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Al Qaida an active partner in Somalia's new government
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
WASHINGTON — Al Qaida has emerged as a major player in the new Islamic
regime in Somalia.
The United States has learned that Al Qaida provides training,
weaponry and funding to the ruling Islamic movement in Somalia. In 2006,
Islamic fighters, known as the Union of Islamic Courts, took over Mogadishu
and much of the country, Middle East Newsline reported.
"They [Al Qaida] are providing great comfort," Assistant Secretary of
State Jendayi Frazer said.
In a Nov. 29 briefing, Ms. Frazer said Al Qaida has enabled the rapid
increase of UIC forces.
The Islamic group has been accused of sponsoring car bombings near the
headquarters of the transitional federal government, recognized by the
United States and United Nations.
"Continued military expansion by the UIC has prevented this dialogue
from moving forward and has created the need for deployment of a regional
force," the State Department said on Nov. 28. "The force will deter further
aggression against the transition government, create the required space for
dialogue and stabilize the situation."
Ms. Frazer said the United States has sought to capture three Al Qaida
operatives in connection with the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya
and Tanzania. The three, also blamed for the bombing of an Israeli-owned
hotel in Kenya in 2002, have come from Sudan, Kenya and the Comoros Islands.
"We're continuing to work with all sides in Somalia to try get those
terrorists turned over and to prevent Somalia from becoming a safe haven,"
Ms. Frazer said.
Copyright © 2006 East West
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