Much of the non-USA world is going gonzo over the the soccer World Cup now taking place in South Africa. The sport is nearly universally popular because it requires very little in the way of equipment and is easy to play.
However, in Somali territory run by al Shabaab, the Jihadist enforcers are telling local fans to enjoy at their peril:
Somali militants threaten World Cup TV viewers, BBC, June 14, 2010Keep in mind that Washington has imported more than 83,000 Somalis in the last 25 years (according to Refugee Resettlement Watch).Somali militants have threatened football fans they will be publicly flogged — or worse — if they are caught watching the World Cup on TV.
Gangs of Islamists are reported to be patrolling the areas they control looking for people watching games.
Dedicated fans are watching matches in secret, or in the few areas controlled by government forces.
On Saturday militants killed two people as they attacked a house where people were watching a game.
Militant group Hizbul-Islam also arrested 10 others at the house north-east of the capital Mogadishu where fans were watching the game between Argentina and Nigeria.
In the example of Somali Islamic justice pictured below, the local assassins executed a man for adultery (see In Somalia, ”Stoner” Has a Different Meaning).
