Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir
Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 or 1985 Somalia or Kenya |
| Other names | Ikrima |
| Occupation | Militant leader |
| Known for | High-ranking leader within Al-Shabaab; involvement in terrorist attacks and connections to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) |
Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir (born in either 1979 or 1985) — also referred to as Ikrima — serves as a high-ranking leader within the Somali militant organization Al-Shabaab. He has been instrumental in orchestrating attacks and establishing connections between Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
In 2014, the United States Department of State announced a reward of up to $3 million for information that would lead to his capture. On August 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of State officially designated him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Activities
Abdikadir’s origins trace back to either Somalia or Kenya. He is associated with the coordination of the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Kenya as well as the 2002 Mombasa attacks. Between 2004 and 2008, he resided in Norway under asylum status, where he obtained Norwegian travel documentation. Subsequently, he spent approximately one year living in the United Kingdom. He is reported to be multilingual, with proficiency in English, Somali, Swahili, French, Norwegian, and some Arabic.
His involvement extends to various terror schemes aimed at Kenya, including a 2013 conspiracy targeting Mandera Airport, youth indoctrination for terrorism in 2011, and plots supported by Al-Qaeda against the Parliament of Kenya, United Nations facilities in Nairobi, and Kenyan government officials. Abdikadir is also believed to have had connections to the 2013 Westgate shopping mall attack, particularly through links with Norwegian-Somali individuals.
In October 2013, he was the focus of an unsuccessful raid conducted by US Navy SEALs in Barawe, Somalia.