Intelligence report that indicted Rogo

By Standard Investigation Team

An intelligence report released a few months before Sheikh Aboud Rogo’s murder profiled the late muslim cleric as a dangerous man preaching against President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga for being non-muslims.

According to the report, Rogo had intensified his indoctrination and indictment of Muslim youth into radicalisation during his weekly lectures at Masjid Musa Mosque.

US froze Rogo’s bank accounts and put sanctions on anyone dealing with him after he was fingered for being an Al Shabaab recruiting contact at the Coast.

The report stated that his weekly lectures preached against President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila and religious intolerance.

In the weekly preachings, the report stated that he also preached that it was Haram to work for the government.

Religious co-existence

The report further states he disparaged other sheikhs and muslims scholars for preaching peaceful religious co-existence among Kenyans. The report also identified him as a lone ranger who does not relate with other muslim clerics.

“Aboud Rogo is a lone ranger who has no relations with other credible and knowledgeable?Islamic scholars in the region?who many?a times?held lectures in mosques to correct his distortions and misinterpretations,” stated the report.

The report further claimed because of his “limited knowledge of islam” he distorted the teachings of holy Quran and produced CDs praising Al Qaeda leadership.

The Intelligence report stated that he was born in Siyu?island of?Lamu?county and details his life story.

It states he was educated in a Madrassas in Siyu but dropped out to try business activities. Among the business he attempted to do were fishing, poultry keeping and running kiosks in the?area before relocating to Mombasa in 1989. In the 90’s during the?clamour?for the registration of Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK),?Rogo?served as youth activists, who participated in the street demonstrations and youth confrontations with the police.

According to the report, he came to the?limelight in 1998 when?security agencies suspected him of playing a peripheral logistic role in the bombing of the US?embassy in Nairobi.

He married?Haniya Sagaar. In 2002, ?Rogo?was arrested in connection with Kikambala?hotel bombing. The bombing claimed 14 people.

After his arrest, the report, a section of his?muslim friends led by a section of political and religious leaders agitated for his release.

“They conducted fund raising in mosques for the legal fees and carrying out frequent visits to Kamiti maximum prison, where he was held,” stated the report.

It further notes his release coincided with the Government crackdown on radicals in the country where some were deported while others exited the extremist groups and went underground.

“The crackdown created?vacuum in?the leadership of the extremist groups in the region. During the same period, Islamic groups in Somalia began gaining momentum with the Union of Islamic Courts controlling major parts of southern Somalia and in dire need of recruits to boast its fighting capacity,” states the document.

Somalia contacts

The report notes Rogo seized the opportunity?and established contacts with groups in Somalia.

He also established his Mtwapa based Sirajul Munir Madrassa. That he used the forum to recruit Kenyan youths to Somalia according to the report. Rogo?focused on youths in?Likoni,?Majengo?and Kisauni.

In 2007, the report documents that Rogo was unhappy that Islamic Courts Union had been defeated in Somalia by the Ethiopian forces and subsequent arrest of Kenyan youths by Kenya’s security along Kenya-Somalia border?“whom?he feared will reveal the identity of the recruiters to the security agencies”.

Rogo visited Somalia in 2009 and received military training from foreign jihadist in Somalia with affiliation to Al Qaeda, where he was radicalised.

“Rogo visited Somalia in 2009 and received military training from foreign jihadist with affiliation to Al Qaeda,” stated the report.