Alabama-Born Al Qaeda Spokesman, Reported Dead, Releases More Hip Hop Tracks

Omar Hammami, reported dead, releases more hip hop tracks.

ByABC News
April 12, 2011, 2:58 PM

April 12, 2011 — -- American-born Al Qaeda operative Omar Hammami is not dead yet. If he had really been killed fighting in Somalia six weeks ago, as a government official claimed, he probably couldn't have recorded and released more bad hip hop songs.

Also known as Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, Hammami is the Alabama-raised son of a Southern Baptist mother and a Syrian father. Since arriving in Somalia in 2006, he has acted as a mouthpiece for Al Shabaab, the Somali branch of Al Qaeda. As part of his attempt to recruit Western youth for jihad, he has released a half-dozen rap tracks on the internet since 2009.

In early March, Somali Defense Minister Abdihakim Mohamud Haji Fidi told the Associated Press that Hammami might have been killed during fighting between Somali government forces, which are backed by soldiers from the African Union, and Al Shabaab. No body was ever found, and Al Shabaab has never announced Hammami's death. The Long War Journal reported in mid-March that U.S. intelligence officials doubted Hammami had been killed.

Now Hammami has apparently resurfaced, with two new a cappella songs that appeared on the web earlier this week. In "Send Me A Cruise," Hammami begs to be plastered by a tank shell, a drone attack or a cruise missile, so that he can martyred like some of the heroes he names, including Al Qaeda leaders Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Abu Laith al-Libi. In his trademark tuneless drone, he claims "an amazing martyrdom" is what he "strive(s) for and adore(s)." "Send me a cruise like Maa'lam Adam al Ansari/ And send me a couple of tons like Zarqawi," chants Hammami. "Send me four and send me more, that's what I implore."

Click Here to Hear "Send Me a Cruise."

Hammami opens the other track, "Make Jihad With Me," by slowing his voice down to a deep Barry White growl and then invites the youth of the West to make jihad with him, promising that together they will "wipe Israel off the globe."

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Hammami opens the other track, \"Make Jihad With Me,\" by slowing his voice down to a deep Barry White growl and then invites the youth of the West to make jihad with him, promising that together they will \"wipe Israel off the globe.\"

CLICK HERE to follow the ABC News Investigative Team and Brian Ross on Facebook and join in on the discussion.

Click Here for the Blotter Homepage. 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