23-year-old Ajman Shanab in Vimmerby is charged with terrorism after joining the Islamic State terrorist group. Shanab, who was born in Syria, is the second resident of Vimmerby to be prosecuted for terrorism this year.

Astrid Lindgren, Thomas Ravelli, Kosovare Asllani and now a terrorist cell from the Islamic State. These are some of the individuals putting Vimmerby on the world map.

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In February this year, 23-year-old Zaker Mohsini, who grew up in the small town, was convicted of terrorism. Now, his peer Ajman Shanab is also charged with the same type of criminal activity.

From Afghanistan

Zaker Mohsini is born in Afghanistan but comes to Sweden at the age of three in 2005. He attends school and completes his high school education, but then struggles to find a job.

Mohsini’s family are Shia Muslims, but he chooses to convert to Sunni Islam in 2023. That spring, he embarks on a pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city of Muslims in Saudi Arabia.

When the young Afghan returns home, he is deeply religious, praying to Allah five times a day, refusing to shake hands when greeting, and letting his beard grow.

Zaker Mohsini does not undertake the pilgrimage alone. He is accompanied by his childhood friend Ajman Shanab from Syria. They are the same age, attended the same school, and grew up in the same neighborhood in Vimmerby. Both of them become radicalized in their Muslim faith.

Arrested in Ethiopia

On September 4, 2023, the two young Islamists embark on another trip, this time to Ethiopia. It is claimed that their plan is to travel from there to the neighboring country of Somalia to join the Islamic State. In Ethiopia, they travel with several other travelers with known connections to the terrorist group.

Among them is the Dutch citizen Adnane El Fkihi, who was later convicted of terrorism in the Netherlands. Another traveler in the group is the Swedish citizen Abdarrahman El Hassan.

El Hassan’s brother Jonas El Hassan was killed in Syria in 2013 after fighting for the Islamic State. Three of his cousins have met the same fate and are now described as ‘martyrs’.

However, on September 9, the entire jihadist travel group is arrested by Ethiopian police, and Mohsini and Shanab are detained. They are then sent back to Sweden.

Arrested in Somalia

But they do not give up. In March 2024, Zaker Mohsini and Ajman Shanab make a new attempt, this time by flying to Hargeisa in Somalia, via a nearly week-long stay in Mecca.

However, the Somali authorities are one step ahead, and the Somali police arrest both of them immediately upon their arrival at the airport. They are held in custody for six days and then sent back to Sweden on their return tickets.

In June, Zaker Mohsini makes a third attempt to travel to Somalia, this time alone. But now the authorities in Sweden have woken up and are almost as alert as their African counterparts.

Mohsini is arrested at Arlanda Airport.

Convicted of terrorism

In February this year, Zaker Mohsini is sentenced to three years and three months in prison for serious participation in a terrorist organization, serious financing of terrorism, and travel for terrorism.

He is convicted despite his denial. During questioning, Mohsini claims that he only traveled as a regular tourist. For example, he explains his trip to Ethiopia by his great interest in history and culture.

– Then I generally like the country. The city. Nice culture. Nice environment. So I thought I’d look around a bit, like a regular tourist, he says in an interrogation with the Swedish Security Service.

However, he refuses to answer questions about whom he met during his travels.

Accused friend

Now, the other half of Vimmerby’s jihadist duo, Zaker Mohsini’s childhood friend Ajman Shanab, is also charged with serious participation in a terrorist organization, serious financing of terrorism, travel for terrorism, and serious attempt to finance terrorism.

Among other things, Shanab is accused of transferring money in the form of cryptocurrency for use by the terrorists.

Ajman Shanab also denies the charges.

Both Zaker Mohsini and Ajman Shanab are now Swedish citizens, and under current legislation, they cannot be deported to their home countries.

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