U.S. Launches Attack on Suspected Al Qaeda Members in Somalia

[brenton]

I just heard the President of Somalia pipe in on CBC and say that the US were good to attack the "terrorists."

 

[Ar-RaYYan]

I just heard the President of Somalia pipe in on CBC and say that the US were good to attack the "terrorists."

Of course he would say that wouldn't he!! He thinks every somali is 'terroists' if they are against his government. What a habashi lover!!

 

[Ar-RaYYan]

Yawn, oink.......if you are going to complain about the many evils of the U.S., at least complain about the true ones. They are not attacking the somali people or even somalia. They are attacking terrorists.

Actually I don't calll someone 'terroists' if they are bringing peace to their country and thats is exactly what the Islamic court is doing. and we have seen the proof by looking at what they did in the last 6 months when they had the power.

 

[FBI]

I just heard the President of Somalia pipe in on CBC and say that the US were good to attack the "terrorists."

Please explain how there are terrorist in somalia.

 

[Woodrow]

Here is a related News coming in from Kenya. I am pasting the entire story as you need to be registered on the site to read it there. However here is a link to the news site for those who wish to register.

Source: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgindex.asp

Border may be reopened

Story by DAVID OKWEMBAH
Publication Date: 1/9/2007
Kenya will hold a meeting with the Somalia Transitional Government this week with a view to re-opening their common border.


Kenya Army personnel view the wreckage of a vehicle belonging to Somali Islamic militia, destroyed in the latest battle between the militia and Ethiopian backed government forces. Photo/ William Oeri
Special Programmes minister John Munyes said in Dadaab yesterday that the meeting will result in allowing into Kenya Somalis seeking refugee status.

The minister, who did not give the exact day of the meeting, was on a tour of refugee camps and the World Food Programme (WFP) projects in North Eastern Province.

Mr Munyes, who was in the company of the visiting WFP deputy director, Ms Sheila Sisulu, said Kenya was concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Somalia but the country’s security was paramount.

Thoroughly vetted first

He said Kenya will ensure that those allowed into the country are thoroughly vetted first.

“We hope to resolve the border crisis this week to end the human suffering,” Mr Munyes said.

The minister is the first senior government official to visit the province since the situation in Somalia deteriorated after the Ethiopian forces forced out the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) militia men.

It was followed by the forcible eviction of about 400 Somalis, who had fled to Kenya to seek refugee status.

The minister said the country was anticipating more refugees from Somalia when the border re-opens.

“We are gearing up for another influx of refugees when the border is reopened”, he added.

Mr Munyes who toured the Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab, said UNHCR and WFP had provided the necessary support to the more than 280,000 refugees from Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia in Kenya.

The minister, however, steered clear of the raging war of words between the Government and UNHCR over the repatriation of an estimated 400 refugees from Somalia in Liboi last week.

While UNHCR and other humanitarian bodies complained about the forced repatriation of the refugees, the Government, through the minister for Foreign Affairs Raphael Tuju, held its ground saying it was concerned about the security of Kenyans.

And the UNHCR’s senior emergency and response officer, Mr Geoff Wordley, confirmed that his organisation was ready to dialogue with the Government regarding the humanitarian situation in Somalia.

He said UNHCR respected the security concerns raised by the Government.

Influx of refugees

The UNHCR is ready to dialogue with the Government to end the suffering by the Somalia people,” he added.

Mr Wordley and Ms Sisulu, said the refugees UNHCR expected an influx of refugees from Somalia once the border situation is resolved.

 

[Woodrow]

Please explain how there are terrorist in somalia.

Here is a link to the story behind that: http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=89210


Here are the pertainent parts of the story:

"Many dead" after US attacks Somalia village


Publication Date: 1/9/2007
A US attack plane killed many people with barrages of gunfire in a remote Somali village occupied by Islamists thought to be hiding at least one al Qaeda suspect, a Somali government source said on Tuesday.


US intelligence believes Abu Talha al-Sudani, identified in grand jury testimony against Osama bin Laden as an explosives expert from Sudan, is the leader of east Africa's al Qaeda cell and has been in and out of Somalia for over a decade.

"The Americans are saying an al Qaeda member heading operations in east Africa is among the Islamists there," the source said. He did not know the man's name or whether he died.

US., Ethiopian and Kenyan intelligence officials say some Islamists have provided shelter to a handful of al Qaeda members, including suspects in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and a 2002 hotel bombing on the Kenyan coast.

Besides al-Sudani, Washington has named Comorian Fazul Abdullah Mohammed and Kenyan Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan among the al Qaeda members in Somalia.

The Washington Post, quoting unnamed military sources, said al-Sudani was one target of the raid.

Ethiopian and Somali troops have chased al-Sudani since he was leading Islamist fighters near Buur Hakaba, close to the government base Baidoa, in the early days of a war which began around Christmas, Somali government officials told Reuters.


Though many have suspected an American hand in the Somali conflict, this attack is the first solid evidence of it and is in line with previous U.S. attacks targeting al Qaeda members.

 

[sameer]

really just a way for the US to more involved this time with gun ships to kill of the freedom fighters.


Do they have only muslim freedom fighters or non muslims as well?

 

[brenton]

Please explain how there are terrorist in somalia.

How am I supposed to explain it? The Somalian President of Somalia said it.:?

There are terrorists in Canada. Why wouldn't there be terrorists in Somalia?

But just because it is statistically probable there are terrorists in Somalia doesn't mean American planes should bomb areas, IMHO. I think the US has lost the trust of the world and shouldn't be doing these kinds of things, unless the Somolian government (not just the President) asked for the help.

 

[Woodrow]

Another intereting related story coming from Kenya through Eritrea:

Posted on Mon, Jan. 08, 2007email thisprint this
Interim leader rejects U.S. approach in Somalia
By Shashank Bengali
McClatchy Newspapers


NAIROBI, Kenya - In a rebuff to the United States, Somalia's interim president, Abdullahi Yusuf, on Monday rejected U.S. requests to bring moderate Islamists into his weak transitional government.


Negotiations with Islamists "will not happen," he told Al Jazeera television before flying to Mogadishu, Somalia's lawless seaside capital. "We will crack down on the terrorists in any place around the nation."

Source: http://www.dehai.org/

 

[FBI]

Abdullahi Yusuf

May allah either guide this man or give him a painful downfall.

 

[Woodrow]

Please explain how there are terrorist in somalia.

The leader of al-Qaida's East Africa cell is named Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, NBC’s Robert Windrem reported.


It is not known if Mohammed, 31, was the target of the attack, but he has been the most targeted al-Qaida operative in Africa for nearly a decade. He is most commonly known as Harun Fazul. He is fluent in English, French, Arabic and Swahili.



Mohammed has been indicted in the United States in connection with the Aug. 6, 1998, embassy bombings.


The United States has established a reward of $5 million for information leading to his capture.

Source: http://www.dehai.org/


I would suspect that somebody in Somalia is $5 Million richer today.

 

[Keltoi]

I'm sure we will have a tentative body indentification by the end of the day tomorrow, maybe even today. The last report I saw had conflicting body count numbers, one said 10 and the other said 20. Hopefully they did get the E Africa Al-Qaeda leader.

 

[KAding]

Please explain how there are terrorist in somalia.

This has everything to do with the 1998 Nairobi and Dar es salaam bombings of US embassies, in which 256 people were killed and more than 4000 wounded.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_U.S._embassy_bombings

Apparently, the US believes at least one of the perpetrators was in the Southern Somali village: Fazul Abdullah Mohammed

Now according to the US indictment by UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK. The indictment can be found here:
http://jya.com/usa-v-laden+5.htm

According to that document:

Beginning in or about early spring 1993, al-Qaeda members, including the defendants MUHAMMED ATEF, a/k/a "Abu Hafs el Masry," FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED, a/k/a "Harun Fazhl," a/k/a "Fazhl Abdullah," a/k/a "Fazhl Khan," and MOHAMED SADEEK ODEH, a/k/a "Abu Moath," a/k/a "Noureldine," a/k/a "Marwan," a/k/a "Hydar," along with "Abu Ubaidah al Banshiri," a co-conspirator not named herein as a defendant, provided military training and assistance to Somali tribes opposed to the United Nations' intervention in Somalia;

In or about the spring of 1996, the defendants WADIH EL HAGE, a/k/a "Abdus Sabbur," a/k/a "Abd al Sabbur," "Norman," a/k/a "Wa'da Norman," and FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED, a/k/a "Harun Fazhl," a/k/a "Fazhl Abdullah," a/k/a "Fazhl Khan," went to Lake Victoria to investigate the circumstances of the drowning of "Abu Ubaidah al Banshiri" and to report back to defendant USAMA BIN LADEN;

Preparation for the Bombings of United States Embassies

ad. In or about May 1998, the defendant FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED, a/k/a "Harun Fazhl," a/k/a "Fazhl Abdullah," a/k/a "Fazhl Khan," rented a villa located at 43 Rundu Estates in Nairobi, Kenya;

...

During the first week of August 1998, the FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED, a/k/a "Harun Fazhl," a/k/a Abdullah," a/k/a "Fazhl Khan," and MOHAMED RASHED DAOUD a/k/a "Khalid Salim Saleh Bin Rashed," a/k/a "Moath," "Abdul Jabbar Ali Abdel-Latif," together with "Azzam" and members of al Qaeda, met at a villa located at number 43 Estates in Nairobi, Kenya, to make final preparations for bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya;

...

On August 7, 1998, beginning at approximately 9:30 a.m., the defendant FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED, a/k/a "Harun Fazhl," a/k/a "Fazhl Abdullah," a/k/a "Fazhl Khan," drove a pick-up truck from the villa located at 43 Rundu Estates to the vicinity of the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, while the defendant MOHAMED RASHED DAOUD AL-'OWHALI, a/k/a "Khalid Salim Saleh Bin Rashed," a/k/a "Moath," a/k/a "Abdul Jabbar Ali Abdel-Latif," rode in another vehicle containing a large bomb driven by "Azzam" (the "Nairobi Bomb Truck") to the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. The defendant MOHAMED RASHED DAOUD AL-'OWHALI, a/k/a "Khalid Salim Saleh Bin Rashed," a/k/a "Moath," a/k/a "Abdul Jabbar Ali Abdel-Latif," possessed four stun-grenade type devices, a handgun and keys to the padlocks on the Nairobi Bomb Truck;

...

On August 7, 1998, at approximately 10:30 a.m., "Azzam" detonated the explosive device contained in the Nairobi Bomb Truck at a location near the rear of the Embassy building, demolishing a multi-story secretarial college and severely damaging the United States Embassy building and the Cooperative Bank Building, causing a total of more than 213 deaths, as well as injuries to more than 4,500 people, including citizens of Kenya and the United States;

Now apparently, the US has reason to believe these terrorists have been active in Somalia, where they already fought in the early 1990's. Apparently, the US saw a chance to take them out. Lets see if his body is found and identified.

 

[brenton]

Please explain how there are terrorist in somalia.

Another intereting related story coming from Kenya through Eritrea:




Source: http://www.dehai.org/

Why does Islamist=Terrorist for the Somalian President? Some Islamist (not Islamic) policies are normal competing ideologies with no more than the normal amount of violence.

 

[FBI]

Shoot first ask questions later, who's the terrorist now?

 

[KAding]

Shoot first ask questions later, who's the terrorist now?

How so? They claim to have been tracking the alleged perpetrators for years now. How is that 'shoot first, ask questions later'?

 

[Islamicboy]

If people are going to justify Somalian attacks by america then 911 can be justified. This is probably why most of the world hates america.

 

[KAding]

If people are going to justify Somalian attacks by america then 911 can be justified.[/quuote]

I disagree. The target of 911 was civilians, the target for this attack was combatants. Comparing it to, say, the attack on the USS Cole makes more sense. Except of course that the US is an international recognized country, while those who attacked the USS Cole were private individuals. And of course, the internationally recognized Somali government approved the attack.

This is probably why most of the world hates america.

Thats probably true. But keep in mind, there is probably only one group that is hated more. Muslims. They are not very popular either anywhere. You share that with the US, maybe the US and Muslims you should start a support group/conference or something. "Why are we hated and what to do about it" .

 

[MTAFFI]

Thats probably true. But keep in mind, there is probably only one group that is hated more. Muslims. They are not very popular either anywhere. You share that with the US, maybe the US and Muslims you should start a support group/conference or something. "Why are we hated and what to do about it" .

:giggling: :haha: :lol: :clever: :sunny:

That is hilarious but so incredibly true, i cant believe i didnt think of it before.

 

[Sami Zaatari]

its not that bad, its good, usa will now lose in afghan, iraq, and somalia, a trinity of losses for them. their already losing in afghanistan, losing badly in iraq, and they will also lose in somalia as they did in the 90's somalia may be poor, but they arent weak and know how to fight against those yankee cowboys. i dont see it as a negative thing if usa attacks us, because i see change, i see muslims rising up and fighting usa and eventually setting up an islamic state like their doing in iraq, and will do in afghan, and will do again in somalia, and that just makes a united islamic front