Looking for Some Lovin'?
Two French security advisers, who were kidnapped by Hizbul-Islam from their Mogadishu hotel earlier this week, are now being held by two different extremist groups in Somalia, according to sources familiar with the matter.
After disagreements between the kidnappers and the al-Shabab group, Hizbul-Islam handed one of the men over to placate the demands of the other, stronger organization.
In addition to sharing the hostages, the Islamist groups are also being accused of sharing the love. The nabbed Frenchmen were believed to possess several romance novels, pornographic magazines and videos, all of which were stolen at the time of the kidnapping. It is believed that these items are now being widely distributed among different groups across rebel-held southern Somalia.
An employee of the hotel’s housekeeping department, who wishes to remain anonymous, noted that the items included several issues of Playboy and Penthouse magazines, Vivid Entertainment videos, other pornographic materials in French and several romance novels in both French and English. Some of these materials have already been stolen from the hotel over the past few weeks.
“We need French Fries to explain meaning of novels. What means ‘Romance and novel paint beauty in colors more charming than nature, and describe a happiness that humans never taste. How deceptive and destructive are those pictures of consummate bliss!’? Also, what is Sandwich?” said a rebel fighter found peddling some of the stolen materials on the streets of Mogadishu.
Robberies are common in Mogadishu, but experts say this is the first time that foreigners have been kidnapped for such immoral purposes. “Rebels in Somalia are adopting Al-Qaeda tactics of terrorizing foreigners, but this is a first,” said Dr. Marcus Hendrickson of Columbia University. Hendrickson was later observed scurrying on home.
Both al-Shabab and Hizbul-Islam have ties to Al Qaeda and regularly recruit foreign fighters. Al-Shabab has been accused of several beheadings, amputations and stonings. Hizbul-Islam is trying to implement its own version of the Shari’ah law along the Kenya border. Together, the groups control much of southern Somalia, in opposition to the interim government.
