A case before Somalia’s Military Court has taken an unusual twist after the phone of a prominent elder allegedly linked to Al-Shabaab was found to contain the contact “Saudi Woman,” sparking heated debate inside and outside the courtroom.
Mogadishu, — Somalia’s Military Court has opened hearings in a high-profile case involving suspects accused of collaborating with the militant group Al-Shabaab, in a trial that has gripped public attention after an extraordinary detail emerged: one of the defendants, a registered clan elder, was found with contacts on his mobile phone allegedly linked to insurgents — including one saved under the name “Saudi Woman.”
The accused, Diini Hassan Ahmed Hilowle, is a well-known traditional elder, officially registered with the Ministry of Interior as one of Somalia’s 135 recognized clan representatives. Prosecutors allege he acted as a spy for Al-Shabaab and provided safe houses for militants operating inside Mogadishu.
Alongside him stands Mohamed Deeq Ahmed Jeelle, also known as “Hidig”, a bomb technician accused of building explosives for Al-Shabaab. Prosecutors say Hidig worked in Somalia and Kenya, planting bombs before his eventual arrest. He is also the son of a senior Al-Shabaab commander, linking him directly to the group’s leadership.
According to the prosecution, when Hilowle was arrested, investigators discovered phone contacts tied to Al-Shabaab operatives. Among them was a contact saved as “Saudi Woman.”
When pressed in court, the elder denied the allegations of militancy, insisting the number belonged to a woman he had dated, a Saudi national, whose identity he concealed from his wife.
“The number saved as Saudi Woman belongs to a lady I was in a relationship with,” Hilowle told the court. “I only labeled it that way to hide it from my wife, who might become jealous.”
Prosecutors, however, argue that the number was not romantic camouflage but a codename masking ties to Al-Shabaab operatives. Additional contacts on his phone reportedly included Abu Hani, another elder recently sentenced to life imprisonment for coordinating suicide bombers in Mogadishu.
Hilowle admitted knowing Hidig, the accused bomb-maker, acknowledging they were relatives. He further testified that in 2016, after Hidig was detained, his father — a senior Al-Shabaab commander — had contacted him through clan networks to seek mediation.
He denied, however, playing any role in the group’s operations. “Yes, I know him; he is my relative. But I have no involvement in his activities,” he said.
The bizarre revelation of “Saudi Woman” has dominated public discussions in Mogadishu. Social media platforms and community forums erupted with satire, suggesting the scandal of concealing an alleged mistress might overshadow even the terrorism charges.
Lawyer Yasin Yare quipped: “The elder’s real trial may come from his wife rather than the court.”
Abdikhaqim Mahmoud remarked: “He’s fighting two battles — the military court and the court of his household.”
Hamdiya Abshir joked: “Even if he escapes the state, he cannot escape the Saudi woman.”
The case highlights the complexities of Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabaab. Traditional elders are supposed to play a stabilizing role in communities, mediating disputes and engaging with government institutions. Allegations that one of them might have provided cover for insurgents strike at the heart of Somalia’s fragile social fabric.
It also underscores the challenges faced by the Somali judiciary, where evidence can be muddied by personal relationships, clan ties, and — in this case — claims of extramarital affairs.
The Military Court will continue to hear evidence in the coming days, with prosecutors promising further documents and testimonies linking Hilowle and Hidig to Al-Shabaab operations in Mogadishu and across the border in Kenya.
For now, however, the courtroom spectacle has been overshadowed by a single line in a phone contact list — “Saudi Woman” — turning what should have been a straightforward terrorism trial into a case that mixes national security, clan politics, and domestic scandal.
