Islamist websites last week . U.S. counter-terrorism agencies are still trying to ascertain Almuhajir 's identity and whether he really was an al Qaeda envoy -- about which there is some doubt . The event , at which a large group of Somalis were shown sitting crossed-legged on the ground , was clearly a propaganda ploy by Al-Shabaab to boost its popularity -- and that of the al Qaeda brand . International aid agencies have sharply criticized the group for banning or obstructing aid in areas in central and southern Somalia worst hit by the famine . The group 's brutal imposition of Taliban-like practices in territory under its control has also alienated many Somalis . If authentic , the event suggests a strengthening of the relationship between hard-line factions of Al-Shabaab and al Qaeda . Though factions of the group have long been allied with al Qaeda and share its vision of global jihad , the video of the meeting would be a rare demonstration of such ties . The so-called emissary told his Somali audience that al Qaeda felt their pain and urged Muslims to support Al-Shabaab , which is fighting Somalia 's government in an effort to
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mysterious visitor stands in a patch of scrubland in Somalia , surrounded by Islamic militants wielding AK-47s . His face is covered by a white-and-red headscarf ; he is slim and seems young . But there is something puzzling about him : His skin is fair , and when he speaks in an audio recording , his English is near perfect and spoken with a North American accent . The militants -- belonging to Al-Shabaab -- say his name is Abu Abdulla Almuhajir -LRB- the foreigner -RRB- . And they say he is an envoy from the al Qaeda leader , Ayman al Zawahiri , thousands of miles away in Pakistan . Almuhajir has turned up in the desolate scrubland , they say , to offer al Qaeda 's help with famine relief . Photographs show him at what appears to be an aid camp that Al-Shabaab claims it has set up for victims of the famine . The recording says he is delivering aid that al Qaeda had purportedly collected , including food , clothing and $ 12,000 converted into Somali currency . A video showing the images and audio recording was posted to