Attackers Tweet As They Assault UN Development Program Compound

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Attackers Tweet As They Assault UN Development Program Compound

Posted by timothy on Thursday June 20, 2013 @04:55AM from the live-tweet-hardly-seems-the-term dept.

Koreantoast writes "In another interesting example of the increasing use and sophistication of social media by non-governmental organizations, the Somali-based Islamic insurgency al-Shabab live tweeted their latest attack, a suicide assault against a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) facility in Mogadishu which left 15 dead. During the event, they denounced UNDP, tweeting during the attack that the UN is 'a merchant of death & a satanic force of evil, has a long inglorious record of spreading nothing but poverty, dependency & disbelief' and proceeded to mock newly appointed UN Representative Nicholas Kay who is to arrive in Somalia later this month. Also of note is their initiation of communications with various press entities including the AP, BBC and IHS Janes through Twitter. Hat tip to Foreign Policy magazine for the story."

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Given the UN's track record in Africa... by intermodal · 2013-06-20 04:59 · Score: 5, Insightful

I have to say, I can understand how they would view the UN in such a way. The UN's policies are pretty firm in their pushing of dependence, which is unsurprising given the way the wealthier and more influential nations are able to control it.

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1. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by Sponge+Bath · 2013-06-20 05:03 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It's clear the spreading of disbelief is the real motivator here. Kill in the name of God.
2. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-20 05:41 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  many use the ancient writings of a madman in a holy book to use as their justification to kill.
  Come on, the words of Adam Smith or Karl Marx aren't that old to be called ancient.
3. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by TheCarp · 2013-06-20 05:46 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  > These attacks would not have happened unless something was going on that they found
  > objectionable enough to kill over.
  I think it more likely that these attacks would have been differently justified. That or these attacks would have been different attacks. The group is a militant group with a clearly larger agenda than opposing the UN.
  That said, the best propaganda does have some truth to it. If there wasn't some sentiment already in this direction, then these attacks would be pointless. I am reminded of the talk of newspeak and the idea that big brother being good could be so ingrained in a language that to even say the opposite would seem, on its face, wrong. Just try to replace the UN with the Redcross or Doctors without Borders, and a lot less of us will be sitting here saying "well they have a point..."
  
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  "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
4. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by PRMan · 2013-06-20 05:56 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  It's clear the spreading of disbelief is the real motivator here. Kill in the name of God.
  Exactly. When I read this: "a merchant of death & a satanic force of evil, has a long inglorious record of spreading nothing but poverty, dependency & disbelief", for a moment I thought they were talking about their brand of radical Islam.
  
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  Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
5. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by Antipater · 2013-06-20 06:21 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  All "holy books" call for violence. Except for one, Buddah does not call for it in any instance.
  And yet, Buddhists have committed and still commit violence in the name of their religion. People are funny creatures, aren't they?
  
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  Everything is better with chainsaws.
6. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by gmuslera · 2013-06-20 06:38 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Is easier to believe in gods or devils than that complex multinationals controlling governments and international organizations to make money from them, or in intangible things like having a future or freedom.
7. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by ackthpt · 2013-06-20 06:40 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  It's clear the spreading of disbelief is the real motivator here. Kill in the name of God.
  It's really about pursuit of power, as in: They who are not in power want to be and will use any means to achieve their ends, including corrupting interpretation of their own "faith" to achieve these ends. It really isn't anything about spreading the good word of the Prophet, who would probably be outraged at the practices these people engage in, recruiting people to become suicide attackers/bombers.
  Never attribute to religion what greed and malice can easily explain.
  
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  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
8. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by gmuslera · 2013-06-20 06:44 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Why not starting at home? Someone had no tolerance for their beliefs, their way of life and their resources, and are invading them, with armies, global economy or/and factories. They just fight back the best they know, after the damage was done. But at home you have your big quota of religious extremists and people in power that see foreigners as tools with no rights, that even push their own governors on them to get easier to become even richer.
9. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by gsgriffin · 2013-06-20 06:53 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  You are mistaken. The Bible records violence (ancient...thousands of years ago), BUT the guidance it gives for followers of Christ (which is in the New Testament) is DEFINITELY not violence. The overwhelming guidance, instruction and command is to LOVE. It goes so far as to command "LOVE YOUR ENEMY". Unfortunately, too many followers of Christ don't fully understand this and fall into an Old Testament view of how they should behave.
  
  If people really studied what the New Testament is calling people to do, you wouldn't find anything objectionable. It is all about, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, forgiveness, repentance, humility, etc... What is wrong with any of that? Nowhere in the New Testament (again, the instructions for followers of Christ today) does violence upon anyone even come into the picture. Read it before making blanket statements.
  
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10. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by Lumpy · 2013-06-20 07:14 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  That is NOT what christian churches teach.
  And don't even try to tell me that the bible has not been used for the justification of murder. See the history of the Roman Catholic church for a plethora of examples.
  I know intimately what Christ said and taught, that has nothing to do with what Christians believe and do. And his teachings are certainly not being followed in any large organized churches.
  
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11. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2013-06-20 07:42 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  People are complicated, but the delusions are simple. Anyway, you don't punish people for having delusions; you treat them.
  
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  Ezekiel 23:20
12. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by cayenne8 · 2013-06-20 08:17 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Where would we attack? Even if we wanted to take military action against these idiots, they are spread out across so many nations that it would be the start of a world war and give credence to their teachings.
  Well, you gotta start somewhere...
  Sadly, it might seriously be time for considering a modern version of the crusades. But without the religious slant on our side. These islamists are basically invading again like before, heck, look at what its doing to Europe right now. In the past, well, there was push-back against that. Perhaps it is time to rethink all the political correctness, and call a spade a spade, and say enough, and quit giving in so readily and tolerating everything they want and do. If our western customs don't work for you...fuck it, go back to a muslim country where it is the norm. I'm not seeing a lot of Catholics nor Baptists suicide bombing anything. So, why don't we quit pretending and searching them so closely and turn our attention more directly on islamists around us in our countries and focus more on containing and pushing back against their countries that are openly antagonistic against us. Let's decide on the worst offender, and think seriously about helping many of them see allah in a quick fashion.
  :) And to others..we do know where some of these folks live and if they're surrounded by others that support and condone them, then, they're fair game too.
  
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13. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by gsgriffin · 2013-06-20 08:30 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  It is what Christian churches teach. The problem is religion. A relationship with God causes people to love. The religion that has consumed a lot of Christians is about rules and trying to make the world follow those rules. Bible has been used to do the wrong things. That is what we call taking it out of context or missing the obvious point. The crusades were using the Old testament model of getting rid of evil as their guidance. They were misguided.
  
  I've read the Bible over 15 times straight through. If you want to argue me on verses, i will quote the entirety of the New Testament (with nothing taken out of context). If you want to quote the Old Testament, I will simply say that it is a great example of the problems of man and struggle that God had in trying to deal with a sinful world...which led to the need and solution found in Jesus.
  
  Please don't quote the evil done in the name of Jesus when it was never Jesus who said they should do that. That is simply more and more examples of men screwing up big time and trying to justify their actions with religion. I don't like any religion...including the spirit of religion that has captured a lot of Christians. I believe in a relationship with God and follow Christ. It is good. there is NO EVIL in what He did or says to do....ever!
  
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  jsut athnoer menagiensls ltitle psrhae for you to dcoede. Why do we wtsae our tmie dnoig tihs?
14. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by OzoneLad · 2013-06-20 08:37 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  They don't seem to want to play nice with the rest of the world, and frankly isn't everyone about to start getting tired of going out of our way to be some tolerant of those that show absolutely no tolerance to anyone different than they are?
  For a second there, I thought you were talking about Congress.
15. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by Hatta · 2013-06-20 08:56 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  When is the rest of the world, going to finally have enough of these 'pease loving' American asshats and just start stomping them...HARD? They don't seem to want to play nice with the rest of the world, and frankly isn't everyone about to start getting tired of going out of our way to be some tolerant of those that show absolutely no tolerance to anyone different than they are?
  Do some counting. Americans have killed a lot more innocent muslims in the middle east than muslims have killed innocent westerners. You are far more evil than those you claim to hate.
  
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16. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by ultranova · 2013-06-20 09:07 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  You know...when are we in the western world, going to finally have enough of these 'peace loving' islamic asshats, and just start stomping them...HARD?
  
  Hopefully never, since the stomping won't stop there. Once you have your jackboots on, everything starts to look like a human face.
  
  --
  Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.
17. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by odigity · 2013-06-20 09:10 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I can't believe I'm seeing genocide advocated on slashdot... and up-voted.
  Do you not understand that western governments, and particularly the U.S. and U.N., have been fucking with the entire african and mid-east region for centuries? Colonization, genocide, propping up dictatorships, mass-depopulation, stealing resources, military occupations, institutionalized rape and slavery...
  How the hell do you justify your "fuck these guys, they're annoying me, kill them all" attitude to yourself? You want them to leave you alone? It's really simple. Leave *them* the fuck alone.
  I don't know how much more of this world I can stand. The ignorance and stupidity and *immorality* of even the intellectual elites of modern society disgust and frighten me.
18. Re:Given the UN's track record in Africa... by gsgriffin · 2013-06-20 09:57 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  God is all-knowing and did know that this was going to happen and had a plan in place to deal with it...Jesus
  God is all powerful but in allowing free will (giving you the ability to choose) He has allowed evil as much as we desire it. People choose evil. You may not choose God. Who do you choose? If you are not for Him, you are against Him. Do you know who else is against God? Evil doesn't force itself on people. If God didn't allow this choice, you would be called a robot and have only good to do and not allowed to do anything else. The next logical question is why should there be free will. The answer is that love is only love when it is freely chosen. If your child is forced to love you, is it really love? If your child chooses to love you, you know the difference.
  God is good, all the time. He does allow evil, but never condones approves or encourages priests to do evil things. That is each person's choice.
  
  These are good questions. Keep them coming!
  
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  jsut athnoer menagiensls ltitle psrhae for you to dcoede. Why do we wtsae our tmie dnoig tihs?
I am now immune to dystopic fantasy by paiute · 2013-06-20 05:08 · Score: 4, Interesting

I am pretty sure that tweeting that you are suicide bombing a 'merchant of death' requires the OED to make a new notation on the irony page.

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1. Re:I am now immune to dystopic fantasy by oodaloop · 2013-06-20 05:17 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  That's about as ironic as it raining on your wedding day.
  
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How it probably went down in tweets by Anonymous Coward · 2013-06-20 05:08 · Score: 5, Funny

starting 2 attack un compound lol #somaliinsurgency
just killed another 1! he wont go home 2 his family 2nite lol
guns empty, got 2 reload in the middle of fight #thirdworldproblems
bullet just smashed through bffs skull! wtf assholes #thirdworldproblems
just collected friends brain matter from wall, going 2 sell on ebay lol
just took bullet 2 arm lol eww feel blood running down past elbow
going in for suicide attack lol! brb
Re:Why... by BitZtream · 2013-06-20 05:15 · Score: 5, Interesting

And the people who live there aren't doing a fucking thing about it are they? Do you think they don't know who it is?
Why is it they I'm guilty for standing aside and watching a crime against humanity, but they are absolved?
If they had such a problem against it, they'd do something about it. They do not. They are only slightly different than the ones actually perform the bombings.

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dammit slashdot by Trepidity · 2013-06-20 05:20 · Score: 3, Interesting

I'll bet clicking on that Twitter link put me on some kind of list, and I needed to fly somewhere later this month!

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1. Re:dammit slashdot by Affenkopf · 2013-06-20 07:36 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  This is what living in a totalitarian country is like, being afraid of getting caught reading the wrong thing.
Followed by ThatsNotPudding · 2013-06-20 05:21 · Score: 5, Funny

I assume they're already being followed by @ObamaDrone.

Please RT
Re:Why... by Reverand+Dave · 2013-06-20 05:24 · Score: 3, Insightful

This is exactly my thoughts. If the people do want the help then they should help themselves first by trying to eliminate these radical elements of society. Of course, you can crow all day about "innocent bystanders" and "the extremists are the minority" but the real question should be: Are they really? Are the majority of the people so in favor of aid that they would do something if it would help? I think the clear and resounding answer to that is "no". No they wouldn't, won't, and will not help because they simply don't care.

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Re:Seriously? by operagost · 2013-06-20 05:59 · Score: 3, Insightful

Whoever runs this Twitter account has better grammar and spelling than 99% of Millennial Americans

FTFY

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