Al-Qaida's Thoughts on Boko Haram

The news: You know that you're getting too extreme if even al-Qaida is giving you major side-eye.
That's precisely what's happening with Boko Haram, the Islamist group behind the April kidnapping of over 270 schoolgirls in Nigeria. Though it's known to be loosely affiliated with al-Qaida, it is now catching flak from Islamist militants who believe that the group went too far and is even being counterproductive to al-Qaida's goals.
The New York Times contends that Muslim scholars and Islamist parties around the world rejected Boko Haram many years ago for its "senseless cruelty and capricious violence against civilians." But despite their self-distancing, this week's actions have been too much even for "fellow militants normally eager to condone terrorist acts against the West and its allies." Notes the Times:

"Such news is spread to taint the image of the Mujahedeen,' wrote one dubious poster on a web forum used by Islamic militants whose administrator uses a picture of Osama bin Laden."

"The violence most of the African rebel groups practice makes al-Qaida look like a bunch of schoolgirls," Bronwyn Bruton, an Africa scholar at the Atlantic Council in Washington, told the Times. "And al-Qaida at this point is a brand — and pretty much only a brand — so you have to ask yourself how they are going to deal with the people who are doing things so hideous even the leaders of al-Qaida are unwilling to condone them."

The background: It's important to keep in mind that Boko Haram did not start off as an al-Qaida offshoot. The group was founded a decade ago by the radical Kanuri cleric Mohammed Yusuf, who gained popularity in the troubled Nigerian region of Borno. After his death, he was succeeded by current leader Abubakar Shekau, and over time, the group evolved into a national insurgency fighting to institute Sharia law.
Unlike al-Qaida, Boko Haram's goals are highly localized and based on a cult of personality. Shekau claims to communicate directly with God and demands complete obedience from his followers, which doesn't sit well with many in the al-Qaida network.
Why this is important: Though it's easy to loop all radical Islamist groups together, the fragile relationship between Boko Haram and al-Qaida captures this network's true fragmentation.
Since Osama bin Laden's death, al-Qaida has become much more conscious about its image. Afraid of alienating potential supporters, it has called upon its allies to reduce attacks on civilians and noncombatants. Dispute over indiscriminate violence is precisely why al-Qaida has cut ties with Iraq's Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the Syrian jihadist group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) — earlier this year, the Arabian Peninsula branch punished one of its fighters for throwing a grenade at unarmed medics at a hospital.
Given how strict al-Qaida has become in determining whether certain affiliates or activities are "on brand," Boko Haram is treading on thin ice right now. Al-Qaida's core leadership hasn't publicly commented on the kidnapping, but the high-profile incident — coupled with Boko Haram's increasing streak of murders and bombings — is generating a lot of bad publicity for everyone. Who knows how much longer they'll put up with it?

-policymic ( Eileen Shim)

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Chelsea's future plan- as Mourinho starts the process

Jose Mourinho has admitted his position as Chelsea manager may not be secure, as he prepares to submit a detailed report outlining his vision for the club's future on Monday.
Mourinho is looking to reshape his squad after a season that will end on Sunday without a trophy success.
Near misses in the Premier League and Champions League have left Mourinho to look towards a fresh start at Stamford Bridge, as he has declared the most successful era in the club's history has now come to an end.
While hinting the club icons such as John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole could still have a future at Chelsea despite the trio being out of contract this summer, he has claimed that the likes of Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matic are the future of the club.
"Clearly, Chelsea had a fantastic team that lasted for 10 years, but he that team is over, it doesn't exist any more," he told reporters at the club's Cobham training base.
"Chelsea needs to build another team with some similarities to that one. Some of these boys are still here, but not many of them. And Chelsea is building its future.
"You could see this season that these people were important to give some stability, to give some experience to the team, but obviously they're not the players for the next 10 years.
"The players for the next 10 years have to be the Hazards, Oscars, Matic... these young guys are the guys for the next 10 years."
Commenting on his plans to present a plan for the future to the Chelsea hierarchy, he revealed his plans include the calls he has made on loan players Thibaut Courtois, who has been with Atletico Madrid for the last three years and striker Romelu Lukaku, who has impressed at Everton this season.
"I made a decision, but I'm not the club, I'm the manager." he said when asked about Belgian keeper Courtois. "I have an opinion. I informed the club about my opinion, not just a simple comment made in a corridor.
"My final report will have, in detail, this kind of case [Courtois] which you can compare with Lukaku. His was also a successful loan, a long loan in this case. I have my opinion very, very clear.
"That's my job. My job is to analyse things, to have opinions and to make my decisions. After that the club is the club and obviously I have to work for and with the club and respect the club's decisions.
"I like to do things in a proper way, I like to be committed with my opinions, and I do that written always. That's the proper way, to do it officially."
When commenting on his own position at Chelsea, Mourinho accepted he could be replaced unless he leads the team to a more successful season next time around.
"I don't have to win [trophies] next time, but I have to improve," added Mourinho. "Nobody has that security in football, I believe. I work hard every day to try to prove I'm the right person for the job and the Chelsea job at the moment is a different job than in previous years.
"David Moyes signed a six-year contract at United and everyone spoke about stability. Everyone was convinced he had stability, myself included, but he didn't get to the end of his first season.
"So, in football now, there must be something really special between manager and club, or the manager must be something really special to be there for five, 10 years.
"I'm not saying I'll have that security to be here until the end of my contract or beyond that. I just try and prove I can do my job."

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Dani Alves threatens to leave Barcelona

Reported Paris Saint-Germain target Dani Alves says he will leave Barcelona in the summer unless the "negative energy" changes around the Camp Nou.

Alves, whose eating of a banana thrown onto the pitch during a recent game at Villarreal has sparked a national debate in Spain over racism, is one of the Barca players who have been most regularly criticised by Blaugrana pundits and fans as their season appeared to go off the rails after April defeats in the Champions League, Copa del Rey and La Liga.

The Brazil international, 31, has also been one of the players regularly mentioned in speculation of a squad shake-up this summer, and has reportedly already agreed to join the big-spending Ligue 1 outfit.

Alves told Catalan radio RAC 1 that he did not appreciate being singled out for criticism lately and would need things to change if he were not to move clubs this summer.

"It takes a lot to get to Barcelona, and whoever it hurts I am part of the history of this club," Alves said. "I need energy, it is what moves me, I am a happy person. I have always been like that, but when the results not being as people expected there have to be shots fired, and I feel fired at. If you begin to feel the energy is negative, then things do not flow. If this energy does not change, for sure I will leave because it takes a lot out of you. For me to stay this summer the energy would have to change."

The former Sevilla right-back also criticised the Barca board's apparent move to seal the appointment of current Celta Vigo boss Luis Enrique as coach for next season, even as incumbent Gerardo Martino is still trying to guide the team to this year's title.

"As a player [Luis Enrique] was phenomenal and as a coach he is doing very well at Celta, but I believe this club often moves too quickly with things," he said. "We are still fighting for La Liga. Things should be a bit more relaxed, with less hurry, because the season has not ended yet."

Recent slips by Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid mean Barca will win the La Liga title should they win their two remaining games -- at Elche on Sunday and then at home to current leaders Atletico on the final day. Alves echoed teammates Pedro Rodriguez and Lionel Messi in saying that not taking this second chance to retain the trophy would be a 'disaster'.

"If we do not win La Liga, the season is a disaster," he said. "We are getting too many chances and cannot let them go. I trust 100 percent in this team and guarantee we will not fail."

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Report: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's Wedding Invitation Revealed

A wedding invitation which reportedly is from Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's nuptials has leaked online. A photo of the couple's alleged wedding invitation, obtained by Us Weekly, shows the elegant card being featured with gold letterings. Info such as the date of the wedding and guests' dress code is also included.

The star of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians", who previously said that her wedding to the rapper would be a small and intimate affair, took to Twitter to dispel various rumors about her wedding earlier this week. In some Twitter posts, the mother of one said that she and West were not married yet and did not plan to televise her wedding on her reality show.

She also slammed a report about her wedding dress. "Seeing fake wedding dress pics of me. No one has seen my dress! Those photos are old or photo shopped," she wrote.

On Friday, May 9, the reality star made further comment on a magazine report of her wedding dress. She slammed the report on her site, writing, "It's pretty unbelievable what people will do to sell a magazine... this picture says in really small print that it's a 'Photo Recreation.' It's not a real photo of me, but they're implying that it is... Super lame!!" 

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Chris Brown sentenced to 131 days in jail

Chris Brown is ordered to stay in jail for a bit more after he admitted to violating his probation by getting into an altercation with a man outside the W hotel in Washington D.C. in October. The R&B singer appeared in a hearing on Friday, May 9 in Los Angeles where he made the admission wearing his orange uniform.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin then sentenced the singer to 365 days in jail. Brown, however, was given credit for serving 234 days in rehab facility and behind bars. Therefore, he has 131 days to serve.

As reported by CNN, Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos believes that his client will be released soon. He told the news outlet after the hearing, "I would expect that Chris should be out of jail before the weekend's up or before Monday. If he isn't out by Monday, then I would expect he's getting special treatment. He's got over 230 days credit on a 365 (day sentence) and generally the sheriff is releasing on a lot less than that."

Brown was sentenced to probation following an assault related to his then-girlfriend Rihanna in addition to community service. Brown still have about 700 hours of work to complete, but Geragos said that the singer "enjoyed" the activity. Brown also needs to attend therapy session twice a week and take random drug test three times a week.

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Sam Allardyce wish Steven Gerrard side 'Liverpool' win the Premier League rather than City

Allardyce and his players are now all that stand between City and a second Premier League in three years, and a point at the Etihad will be good enough barring a 13-goal victory for Liverpool over Newcastle.
The omens are good for Manuel Pellegrini's side - in three previous meetings with West Ham this season they have won three times and scored 12 goals - but Allardyce has a personal motive for spoiling City's title party.
He said: "From a neutral's point of view I think everybody would like to see Liverpool win it, and from a personal point of view I'd like to see Steven Gerrard win it.
"It's the last thing for him which he hasn't quite achieved at Liverpool. He's been a one club man all his life. Obviously they've let it slip out of their hands. They had it to take, but they've now left it in the hands of Manchester City.
"We all know Man City in full cry are very difficult to play against. We've got to go out there and give a fantastic performance to stop them trying to grasp the title on that day.
"Of course that will be hugely difficult - this is the best team at home in the league. They've only lost once, against Chelsea, their goal record is fantastic and they've got great, great players.
"So every player on top of his form, every player can go out and give everything they've got from the basis we're already in the Premier League next season.
"Let's try and spoil Manchester City's party."
West Ham will have to contend with the threat of Sergio Aguero who returns from injury. The Argentina international missed the midweek victory over Aston Villa after suffering a groin strain during the first half of last weekend's 3-2 win at Everton.
Aguero, City's top scorer this season with 28 goals, was also rated doubtful for the visit of the Hammers to the Etihad Stadium but Pellegrini has revealed he will have a fully fit squad at his disposal.
"The whole squad is fit," said Pellegrini, whose side need only a draw to secure the Premier League crown.
"It is very important. If you have your whole squad you can choose between all your players - that is the most important thing for a manager."
Pellegrini has attempted to play down the importance of the game as City look to pip Liverpool to the title.
He said: "It is a very important weekend because it is the last game - it is the work from the whole year - but also it is a normal game because I think the best way to do it is to repeat what we did the whole season so far here.
"I think it is very important for the manager to be calm, to try to repeat what we did the whole year preparing for the games here at home.
"It is one game more that we must play here and we must prepare in the same way."
The 60-year-old Chilean, whose side are two points clear of the Reds, insists he will be able to control his nerves on Sunday.
He said: "After so many years I think it is very important to control your emotions because when you have to take decisions under emotion, normally you will do it in the wrong way."
Pellegrini also insists he has no interest in playing for a draw against West Ham.
"Every team must play every game to win," he said. "It doesn't matter in which conditions they are playing, every team must want to win."

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Music Mogul Dr. Dre: I'm the 'First Billionaire in Hip Hop'

Dr. Dre beats his chest with a $3.2 billion deal on the horizon.

Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics isn’t a done deal yet, but Beats co-founder Dr. Dre is already beating his chest.
“The first billionaire in hip-hop, right here from the motherf—ing West Coast. Believe it,” Dre said in an Instagram video with R&B singer/actor Tyrese on Thursday night.
The IG video was removed from Tyrese’s page, but captured on TMZ. If the reports are accurate, Dre’s bounty will push him past rival rap tycoon Diddy, and well ahead of Jay Z, Birdman and 50 Cent.
The race to a billion wasn’t exactly a silent war; Jay bragged that he was on his way to a “billie” back on 2006′s “Brooklyn High,” the next year 50 put out a “billion dollar” remix to his “I Get Money” single, and in 2012 Diddy bragged about having half-a-billion on Future’s “Same Damn Time” remix.
In April Forbes magazine did a tally of the five wealthiest hip-hop artists. At the top of the list was Diddy, with an estimated bank of $700 million, thanks in part to Revolt TV and a deal with Ciroc. At the time Dre was in second place, with $550 million, while Jay came in third with $520 million. Birdman landed at number four and 50 Cent rounded out the top-five list, but this new move with Beats and Apple will surely change things.

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American Marines locate Chibok abducted girls in Sambisa forest – Vanguard

There were indications yesterday that the 230 female students abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from the Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, Borno State, have been sited at the Sambisa Forest in Borno State, by the Special Forces of the United States Marines.

The girls who were abducted on April 14, were part of the 250 students boarded at the school for the West African School Certificate, WASC/ Senior Secondary School Certificate, SSSC, examinations, triggering world-wide condemnations.

This was even as more US military officials arrived Nigeria yesterday to join local officials in the search for nearly 300 school girls taken captives by the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram, the US Secretary of State John Kerry, and the defence department, Pentagon, said.

The UK team had earlier arrived in Abuja to support Nigerian government in its response to the abduction of over 200 school girls.

The arrival of the foreign troops is coming on the heels of the appeal yesterday by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for Nigerians to unite and fight the insurgents to achieve success.

According to Kerry, “Our inter-agency team is hitting the ground in Nigeria now and they are going to be working with President Goodluck Jonathan’s government to do everything that we possibly can to return these girls.”

The CNN also quoted the U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, John Kirby, who serves as Pentagon press secretary, as saying that the small team of seven would join advisers supporting local efforts to find the girls abducted over three weeks ago.

Kerry said the US team, working with the Nigerian government, would do everything possible to free the girls and everything possible to stop the atrocities of Boko Haram.

“We are also going to do everything possible to counter the menace of Boko Haram. The entire world should not only be condemning this outrage but should be doing everything possible to help Nigeria in the days ahead,” he added.

But there are no plans to send American combat troops into Nigeria, Mr. Kirby said.

The abduction of the school girls on April 14 in a remote community in Borno State, one of the most shocking terrorist acts by Boko Haram yet, has drawn widespread anger around the world with calls for a swift action.

President Goodluck Jonathan said Thursday that the kidnapping will be “the beginning of end” of Boko Haram.

US President Obama has said he hopes the abduction by Boko Haram will galvanize the international community to act against the brutal group that has directed much of its cruelty on civilians and the innocent.

This week, more than 100 people were killed in a busy market by militants suspected to be from the group. The attack occurred in Gamboru Ngala, Borno State, near the Nigerian border with Cameroun.

Besides the United States, Britain, France and China have also offered to help rescue the stolen girls.Obama said the team sent to Nigeria comprised personnel from military, law enforcement and other agencies.

France said it will station 3,000 troops in Nigeria’s neighbouring countries to help fight militants in the Sahel region.

British satellites and advanced tracking capabilities also will be used, and China has promised to provide any intelligence gathered by its satellite network.

Meanwhile in a statement yesterday, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said, “a team of UK experts who will advise and support the Nigerian authorities in its response to the abduction of over 200 school girls touched down in Abuja, Nigeria this morning”.

The team is drawn from across government, including DfID, FCO and the MoD, and will work with the Nigerian authorities leading on the abductions and terrorism in Nigeria. The team will be considering not just the recent incidents but also longer-term counter-terrorism solutions to prevent such attacks in the future and defeat Boko Haram.

The team will be working closely with their US counterparts and others to coordinate efforts.

US Marines find abducted girls, arrest Boko Haram leader

However, military sources said that apart from abducting the girls, the insurgents also carted away food items and vehicles as well as killing undisclosed number of people in Chibok on the fateful night.

The sources told Saturday Vanguard in Abuja that members of the United States Marines who are already in Maiduguri following the promise by President Barak Obama to assist Nigeria in rescuing the abducted girls, located the girls inside the forest, using some Satellite equipment which combed the forest, located an assembly of the young girls and sent the images back to the Marines on ground in Maiduguri.

Aside locating the whereabouts of the girls in the dense forest, it was also, further gathered that one of the leaders of terrorist group who participated in the abduction of the girls was arrested by a combined team of the US Marines and Nigerian forces.

Sources said that the Boko Haram leader was arrested, through an advanced interceptor equipment which was used to track the terrorist while exchanging information with his colleagues in Sambisa Forest about the movements of American and Nigerian soldiers in Maiduguri.

His phone was subsequently traced to a location in Maiduguri where he was arrested and handed over to the Nigerian military.
The location of the girls in the forest is contrary to widespread reports that the girls had been distributed and ferried to the Nigerian border towns in Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.
Senator Ahmed Zanna, representing Borno Central District in whose Maiduguri home, an alleged Boko Haram top commander was once arrested told the Senate last week that he gave the Military an up-to-date information on how the girls could be rescued, but lamented that his information was largely ignored.
He spoke against the backdrop of the claim by the Boko Haram leader, Sheik Abubakar Shekau, last week that the girls were booties of war, who would be sold into slavery.

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