The digital footprints of suspected Shabaab financier

A decade has passed since the horrific Westgate attack sent shockwaves through the country, leaving not only 67 dead but also scars deep in Kenya's collective memory.

As the authorities continue to tighten their grip in the relentless fight against extremist forces that threaten the country's peace and security, a recent development that underscores this unyielding resolve is the arrest of Sufyaan Sheikh Ahmed on October 3, 2023, in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

Sufyaan is accused of spreading extremist ideologies and supporting the Al-Shabab terrorist network against the peace, stability, and governance of Somalia, according to a statement by the National Intelligence and Security Agency(NISA).

This detention, however, comes amid claims that Sufyaan Sheikh Ahmed has been living in Kenya.

The Nation Investigations has examined Facebook profiles that show Sufyaan's activities and religious views, providing clues to this possibility and where he may be spending most of his time.

How do we know it’s Really Sufyaan Sheikh Ahmed’s Profile?

Outside of contextual clues – such as live video posts, appearing over several months – his Facebook profile also displays a series of images of personal certificates of merit and student IDs for colleges Sufyaan previously attended, all visible with names and dates.

On one of his Facebook profiles, Sufyaan describes himself as a Somali, "extremely political, with no culture except Islamic culture, and equally an extrovert."

Furthermore, a report published in January 2021 by the Somali Times, a Somali-based news outlet, describes how Sufyaan Sheikh Ahmed, also known as Takeye, was never brought to justice despite being involved in the murder of five Somali journalists in Mogadishu in 1991, during the Somali civil war.

Although these are allegations that he has consistently denied when confronted with the question.
 
What does he do?

A Google search for "Sufyaan Sheikh Ahmed" reveals a wealth of information about his religious views and associations.

Sufyaan appears to be a significant figure within the Islamic community and his views have attracted the attention of scholars and followers alike, as evidenced by his social media statistics.

Numerous articles, forum discussions, and social media posts offer insights into his theological beliefs, interpretations of Islamic texts and his role within the wider Islamic landscape.

In one of his teachings on his Facebook page, which we know has over 4,000 followers, Sufyaan shares his perspective on how the West views Islam and terrorism, saying, "According to Western liberal ideology, the word terrorism is synonymous with the word Islam."

Watching his videos, it's easy to see his strong religious views, which emphasize the teachings of the Quran. His teachings, mostly in Somali, reflect a commitment to Quranic principles as the primary source of guidance for his audience.

Does Facebook reveal where he lives?

Details from two Facebook profiles seem to indicate Sufyaan's presence in Kenya.

The first Facebook account, which has 234 followers, uses the Somali flag (blue) in its profile, bears the name 'Sufiyan Sheikh Ahmed', and appears to have been abandoned about two years ago, gives an address in Nairobi, Kenya.

On the other hand, the second Facebook account called 'Sufyaan Sh Ahmed', which has Sufyaan's picture as its cover photo and over 4,000 friends, also indicates that he lives in Nairobi, Kenya.

At the time of this investigation, we discovered that the second Facebook account was active, as it was frequently updated – with the last post in August 2023.

How do we know that Sufyaan is in Kenya?

On August 20, 2021, Sufyaan appeared in a group photo posted by the Alison Training Institute, an institution registered with the Ministry of Education in Kenya. We found that this was during the institution's prize-giving day.

In a contextual search for Alison Training Institute, we found that the institution's Facebook profile included its actual location, indicating 'First Avenue Eastleigh Nairobi Kenya, Eastleigh South, Kenya'.

This became another key piece of evidence of his presence in Kenya.

However, August 2021 would not be the last time Sufyaan would be seen at Allison College. On December 16, 2021, he made another appearance during the institution's graduation ceremony.

In front of him was a special badge bearing his name for the occasion, as seen in photos taken for the event.

Despite claims that Sufyaan Sheikh Ahmed was arrested for supporting al-Shabaab, our research has found no online evidence to suggest that this was the case.

The collection of photographs from social media profiles was an important way of establishing Sufyaan's presence in the country.

[email protected]; [email protected]