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July 3, 2006

Somalia: Islamist Leader Still Denies Bin Laden Links

The new head of the Islamist faction in Somalia, the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia or Council of Islamic Courts (CIC), Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys is a founder of Al-Ittihad al-Islami or "Islamic Union", a group which is held responsible for bombings in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in 1996 and 1997, and the kidnapping of several relief workers in 1998. The US maintains that Aweys (pictured) has links with Bin Laden.

According to South Africa's Mail & Guardian, Aweys is still denying that he has links to Al-Qaeda. At the end of last week, Osama bin Laden made two speeches, the second of which spoke of Somalia.

Bin Laden stated on an audio-message, posted on an Islamist website: "We will fight (US) soldiers on the land of Somalia ... and we reserve the right to punish it on its land and anywhere possible. We warn all of the countries in the world not to respond to America by sending international troops to Somalia."

Aweys now claims in an interview with Shabelle Radio News: "The statement made by Osama has nothing to do with us. Muslims share common emotions and maybe he felt like this could help Muslims who have problems today and so he made this statement."

"He is not with us and he is far away, but maybe he wanted to express his personal feelings for other Muslims. We have no connection with him. No one has the right to dictate what we should do."

On Friday (June 30), Associated Pess reported that the Interim Government of Somalia, based in Baidoa, announced that it would resist the takeover of Islamist militias. Islail Hurreh, an official from this government said: "We will not accept any group who wants to undermine our government."

On Saturday, Arabic News reported that Adam Ereli, US Department Of State Deputy Spokesman, said: "I think it is important to note that we have for some time been working with different Somali groups and factions in a concerted effort to prevent Somalia from being used as a safe haven for terror and that's an important interest in the United States, an important interest of all us who are concerned about that part of the world."

The African Union on Sunday insisted that international peacekeepers should be sent into Somalia. Aweys is fiercely opposed to such moves. On Sunday, Ali Mohamed Gedi the Prime Minister of Somalia's transitional government, claimed that the statements from Bin Laden proved that Islamic terrorists are already in Somalia, a claim which has been made by the coalition of warlords, the Counter-Terror Alliance, before their defeat on June 5.

On Saturday, according to Associated Press via the Daily Democrat, about 100 Ethiopian troops crossed into Somalia in eight vehicles, a sign that Somalia's neighbour is concerned about the current situation undermining stability in the region.

Aweys has arrived in a position of power by deception. The populace were led to believe that the Islamic Courts were led by the modest and fairly moderate Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, but last weekend, he was deposed to a subordinate position by Aweys in a vote.

According to Xinhua News, Ali Mohamed Gedi has today denied the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia. He said: "There are no foreign troops in Somalia, and in Baidoa, as well. There are no Ethiopian troops in Somalia and Baidoa. These rumors are originating from opportunists, who are trying to create a clash between Somalia and our neighbors."

Ethiopia has also denied the reports, saying only that its troops are deployed on the border to guard against "provocative" actions.

An official from the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia said today that Omar Mohamed Mohamud Finish, a warlord, has surrendered to the Islamists in Mogadishu, along with 100 of his followers. Following the Counter-Terror Alliance's defeat on June 5, he had been hiding in north Mogadishu.

Finish had formerly been part of the Baidoa-based transitional government, but had been sacked by Gedi for his involvement in the fighting with the Islamists, then known as the Union of Islamic Courts. Finish has promised to set up an Islamic court in Madina district, Mogadishu, the region he used to control.

Australia's Daily Telegraph states that late yesterday, Prime Minister Gedi claimed that there have been Al-Qaeda training bases in Somalia, saying: "It is clear that bin Laden is strongly involved in some areas in Somalia and has militant training bases. Bin Laden's not a Muslim leader, he's an extremist. Bin Laden is trying to plunge Somalia into chaos."

Gedi added that foreigners (Al Qaeda supporters) would not be accepted. He said: "The TFG (transitional federal government) and Somali people will kick out these foreigners from Somalia."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 3, 2006 8:41 AM

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