The authorities in Costa Rica reported on Thursday the capture in the south of the country of a Somali linked to the radical Islamist organization Al Shabab, present in different countries of the Horn of Africa. The Ministry of Public Security (Interior) identified the Somali as Ali Abdinuur Ahmed and specified that he was detained on November 30.
According to the authorities, Abdinuur was in the access area of the Temporary Care Center for Migrant Persons (CATEM) in the southern area of Costa Rica, about 10 km from the border with Panama.
Buses full of migrants, mostly Venezuelans, who come from Panama after having crossed the Darien jungle on the border of that country with Colombia, on their way to the United States, arrive at that place daily.
When required by the immigration authorities of the center, it was discovered that he had an international search alert from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) of the United States, said Security Minister Mario Zamora in a video sent to the press.
“This person is wanted internationally for his possible participation in terrorist groups,” said Zamora. Abdinuur was transferred to San José and “will be subjected to a deportation process” upon finding himself irregularly in Costa Rica, the minister added.
Al Shabab has been waging a violent rebellion against the government of Somalia for more than 15 years. It has been responsible for regular attacks against security forces, politicians and civilians.
The jihadist organization was expelled from the main cities of Somalia between 2011 and 2012, but remains in vast rural areas, mainly in the center and south of the country, as well as in other neighboring nations of the Horn of Africa.
