Consider this from a Somali with whom I have been corresponding concerning the Ashareh family (variant spellings: Asharo, Ashara). As theorized in this blog, Yasmin's father might be the Somali leader Awad Ahmed Ashareh, the Minister for Justice and Religious Affairs in the semi-autonomous Puntland region:
Awad Ashara is from Warsangali tribe of the larger Darood clan.
He was working in the government of Siad Barre -- another Darood -- in the eightees before quitting or being sacked I do not know.
Awad Ashara went to Dubai with his family in the mid eighties and was one of the first Somali families to enter Canada in the mid eighties. Yasmine was therefore a baby once she came here.
Awad Ashara went back to Somalia once the Puntland State was formed. Puntland was created in 1998 but Ashara went in 2000. He was minister of religious affairs in a government led by Abdillahi Yusuf. Yusuf is now president fof the Somali federal government.
Ashara became then a foe of Abdillahi Yusuf, left the government and went back to Dubai. When the Somali conference began [in order to form the Transitional National Government], Ashara was a delegate of the Daroood tribe, just like Abdillahi Yusuf. Both were elected members of the new parliament, but there was a very profound animosity between Ashara and Abdillahi Yusuf. Ashara was the spokeman form the Darood members and Abdillahi Yusuf, who has just relinquished the Puntland presidency, was already manipulating the situation in order become Somalia president. Finally Abdillahi Yusuf get elected and the strong animosity between Ashara and Yusuf prevented Ashara from getting a cabintet post even if there were more than 120 post in the cabinet and even if Ashara was the frontrunner from the Warsangli subclan. Ashara therefore remained MP and is always defiant of Abdillahi Yusuf.
Now with the emergence of the Islamic court, it is rumoured that the Islamic court are about to build a new government. For that purpose, they need a prime minister form the North of Somalia and Ashara and Ali Galaydh are rumoured to be considered. Ali Galaydh recently declined and a trip to Islamic court controlled Mogadishu from the Ashara is expected soon.
Awas Ashara [Yasmin's mother and wife of Awad] has another daughter and a son [actually, there are now four children]. Years ago, this daughter married a man from India. This led to a family crisis and the Indian guy was forced to convert -- or at least say that he converted to Islam -- if he wanted to remain married. Awad Ashara's daughter is still married to this Indian guy.
Awad is very ambitious politically. He left the family completely in order to chase political office. He seems to be in bed with Sheick Sharif, the Islamic leader.
With all the focus on Lebanon, most people don't know what has been happening in Somalia. Neither did I until I started researching this story. The Transitional National Government, or TNG, was formed in 2004, with Abdullahi Yusuf of Puntland the first president. This government is recognized by most countries, but its actual authority is questionable. It meets in Kenya, and has never been in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.
Mogadishu is under the control of the Islamic Courts Union [ed note: the group changed its name to the Supreme Islamic Courts Council in July]. The ICU is an Islamist militia under the control of Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys. Daily operations are run by an executive committee headed by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the person Yasmin's father Awad Ashareh seems to be allied with. Aweys and his group have been designated supporter or terrorism by executive order by the United States. The goal of the ICU is to implement a strict Islamic state in Somalia.
For example, a Catholic Somali I have speaking to tells me Christians suffer violence and death in Somalia today.
The United States fears that Aweys and his group will turn Somalia into a haven for terrorists, specifically al-Qaeda. Neighbouring Ethiopia is alarmed as well (having had a rough time with the conservative Islamic regime in neighbouring Sudan), and on July 20, sent troops across the border into the Somali town of Baidoa. Baidoa has been suggested for the new capital for Somalia as the ICU controls Mogadishu. The TNG actually met once in Baidoa in February, convening in a converted warehouse. Baidoa is now seen as the next target for the ICU. With the Ethiopian incursion (which the Ethiopian government denies), Sheikh Sharif declared war:
A top Islamic leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed responded to the reports saying: "We will declare jihad if the Ethiopian government refuses to withdraw their troops from Somalia."
For its part, the TNG denies the Ethiopian incursion has taken place, and instead maintains it is an ICU fabrication designed to justify new fighting, with the goal of expanding ICU control outside of Mogadishu.
What does this all have to do with Yasmin Ashareh's murder in Toronto?
Perhaps nothing at all. It does appear that Awad Ashareh is not involved much with his family in Toronto, if indeed it is his family. But it does point out that, assuming Awad Ashareh is Yasmin's father, Yasmin was only an arm's length away, genealogically speaking, from the machinations of people at the highest levels of Somali politics. Politics that involve warlords, clan loyalties, Islamic fundamentalism, cross-border fighting, jihad, global terrorism, and the pursuit of raw political power.
And then there's the story of that forced conversion of Yasmin's brother-in-law. If true, who demanded that the conversion take place? And by what means would that person have prevented the marriage from taking place if his or her demands were ignored? Since that portion of the story seems to have happened in Canada, the local media might be able to verify it.
Update:From the Toronto Star this week:
Growing unrest in Somalia that sparked the resignation of at least 19 members of parliament — including two Canadians who hold dual citizenship — has further disabled the country's fragile interim government.
Turmoil has peaked since Constitutional and Federal Affairs Minister Abdallah Deerow Isaaq was shot dead Friday as he left a mosque in Baidoa.
The assassination follows the attempted murder Wednesday of Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed, chairman of the parliamentary committee for constitutional affairs.
Wednesday's shooting prompted several lawmakers to resign Thursday, including Transportation Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Kamil, of Ottawa, and MP Mohamed Ali Bilal, of Scarborough.
The government is accusing Egypt, Libya, and most significantly, Iran, of arming the ICU:
The leader of the Islamic militia, Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, denied receiving support from foreign countries and said [Somali Prime Minister Mohammed Ali] Gedi was "trying to distract attention from his own troubles.''
The assassination of the minister was a professional job, or so says this observer in the United States:
"The assassination of the minister created huge confusion and fear," said Omar Jamal, executive director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in St. Paul, Minn. "It is believed those who killed him might have been members of a terrorist organization. It was well planned, highly organized, and nobody can stop them from carrying out further assassinations. That's the immediate fear right now."
One wonders just how far their reach is. As for the future of the TNG, it does not look good:
The militia, known as the Supreme Islamic Courts Council [ed. the new name for the ICU], has seized control of Mogadishu and much of the nation's south, raising fears of an emerging Taliban-style regime. Tensions ran high earlier this month when the Islamists surrounded Baidoa, seat of the interim government, about 250 kilometres from Mogadishu.
Is it a surprise that some major figures, like Ahmed Ashareh, would be looking to align themselves with the Supreme Islamic Courts Council? A question to ask is just what price was asked of Ahmed Ashareh to be granted membership. And then ask who was made to pay.
