ICC Note: Somali terrorist group Al-Shabaab released a video on February 21, 2015 threatening an attack on the Mall of America in Minnesota as well as West Edmonton Mall in Canada and a shopping strip in London. This Islamic terror group, affiliated with al Qaeda, is believed to be responsible for the 2013 attack on Westgate Mall in Kenya. Since receiving the threat, the Mall of America has increased security measures in order to prevent such an attack from occurring.
By Heather Clark
02/22/2015 United States (Christian News Network) – Officials with the Mall of America are taking extra security precautions after a video released by an Islamist terror group considered to be an affiliate of al Qaeda released a video calling for attacks on malls in the Western world.
Al-Shabaab released the video online on Saturday, citing three specific malls in the footage: the Oxford Street shopping strip in London, England, the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada and the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.
The African group, believed to be behind the 2013 terror attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, begins the video with images of the assault. The hour-long production later shows a masked African man in a camouflage jacket calling for similar attacks in the west.
“If just a handful of mujahedeen fighters could bring Kenya to a complete standstill for nearly a week then imagine what a dedicated mujahedeen in the West could do to the American or Jewish-owned shopping centers across the world?” he asks. “What if such an attack were to occur in the Mall of America in Minnesota? Or the West Edmonton Mall in Canada? Or in London’s Oxford Street?”
“What would be the implications of such an attack? One could only imagine. And all it takes is a man with firm determination,” he continues. “So hurry up, hasten towards Heaven and do not hesitate.”
The footage included an image of the mall, as well as the coordinates for its location.
As a result, the Mall of America has stepped up security as a precaution.
