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Islamist militants in the Somali city of Kissmayo pledged allegiance to al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, according to a statement posted on a Somali jihadi blog. “The Islamic administration of Kissmayo, under the command of Sheikh Abu Bakr Zayla'I, pledged allegiance to Sheikh Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda leaders, Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Yahya al-Libi God protect them all,” the statement said.

The allegiance oath came in an audio statement voiced by the Deputy leader of al Shabab Kissmayo division, Abdel Ghani Mohammad Yousuf, and aired on a local radio station called “al Andalus Islamic Radio.” He said that the group did not “fear the infidels of America and their allies, nor did they fear the apostate government in Somalia. “

The deputy leader announced in his radio address that his group gets its religious edicts from the leaders of al Qaeda. “I say to the Somali people that our jihad is an integral part of that of our brethren in Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said. He added that “every aspect of jihad management in Somalia” was for senior al Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan.

President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed had told a press conference in Mogadishu last month that foreign fighters had joined the ranks of Shabab al Mujahideen group and appealed to the international community for help.

This is the first time that Islamist militants in Somalia openly associate themselves with al Qaeda, despite previous indications of cooperation and coordination between the two groups.

In March 2009, bin Laden released an audiotape that he dedicated entirely to Somalia, which reflected his interest and that of al Qaeda in the country. In the tape, Bin Laden lashed out at the newly elected Somali president Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed and urged Somali militants to overthrow him.

A Kurdish group called “The Kurdistan Liberation Army” released an Internet statement pledging allegiance to Saddam's former deputy and the current Supreme Commander of the Jihad and Liberation Council Izzet Ibrahim al Doury.
“We pledge before God, and before you, that we shall be one of your brave armies fighting the American occupation and its traitor agents,” said the statement.

A post by a member of a popular militant Islamist Internet forum about whether he should pledge allegiance to Abu Omar al Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, or to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar has spurred a discussion about the issue. The two men have been referred to as “the prince of the faithful” in Iraq and Afghanistan and al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had pledged allegiance to Mullah Omar. This seems to have confused those who are neither in Iraq nor Afghanistan and wish to show support to militant Islamist movements. One response to the posted question suggested those who are in Iraq should pledge allegiance to al Baghdadi and those in Afghanistan to Mullah Omar and pointed out that there’s no leader for all Muslims because the caliphate has not been established.

The Islamic Front for the Liberation of Palestine – The Army of Mohammad - released a statement posted on the Internet Wednesday in which it pledged allegiance to al Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden. “We, at the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, pledge allegiance to Mujahid Sheikh Osama bin Laden, the Sheikh of Islam and the Emir of the Mujahideen,” the statement said.

“We vow to protect al Aqsa Mosque and liberate the lands of Islamic Palestine from the Zionists and the Cruders.” The statement indicates the group is formed of foreign militants who headed to Gaza to fight the Israeli army under the banner of al Qaeda. “To our Muslim brothers in the land of Islamic Palestine we say: We have come to you, across the border, raising the banner of Islam and the weapon of jihad.”

The group, who took a local man called “Abul Qassem” as its leader, also presented its operations including rocket attacks on Israeli settlements adjacent to Rafah and Beit Hanun, a rocket attack on Ashkelon on May 14th and an IED attack on an Israeli Jeep in eastern Absan, in Khan Younis. The statement explains that the latter was initially meant to be a suicide operation. A short clip depicting the IED attack was provided with the statement.

The statement also warns President Mahmoud Abbas that if he does not stop his campaign against the mujaheddin the group would use car bombs to target the “traitors.”