handle Ministry of Interior and C-ordination of National Government
4.@IGKimaiyo -personal account of the Inspector General of Kenya Police
5.@NDOCKenya -Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre
6.@KenyaRedCross-

However please note that the official news sources from the Government are carrying news with abundant caution as the situation is ongoing and information being given out is measured.However their information may be more credible than speculation fuelled information from international news websites.

Popular Twitter handles being used in Kenya are #Westgate #Westgatesiege and #WeAreOne

Buzzfeed has terrifying photos taken by eyewitnesses at the onset of the attack, but i must warn you the images are uncensored and highly disturbing. JamboNewspot on Facebook is also carrying interesting news items but once again much of it is unverified but may prove useful.The Telegraph has a livefeed coverage on the event which is reliable to some extent.

On the other hand Al Shaabab are issuing their contradictory statements from the Twitter handle @HSM_Press2 which has now been suspended.Its funny how you condemn all issues about the West but use their resources(including their weaponry) to launch their warfare.Terrorism has nothing to do with religious beliefs but hatred!   

I will continue to issue other credible and reliable local information sources.

Kenya Defense Forces and Al Shabaab Twitter Wars

Here is a reprint of an article i have written on GlobalVoices Online regarding propaganda and social media wars between Kenya's Armed Defense Forces(KDF) and Al Shabaab especially with reference to a recent Twitter spat that resulted in a retraction by the Kenya Military official spokes person Major E Chepchirchir.

Kenya's military incursion into Somalia against the militant group Al Shabaab dubbed "Operation Linda Nchi" (Swahili for "Operation Defend the Country") has turned into Twitter war. This came after the official military spokesperson Major E ChirChir going by the Twitter handle  @MajorEChirchir posted old photos claiming that a Kenyan Al Shabaab recruit had been stoned to death recently by the group members because of "a difference of opinion". Image of the now deleted tweet can be seen at this here

It later became apparent that the photos were actually taken by a Somalian journalist in 2009 and does not even feature a Kenyan Al Shabab recruit. The Kenyan military spokesperson has displayed a sense of responsibility by acknowledging responsibility and stating in one tweet:

@MajorEChirchir: #PicturePosting I take responsibility for posting an old photo, but execution did happen on Tuesday. Friday execution likely.

Reacting to @MajorEChirchir's tweets, @SelfMadeAbdi asks:

"@SelfMadeAbdi: Are we suppose to believe u now?"

@Dannmanufc writes:

" @Dannmanufc: loosing trust of your updates"

@kithembe says:

"@kithembe: @MajorEChirchir  #PicturePosting  it is sad but stop posting old pictures."

His post has raised furor online with a number of Twitter users venting their anger, distrust and opinions on the issue under the hashtag #PicturePosting. Tweep @mamayaimani writes:

@mamayaimani:
"@MajorEChirchir  #PicturePosting  You do realise what his does to your credibility, don't you? You see what it does for the other side?"

Twitter user @geoffreyork blasts @MajorEChirchir by revealing:

" @geoffreyork: Here are the 2009 photos from a British newspaper: http://bit.ly/yDYRn4 Compare them to Major C's tweeted photos. Identical. "

The Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen Twitter page, @HMSpress, took a few quips at the Kenya Defence Forces stating:

"@HMSpress: For those interested: the incident took place in 2009, the man wasn’t #Kenyan, it wasn’t in Kismayo, and it wasn’t HSM http://www.dhanbaal.com/main/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=272

@HMSpress: They seem unsophisticated, even in their propaganda campaign. A simple Google search would have saved them such an embarrassment

Kenyans and other interested persons responded to the whole fiasco and here is a sample of their tweets:

Tech Blogger @RobertAlai comments:

@RobertAlai: @MajorEChirchir we are waiting for your answers. You tried to fool us. We need reality not faked scenes

Okwaroh states:

@Okwaroh: @MajorEChirchir and to what extent should we tolerate your 'omissions'. This raises loads of questions about the credibility of your WORD

Responding to the misleading photos, one Kenyan Twitter user, @Jkisioh, coins a new terms “Twicide” and asks:

@JKisioh: Has @MajorEChirchir committed twicide?

The Kenyan military spokesperson may have thought that the tweet would be easily consumed by unsuspecting netizens and believed as gospel truth. The veracity of his statements are not only being put to test by the Al Shabaab and its sympathizers but also by Kenyan citizens as "Tweet war" and social media warfare continue.

The Kenyan capital, Nairobi, saw two deadly grenade attack incidents linked to Al Shabaab last year: one at a popular entertainment club and the other at a crowded bus stop in downtown Nairobi.

Osama Bin Laden Is Dead -Kenyans Celebrate!

Kenyans have awoken this morning (coincidentally on a public holiday) to the News that Osama Bin Ladden is Dead the Mastermind behind the August 7th 1998 ,Nairobi USA Embassy bombings that left over 200 Kenyans dead and scores injured and maimed(see embedded YouTube Video of President Barrack Obama's announcement of Bin Ladens Death)! The Terror kingpin was killed in a well coordinated move carried out allegedly by American Navy seals that resulted in a firefight and the death of Osama Bin Laden's son.

That essentially is good news and there is a sense of jubilation and  retribution duly seved especially on Social Media as many bloggers and tweeps tweeting in their approval of his demise.Where was Osama Killed at? Interestingly Osama Bin Laden was killed not in Tora Borra Mountains in Afghanistan but in Abbotabad a cosy up market  mansion/house near the Pakistani Capital Islamabad .Ironically those who do bad live in luxury while their foot soldiers brave horrid conditions with untold zeal and fevour.

Interestingly it has taken Obama(whose father was a native Kenyan) to nail Osama ! The Kenyan Television stations are now running Al Jazeera and CNN live feeds in recognition that this event has much significance to the Kenyan people who have been on the receiving end of several Al Qaeda cordinated terrorist attacks including the initial 1998 US Embassy bombings in Nairobi.

On an international note many pundits will be evaluating this developments and its significance in American Politics and President Barrack Obama's re-election bid.At the same time Osama's death obviously will not have the cure it effect of Al Qaeda induced terrorism but it is a significant step in stemming like minded individuals .

A Pakistani techie Sohaib Athar who tweets @ReallyVirtual managed to live tweet the event as the American Helicopters hovered above his residence in Abbotabad unbeknown to him at the time that Osama bin Laden was the target of the noise.You may just find his timeline pretty interesting. 

Bomb Blast At Afghan Capital Kabul Near Nato Military Base

CNN is running an update on a suicide car bomb that has exploded outside the Nato Military Base in Afghanistan Kabul this morning leaving scores injured and a number of military personnel dead!Coming on 15th August, 2009 Kenyans are vividly reminded of the 1998 August 7th Bombing of the United States embassy in Nairobi. This is a stark reminder that we are living in perilous times hard to deal with as espoused accurately in 1Timothy 3:1, but the question always remains what can we do about it?As Humans do we have any hope?The answer is really simple and i will feature it in another post on this blog!

However it must be said that human morality and value for life has severely diminished. For a terrorist to strap himself with bombs and with full knowledge to drive to military or civilian populated area with full; religious conviction that he is doing what God requires of him and kill himself and others is abominable. The Kabul explosion which has left a mushrooming crowd was intended for the American embassy(SEE sky news item) but was not delivered because of a barrier.

Without doubt the perpetrators have too much hatred in their heart and are hypocritical as they claim to serve God but while in reality they serve their own destructive gods!Perhaps this is a stark reminder to Americans that wickedness will not be stemmed by charismatic leadership,change of regimes or overtures! There are bad people out there hell bent on causing destruction.Today's terrorist attack in Kabul just goes to add to the fear of many humans who despite seeing advances in technology,science,medicine and communication see humans behave in a brutish , animalistic manner!

Mumbai Under Terror Attack(Breaking News)

I am just going over CNN live pictures over the terrorist mayhem that has been unleashed on Indian trade hub Mumbai by islamic terrorist extremists and its quite shocking .More than 100 people are feared dead in attack currently being blamed on the group Deccan Mujahedeen.

Gunmen in small groups armed with Grenades and automatic rifles have unleashed terror on ten popular tourist sites including the epic and magnificent hotel Taj Mahal , hotel oberoi, train stations etc

The terrorists opened fire at nearly half a dozen places in south Mumbai at around 10pm on Wednesday, and soon took hundreds, including foreigners and businessmen, hostage. Gunmen opened fire from AK-47 rifles at the city’s busiest railway terminal, CST, killing nearly 20 people.

Fear swept through the city, as frequent gunfire was heard from public places. Explosive-laden vehicles, including a taxi near the international airport, blew up. The authorities decided to call in the army early this morning and sought additional commandos from Delhi.

Terrorists took hundreds hostage in the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels in south Mumbai, minutes after they had fired with their AK-47 rifles. They threw hand-grenades at the Oberoi hotel, setting two floors aflame.As we speak Police are still evacuating the building with sniffer dogs, sharpshooters etc engaged in the activity.Its scary!

What a sad affair for the world and a lesson to the security intelligence apparatus all over the world. I hope Kenya's anti terrorism outfit take a lesson that terrorists are morphing in their tactics and now are adopting a widespread sporadic shooting of civilians in public places most likely visited by tourists.This kind of tactic stretches the response team and can very easily overwhelm! CNN reported that Indian Police in Mumbai were overwhelmed by the well co-ordinated attacks and have had to call in the military. The question for Kenya's internal security apparatus is how long can it take for the Kenyan Military to be up and operationally responsive to such an attack and whether there is a strategic well co-ordinated response plan by the relevant departments including the health services, fire brigade, bomb squad, ambulance service etc seeing that islamic extremists groups from Somalia recently threatened the Republic.....The Threat is real! No one is safe the question is how do you respond when it begins?

For those Kenyans having relatives in Mumbai and eager to know their well being there are a number of new media bloggers responding to the crisis as seen at :http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/11/26/live-blog-mumbai-residents-online-community-react-to-terror-attacks.aspx where information is being shared.USHAHIDI can just be deployed there to crowd source information from first account witnesses. A sad day indeed for the World and something to learn from!