Media-Savvy Militants Lure Foreigners for ‘Holy War’ in Somalia

 With sophisticated graphics - and shot in high quality -  this is a video produced by the media arm of al-Shabab called "Inspire the Believers."
 
The footage cuts to a man sitting on a beach.  A scarf covers his face.  He introduces himself as Abu Dujana and says he is from Britain; he has a distinct London accent.
 
“I’d like to use my time to talk about the blessings of living in one of the lands of Jihad.  First of all, before some of us came here, we were living in a society where the people were enslaved by their desires," he said. 

Abu Dujana is one of a series of foreigners appearing on this video who have purportedly gone to fight for al-Shabab in Somalia.  Others are from Sweden, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya.  They are trying to lure others to follow.  
 
 “For us, a chance to fight for our beliefs is the best thing that can happen to us in this world. And the fact that we may be killed in this path is nothing but a glad tiding," said Dujana. 
 
The video - over 30 minutes long - is part of a series produced by al-Shabab aimed at a Western audience. 
 
Shiraz Maher, of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at Kings College London, says the group is emulating and even surpassing al-Qaida