Somalia: not piracy catch all thread

[Chowing]

Seven foreigners including a former US soldier have been arrested in Kenya in the last two weeks over links to Al-Shabaab.

Kenyan soldiers also killed six of the militants in Somalia on Tuesday.

The seven were arrested as they tried to enter Somalia to join the militant group for training.

Other suspects were from other European countries, said police spokesman Eric Kiraithe.

Mr Craig Benedict Baxam, the ex-US soldier was charged in an American court on Monday with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group, CNN reported.

The TV station said he was arrested by Kenyan authorities on December 23.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Seven+A...z/-/index.html

Link to photo:http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=Cra...J1Cl5KOo2IveXY

Baxam is not the first American to join, or attempt to join, al-shabaab. There is a long history of former US (an soldiers for other countries) becoming mercenaries in battles around the world. How new is it for former US troops joining jihadist groups?