Aircraft drops leaflets of highest ranking US citizen fighting alongside Al-Shabab

MOGADISHU, Somalia - An unidentified aircraft dropped leaflets of the most wanted terrorist by FBI in several regions across Somalia, a move that indicates US' spirited efforts to nab the fighter.

Jehad Serwan Mostafa, 38, who is also a US citizen, has been on the run for a couple of years, despite also facing several terrorism charges back in San Diego.

Efforts to arrest him have proven futile, even though the US has placed a $5 million bounty on him, the most lucrative amount in the recent history of the counterterrorism mission.

According to the reports, the aircraft was first spotted at Dinsor and Bay regions, where it dropped the leaflets written in the local Somali dialect.

In the leaflets, locals have been persuaded to report the whereabouts of the most wanted Al-Shabaab fighter, who is believed to be "quite" influential within the group.

Believed to be the highest-ranking foreign fighter in the Al-Shabaab, the leaflets insist on the hefty bounty of $5 million, with his photograph attached alongside.

Similar leaflets were dropped at the Bakool region in Southwest Somalia on Saturday, with the architects also promising "resettlement" for anybody who can lead to his arrest, reports said.

FBI tussles with Mostafa

Having left America in 2005, Mostafa traveled to Somalia where he joined the Al-Qaida linked group, which has caused both deaths and property destruction.

FBI, America's investigative agency, has heightened efforts to have him arrested, in conjunction with the State Department, AP reported.

The FBI did say it learned in 2019 that Mostafa is a leader in al-Shabaab’s “explosives department.”

At the explosive department, the FBI said he's working under “Ahmed Gurey,” “Ahmed,” “Abu Anwar al-Muhajir” and “Abu Abdullah al-Muhajir,” Fox News said.

While a number of foreign fighters among them Zubair al-Muhajir have quit the extremist group, Mostafa has remained put, with reports ranking as one of the decision-makers within Al-Shabaab.

“Today, Mostafa is believed to be the highest-ranking United States citizen fighting overseas for a terrorist organization,” said Scott Brunner, the agent in charge of the FBI office in San Diego.

Mostafa's rise within Al-Shabaab

Due to his loyalty to the terror group, Mostafa has recently worked closely with Amniyat, the intelligence wing of Al-Shabaab and members of the explosives department, intelligence reports revealed.

The explosive brigade is controlled by another powerful Al-Shabaab leader Mahad Warsame Qaley, who is yet to be located, Fox News added.

“Currently, Jehad is in Somalia, and he is very close to the decision-making circles of Al-Shabab, especially their intelligence wing called ‘AMNIYAT’ and also an explosive brigade,” an official told Fox News in confidence.

Within the Al-Shabaab group, Mostafa is also entrusted with giving advice on strategies, international relations and smuggling of explosive materials.

“Jehad is protected by Al-Shabab hardliners who are mainly connected to Al Qaeda," the intelligence officer added.

"He directly gives advice to Al-Shabab’s leadership on issues related to strategies, international relations, smuggling explosive material and importation, media production, and its audience targeting.”

Where is Mostafa hiding?

US and Somalia officials have struggled to identify his hideouts in Somalia, and he's believed to be enjoying protection from dozens of fighters, reports indicate.

Mostafa is believed to have three wives and 16 children, and his family is under the protection of Al-Shabab’s General Security, which is "in charge of overseas Counter-Intelligence and the presence of foreign fighters” in the group.

But multiple reports have traced his suspected hideouts in the Middle Juba region, which has a strong presence of Al-Shabaab militants.

In recent weeks, the US has intensified airstrikes at Juba and Shebelle regions, where a significantly degraded Al-Shabaab group has taken refuge.

“The Middle Jubba region, which is under full control of Al-Shabab, is where intelligence agencies believe is his hideout,” the source told Fox News.

“He is one of the most trusted foreign fighters within Al-Shabab, and gets more protection (than others) from the group.”

Who is Mostafa Jehad?

Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and raised in San Diego, where authorities say he has relatives, Mostafa's whereabouts have remained a mystery.

He graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2005 and according to an FBI poster offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest. He joined al-Shabaab around 2006.

In the US, he was the president of the now-defunct Muslim Youth Council of San Diego which said on its website that it was “dedicated to showing the world that Islam is a religion of peace and Muslims are a peaceful and productive part of society.”

Mostafa’s father, Halim Mostafa, a Kurdish Syrian, made a low-budget film, “Mozlym,” that was released in 2008 and billed as an effort to show how the true meaning of Islam is often lost amid misconceptions of non-Muslims in America.

Despite the lucrative financial offering, which has been on the table since 2013, Mostafa has remained at-large. He is known to speak English, Arabic, and Somali.

GAROWE ONLINE