A Somali military court has handed down prison sentences to five men found guilty of being members of Al-Shabaab and orchestrating a series of assassination plots and bombings in the capital, Mogadishu.
The First Instance Court of the Armed Forces convicted the men based on intelligence operations conducted by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) in August 2024, during which several suspects were arrested along with pistols and hand grenades.
The court sentenced Mohamed Nur Ali (Abdimajiid), Abdullahi Hussein Mohamed, and Deeqow Adan Barre. Each received 10 years in military prison for their roles in planning and supporting attacks.
Abdishakur Abdikadir Mohamed (Webka) was sentenced to eight years for being part of the bombings unit. At the same time, Farhan Adan Hassan received eight years in prison for being part of the assassination planning team.
The sixth defendant, Hassan Ali Iire Kuulow, a security guard linked to the group, was acquitted and released, with the court citing insufficient evidence for a conviction.
The trial highlights Somalia’s continued crackdown on Al-Shabaab cells operating within Mogadishu, as security agencies intensify efforts to neutralize threats from the extremist group responsible for numerous civilian and government-targeted attacks.
Authorities praised the operation, saying it disrupted an active network planning deadly operations in the capital.
