Countering Al-Shabaab: A Case to Minimize Transnational Terrorist Threats Against Uganda

摘要

This thesis analyzes the first transnational terrorist attack by Al- Shabaab in Kampala, Uganda, on July 11, 2010. It provides the history of Al- Shabaab as well as a chronology of the group's activities from 2006 to 2010. The study examines the factors that may have contributed to Al-Shabaab becoming transnational in its focus and striking hundreds of miles away from its homeland of Somalia. The findings show that the recruitment of foreign fighters by Al-Shabaab materialized into the recruitment of Ugandans who acted as a local franchised cell inside Uganda. It was that cell that was responsible for the Kampala bombings. This local franchised cell had logistic support links with other terrorist cells outside Uganda. In addition, porous borders facilitated the perpetrators' easy entry into Uganda with all the materials that were needed for the bombings. The author recommends that the East African community intensify human intelligence among the indigenous population in Uganda, and establish a strong counterterrorism agency incorporating all member states for information sharing to thwart cross-border terrorist networks.