New Video Pays Tribute To Somali Militant Leader Killed In U.S. Strike
The video included old footage showing al Ansari, who was better known as Adem Hashi Ayro, giving a religious lecture, walking in a mountainous area, paying tribute to one of his mates killed in the battlefield and preparing explosives.
Ayro had been leading the military operations against government and Ethiopian forces in Somalia since 2006. He released an audiotape last November where he called for attacks on AU Peacekeeping forces in Somalia and threatened to behead Ethiopian invaders and chase them all the way to Addis Ababa.
An audio statement by the group's new leader, Sheikh Abu al Zubeir, in which he eulogized Ayro was also included in the video and was followed by a long speech by the group's spokesperson, Abi Mansour, who is also known as Mukhtar Ali Rubo, in which he talked about Ayro's legacy and long experience since his participation in the fighting against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan till his death in Somalia.
The video also included excerpts from an Al Sahab video titled: "No Peace Without Islam" released last June. The video featured a statement by senior al Qaeda leader Abu Yahya al Libi, in which he eulogized Ayro.
Also featured in the video were excerpts from an old Bin Laden video where he talked about the virtues of martyrdom.