Salah Donyale Receives Hero’s Welcome in Bosaso, Puntland

Bosaso, (Dhahar) - Thousands of people holding Somali Public Radio (SPR) billboards and waving the Somali flag cheered wildly in an effort to welcome American Somali delegates lead by Mr.Salah Donyale. Mr. Donyale, an MBA graduate from Concordia University and a senior corporate tax auditor heads a Minnesota based organization which aims to cater a modern media tune that abides by international media regulations.

Soon to be launched are networks of public radio stations in Puntland. It will feature a diversity of programs such as sports, science and technology, public health, social development and the promotion of human rights and democracy.

The new radio project is slated to be operated from five major cities in Somalia: Bosaso, Badhan, Ceerigaabo, Garoowe and Dhahar. Its satelite receptions are expected to reach millions of listeners all over Somalia, East Africa and neighboring regions.

Mr. Salah Donyale landed at Bosaso International Airport early friday where he was welcomed by a huge enthusiastic crowd. He was then escorted into Juba Hotel in Bosaso by Puntland officials and several dignataries who traveled from around Somalia.

The main Headquarter of the new Somali Public Radio (SPR) will be based in Dhahar city of the Haylaan region. It will then operate a network of three to five stations across Somalia. The Public Radio network prides itself as revolutionary and a high-tech initiative. It aims to enrich its listeners with highly reliable and relevant stories on global and local issues and to serve as a temporary solution to the absence of a much-needed public infrastructure. 

A Hero's Welcome Pics.

more..Bosaso, (Dhahar)

Man arrested after US forces flight to divert,..Man removed from Aeromexico flight ID'd...Report: Man Held in Canada Is U.S. Terror Suspect, Man removed from Aeromexico flight sent to U.S... Black-listed passenger driven to U.S., after plane rerouted to Canada

 update..

Black-listed passenger driven to U.S., after plane rerouted to Canada

Man removed from Aeromexico flight sent to U.S.

Report: Man Held in Canada Is U.S. Terror Suspect

Montreal Incident Points Up Continuing Gaps in 'No Fly' Rules

 Man removed from Aeromexico flight ID'd

MONTREAL — Canadian authorities identified Monday a man arrested on an Aeromexico flight from Paris to Mexico that was forced to divert to Montreal after U.S. authorities refused to let the plane use U.S. airspace.Abdirahman Ali Gaal was arrested Sunday at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, said Robert Gervais, an Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada spokesman. He was taken off and arrested under an outstanding warrant.
Gervais said details of the arrest would be made public at Gaal's detention review hearing on Wednesday.The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed Monday the passenger was on a U.S. no-fly list and said the man was known to them.Other passengers on Aeromexico Flight 006 from Charles De Gaulle Airport to Mexico City were re-screened and allowed to re-board the flight, said Lauren Gaches, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The plane arrived in Mexico City about 3:30 a.m. EDT (0730GMT) Monday.Gaches gave no further details. As a matter of policy, the TSA does not confirm or deny whether a person appears on a government watch list.Passengers coming off the plane told The Associated Press that six Canadian police officers had boarded in Montreal, handcuffed the man and led him off the aircraft. They said the man did not resist."He was calm as if he knew what was going to happen," said Mauricio Oliver, a 36-year-old Mexican passenger. "They handcuffed him and they took him."Oliver said a flight attendant told him the man was from Somalia, but other passengers gave conflicting information about his nationality.Mexican Sen. Javier Castellon said he was seated two rows behind the passenger who was arrested. He said the police approached a bearded man seated in seat 23h, who gave a wry smile and allowed himself to be handcuffed without resistance."Some people started to cry. There was a little bit of panic," Castellon said in an interview with The Associated Press. "But the whole police operation lasted only a minute."He said the police searched for the man's carry-on luggage. Then, all the passengers were told to disembark so their luggage could be checked. He said passengers waited another two hours at the terminal before they re-boarded the plane and left for Mexico City.A spokesman for Canada Border Services, Dominque McNeely, said there was no incident on the aircraft and that law-enforcement officials boarded the plane around 2:30 p.m. local time Sunday and took the suspect into custody."The flight landed and we had excellent cooperation with everyone involved," he said.
McNeely said the man was being detained in Montreal and a detention hearing would be held in the next 48 hours.A Royal Canadian Mounted Police official said officers assisted Canada Border Services.Aeromexico offices at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport would not comment on the diverted Paris-Mexico City flight, referring all questions to headquarters in Mexico, where officials did not respond to questions for comment.The Paris Airport Authority did not immediately comment Monday on the flight or what passport control measures had been carried out on the passenger at Charles de Gaulle before the flight left.

AFP Somali reporter wins CNN African journalist award

 Congratulations My Friend: I'm so happy for you!
NAIROBI — Agence France-Presse's Somalia correspondent Mustafa Haji Abdinur has been awarded the CNN Multichoice African Journalist of the Year Award in the Free Press category.
Abdinur, 28, who has been AFP's Mogadishu-based correspondent since 2006, was among several African journalists recognised at the ceremony in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Saturday.
"Friends, I live in a country whose name has unfortunately become a synonym for lawlessness, where human life is not worth a lot and where press freedom simply does not exist," said Abdinur.
He was chosen "for his work in Somalia including the 'Peace Journalism' initiative which he launched with the help of fellow Somali journalists earlier this year," organisers said.
The CNN Multichoice Free Press Africa Award has previously been presented to the late Deyda Hydara from Gambia and the imprisoned Eritrean journalist Seyoum Tsehaye Musa Saidykhan.
The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng and the late Mohamed Amin to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa.
In November 2009, Abdinur won the Committee to Protect Journalists' (CPJ) International Press Freedom Awards.

Should Sharif Hassan ‘Speaker of the House’ be charged with corruption?

Mr. Sharif Adan, resumed Somalia Parliament’s leadership seat last week, through a process painted with shame and bribe. Confrontations started in the parliament  after Mr. Adan entered the house: there were fist fights; negative verbal exchanges, and treats against those that voiced in opposition to Mr. Adam’s bid. Reportedly, the voting was conducted in a hand signal call, and many members received cash prices the night before. The result was role calling style voting and Mr. Adam was instantly announced as the winner– 217 yes, and 169 nay. Whilst the speaker was announced to have been re-elected to the speaker seat, there have already been charges bending against him by the very same parliament body whose members fiercely denounced the TFG and pointed its ineffectiveness to bring peace and stability to the war ravaged Somalia.

Two weeks ago,  a motion of no confidence against the government was passed by the parliament which led the  president to dismiss his prime minister Omar Sharmarke, after he learned the vote results from the parliament.  However, Prime Minister Sharmarke refused to vacate office and called the move unconstitutional.  “The Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has refused to step down insisting the President’s decision to sack his government was “unlawful.” Meanwhile, President Sharif convinced Speaker Sheik Adan Madobe to resign, expected the prime minister to do the same. Shockingly, after Mr. Madobe resigned the president reversed his decision–re-instated the government,  a clear tactic which the president deployed to open the way for Sharif Hassan (the ex-Mira Dealer) to take the parliament. The president has done it so that as his term expires, his close friend in the driver seat can assure him another term for the TFG presidency.
The committee of the Parliament for Finance accused Mr. Adam of dishonest and lack of accountability particularly since the speaker failed to forward balanced budget for his ministry and equally failed to record public finances as mandated by the constitution. The charges against him (the speaker) extend from money channeled into personal accounts; unnecessary travel spending, and that he co-conspired with the current TFG President, Sheikh Sharif Sh. Ahmed. It has been reported to the committee by reliable sources that the speaker deposited 14 million dollars into a personal account in Malaysia. He lavishly spent millions of dollars of public money and donations from the international community in luxurious hotels and mansions in Nairobi, Dubai, Addisababa and other places.
Mr. Sharif Hassan being uneducated, had succeeded to add fuel to the already Somali political turmoil by hitch-hiking it from the hands of power motivated warlords in (2005) to the Blood suckers Al-Shabaab in(2007) when he organized so called SRA led by incumbent Somali TFG president SH. Sharif SH. Ahmed who in his turn nominated him as the minister of finance of the current TFG. Since January 2009, when he was appointed as the minister of finance of the TFG Somalia, he has been evading to abide by the parliament Economic and financial committee’s request to present TFG,s last year expenditure report. He also failed to report to the parliament the national revenue and budget support from the donor countries in the years of 2009-10. Mr Sharif Hassan has not even established his ministry’s public office in Mogadishu, he resides in the presidential palace compound and spends most of his time in travelling from country to another, pretending that he is paying official visit to the foreign countries without any tangible public results. According to a local staff from the Somali Embassy in Kenya, the TFG minister of finance had made 61/flights between January-Dec 2009, with average flight cost US $ 1200/-( 1200×61)=US $ 73,200./ He had spent 288/nights at luxury hotel Rooms of average cost US $ 500/night (288×500)=US $ 144000, Apart from the expenses of the flights and accommodations, there is unimaginable amount of money under name of travel allowances and pocket money for every delegation, which in the case of the Minister of finance is unidentifiable as he has unlimited access to the government fund, but according to the inside information sources, every time he travels takes US $ 15.000-20.000/ making average US $ 35000:2= $ 17500/x61(travel times)=$ 1.067.500/ for 12/months US $ 73.200./+US $ 144000+$ 1.067.500/ =US $ 1284700/ Plus millions of dollars received bilateral relations through the minister of finance are unaccounted for. He is accountable to neither council of the ministries nor the parliament, let alone to the people, he is vested the power of the president the only one to whom he is accountable. Beside the abovementioned facts, there are many other allegations against him, this time with friends of him, one of these allegations is the nationally famous memorandum of understanding (MOU) which he is accused of being the one who was behind the Somali-Kenya Bordering issue with the help of Prof abdirizaq Jurile, the current TFG minister of communications who is also popularly wellknown of brokering the nuclear west dumping is Somalia back in 1992 for reference you can look up the (Inner City Press has reported extensively about this controversial MOU, which despite rejection in Somalia has been defended by the UN, Ould Abdallah and Norway. Another analysis by some Inner City Press sources is below.) By InnerCity press, March 2010.
Somali public believe that some highest officers of the current Somali TFG were paid by the Kenyan government and a Norwegian Oil Company, the suspected officers are the two deputy PM namely Mr. Sharif Hassan and Mr. Ibbi, the minister of communications and the PM himself with the knowledge of the President Sheikh Sharif who even, when the parliament voted down against the signed memorandum, instate of abiding by the legislative decision according to the interim charter, he had officially stated that the issue has nothing to do with the parliament on the other hand unless a corruption is involved, there was no reason to sign the above MOU. The second allegation is about the agreement reached between Somali Minister of Finance and an accountant and auditing firm of Kenyan nationality without the knowledge of the PM and the Council of the TFG ministers, the firm which is well known for its fraudulence, paid commission to the minister of the finance and his friends from the TFG. A third allegation is the Agreement reached between Somali Minister of finance Mr Sharif Hassan and Sudan Government on printing New Somali money Banknote also without any approval from the national competent bodies (legislative, Executive and judiciary). This time, outraged MPs raised motion against him and was summoned to the parliament, but never appeared before the parliament. The fourth allegation is that he bought houses in Malaysia and UAE countries with misappropriated public funds.
The fifth allegation is that they (2 Sharifes) received US $ 600,000. from Eng. Munye, who had been managing director of the Somali fishing fleet for his own benefit since the collapse of the Somali central system in 1991 in return they ( the president and the minister of Finance) gave Mr. Muniye a clean bill in which they declared that Mr Munye had handed the fleet account over to the TFG and so he had cleared himself from previous fishing revenue over the last twenty years and immediate after they cleared Mr Munye, (the president and the two deputies) together conspired in selling out the Somali fishing fleet to an unidentified foreign company in March 2010.
The sixth allegation is the New Electronic Somali Passport’s selling revenue ended up into a personal account for Abdi-Rizak Issaq Idow, who is share holder with Sharif Hassan in Nation Link Company based in Dubai. Throug Mr. Abdulkadir Sheikhy (Somali General Counselor in Dubai) who is in charge and represents the interest of the Minister Sharif Hassan and his friends.
Finally, the abovementioned three TFG Leaders have bought 40% of the Bakaal Money Transfer Company based in Dubai with equivalent amount of US $ 6. Million as well as they bought very expensive palaces in Malaysia and UAE countries with an imaginable amount of the public money, mostly from donor countries and international organizations in the name of Humanitarian aid to the destitute Somali people.
“There are many other allegations against the minister of the finance, he is a one who architected against the MPs not to pay them any salary after they voted down against what was called Kenyan-Somali MOU applying the Arabic saying, make your dog hungry to abide by your order.In conclusion, the current Somali TFG does not recognize legitimacy of the legislative and judiciary bodies and they behave as they were a group of warlords who grip the power by force and perform without accountability and transparency, on the contrary they do understand the extremist group more than MPs, who elected them. They know if peace prevailed and law & order enforced in Somalia, they will be accountable for their previous misdeeds, so they prefer the status quo to restore law and order in Somalia.The current TFG- Somalia leaders are the ones who created the Existing Extremist Groups, they are the ones who were behind the massacre of in 2006 (baidoa city) under the cover of Courts vs. Ethiopian forces. And they are the ones who failed the Arab league Sponsored peace agreement in Khartum Sudan in 2006 between Courts and TFG.
They are the ones who first legalized suicide bombs and introduced black flag in Somalia in 2007. It is therefore, unacceptable that the international community keep entertaining such a selfish and blind junta so called TFG-Somalia on the expenses of the Somali people who have been experiencing miserable life since the collapse of the central government in 1991. Having highlighted the abovementioned allegations against the current TFG leadership, and the former minister of the finance in particular.  Taking into consideration the outstanding parliament motion against the minister of the finance which is due to the first session of the parliament. Considering his unpopularity and mistrust, in the Somali people, following his misappropriation of the public wealth as well as he is not accountable to the law and institutions,  indeed he is vested the power of the President. On behalf of the Somali people, we request all friendly government to reconsider their financial support to the current TFG Somalia specially, when it comes to cashing money only the needed ones deserve to be helped.”
Laasqoray Online Editorial

Al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya and Political Islam in Somalia

Lara Loewenstein

Abstract: This paper analyzes the factors that aided and hampered the growth and popularity of political Islam in Somalia by tracing the history of al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya. After examining the emergence of political Islam in Somalia and the creation of al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya, this paper traces the growth of the group, its association with the Sharia courts in Mogadishu, and finally its subsequent downfall. There are many factors that allowed al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya to become a significant political force in Somalia. These include Somalia’s status as a collapsed state and outside intervention in the country. Al-Ittihad al-Islamiyya and Political Islam in Somalia

Somalia, Again, The Rise of Extremism in Somalia

Somalia-based Al-Qaida group Al-Shabaab Barbaric Crimes against humanity,crime victims Speaking Up First Time .Recounts the Terror . press conference

 

 

jihad TV Coming Soon to a neighborhood near you.. accidental or planned?... Muslim Media Manipulation to New Heights

the two events are  connected,

Shabaab Jehadist mouthpiece ,  A Somali satellite television channel called Universal TV  could soon be broadcasting in Minnesota

reporters and producers arrive  in Minneapolis Airport


 they  have been so many complaints against, Here's a simpl
Somali Universal TV’s Biased Programming 

According to    terrorist apologist  allgedo 

Do we really want to give these groups extra help to radicalize kids  by allowing them to beam their TV propaganda directly into people's homes?


accidental or planned???
Have you ever been blackmailed
 Hopefully, the People will see through this disgusting manipulation. ...according to Habar Gidir own radio station shabelle

Al-shabab: ‘Universal TV is an icon fighting against with Islam’ ...

media  Don't fall for it ! ..  this PR from   jehad

 Please pay CLOSE attention, In The Picture.. I Was Just Wondering,Are Those “Universal TV Microphones  ??

 

Universal TV We are going to the USA!!!  ....

. Make sure you  announce "We Don't Have any  engagement, between us.

 

Connecting the Dots  .. So You Don't Have To.

The  head of  Universal TV  Milkiilaha Ahmed Abubakar (left ) Dayib M Ahmed  from  virginia Right..

  Guess Who is Sitting Behind them ..event held today??

Da'wah Institute Sh. Hassan Jaamici

......

 
Watch CBS News Videos Online

How al-Shabaab Targets Western Youth

The missing Somali men

imam of the mosque Abubakar Islamic Center Minneapolis, with Da'wah Institute Sh. Hassan Jaamici

  Abubakar As-Saddiqu

 Some background reference pic

Sh. Abdirahtheman iyo Sh. Xasan Jamici  

aka heikh Abdirahman Sheikh Omar and Sh. Hassan Jaamici

Read more at: http://www.investigativeproject.org/1764/how-al-shabaab-targets-western-youth

  




connecting the dots 
shabaab Jehadist mouthpiece Universal TV masquerading news source   like  this  ...demonstration against Israel co-sponsored by   al-Shabaab and Jihad TV     
will be on the House Next Door soon. 
shabaabTerrorist Abu Mansur

From Somaliland Ahmad Abdi Godane sets Islam ultimatum,Terrorist Al-Shabab Abdi Godane also named Sheik Mokhtar Abu-Zubeyr aka Mukhtaar C/raxmaan

UN envoy to leave office

he UN envoy for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah is to leave office at the end of his tenure, .. Confidential sources said the UN is not renewing his contract amid reports of his replacement by a diplomat from Tanzania.“The international community was seriously heartbroken within the last two months over the disagreement between top Somali leaders that is unhealthy to the devastated Somali population,” said a UN diplomat who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak.The UN envoy has come under pressure to solve the crisis which threatened the existence of the fragile government in Mogadishu.Some Somali lawmakers have accused him of being the central perpetrator responsible for the serious and unfortunate legal and political dispute within Somalia's fragile government.Calls for his immediate resignation as the United Nation's Special Representative for Somalia began to emerge early, following allegations of his lack of consensus or inclusiveness in dealing with Somali problems.
The nail hit on him hard, when he immediately threw weight behind the embattled President of Somalia Sharif Ahmed's unconstitutional attempt to dismiss current Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke to push for the appointment of Mohammed Abdirisaq Abukar, a worker at his Nairobi office.Sharif later rescinded his decision to sack Prime Minister Sharmarke after consulting with constitutional lawyers and lawmakers, a move that put Abdallah in awkward position.

Moderate Muslims gain ground in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia — From behind green sandbags, Abdul Gader fired his rusting AK-47 down a narrow road. A Quran, its pages open, rested on the earth near his sweat-soaked body. So did a pile of cartridges. Before him was territory controlled by radical al-Shabab fighters. Behind him was territory Gader and his comrades had taken away from them.
“They are the enemy of my religion and my culture,” Gader, a strapping 17-year-old with a boyish face, declared after pumping another burst of bullets at his targets lurking among crumbling houses.
Four days earlier, Gader’s moderate Islamist militia had accomplished what the Somali government, backed by tens of millions of dollars in U.S. assistance, could not do for two years: It pushed al-Shabab out of Sigale, a forlorn Mogadishu enclave.

/AhlusunaOoHubLaguWareejiyay?feat=flashalbum#5476941786646920482

S Africa 'risks World Cup terror attack'

South Africa [ Images ] may fall victim to a terrorist attack during the World Cup it is hosting in less than two weeks, according to a report in the Sunday Times, quoting an investigative group and other sources.
The recent arrest in Iraq of Abdullah Azzam al-Qahtani, an alleged Al Qaeda [ Images ] supporter who claimed he was planning attacks on the Dutch and Danish teams, has revived debate on whether the tournament faces a threat of this kind.
Qahtani's scheme was later dismissed as posing no serious threat.
South African officials have long said their non-aligned status and a lack of any substantial local support for militant groups should insulate them from attacks during the June 11-July 11 event.
Both the government and soccer's governing body FIFA [ Images ], which is cooperating with foreign security agencies and Interpol, have helped strengthen that view by stating no viable threat had been identified.
However, analysts and security experts believe such actions cannot be ruled out because of the huge attention that even a small attack would get during the tournament.
Ronald Sandee, director of the NEFA Foundation, which investigates possible terrorist activities, briefed the US Congress counter-terror caucus on possible threats to the tournament, the Johannesburg-based paper said.
He warned that Pakistani and Somali militants were running training camps in northern Mozambique and that trainees from these camps may have already crossed into South Africa to form or join cells planning attacks.
"I believe there is an 80 percent chance of an attack," he told the paper, adding that strike teams were well established in South Africa.
"Information confirms that several venues will be targeted, some simultaneously, others at random. Reference is also made to the possibility of a kamikaze-type attack," the paper quoted him as saying.
PHONE INTERCEPTS
He said that numerous references were made to World Cup attacks in closed-frequency radio broadcasts and phone intercepts in Mauritania, Algeria, Mali, Pakistan and Yemen.
However, the police have dismissed the allegations.
"I don't know where they got their information from. We have all our strategies and plans in place," Police Senior Superintendent Vish Naidoo said.
"We have intelligence briefings every day and there is nothing even suggesting what has been suggested by the Sunday Times."
The paper said South African security and intelligence had drawn up a watch-list of 40 possible suspects, quoting unnamed insider sources. Naidoo declined to comment.
While South Africa has not been targeted in recent years, several militants involved in attacks around the world are known to have spent time in the country, which experts say has acted as a safe haven and staging post for operations elsewhere.
Critics claim widespread corruption among police and officials, including the sale of South African passports, had undermined counter-terrorism efforts.
Sandee said the match between the United States and England [ Images ] on June 12 could be a particular target, along with fixtures involving the Danish and Dutch teams should militants move to avenge perceived insults against Islam.

Source:

SOMALIA: Nato Commanders Meet with Puntland Officials and Journalists Off Bossaso (Pictures)

Commodore Steve Chick and Horseed Reporter Ayoub Abdirahman

On Thursday, officials from Somalia’s Puntland state got opportunity to interact and discuss with the Commander of the NATO Task Force, Commodore Steve Chick and his team who are patrolling the waters off Somalia as part of NATO’s counter-piracy operation, code-named Ocean Shield.
The meeting took place on board NATO flag ship HMS CHATHAM, which was anchored few miles off Bossaso port, the commercial capital of Puntland.
According to Abdi Ali Hirsi (Qarjab), the governor of Puntland’s Nugal region, the commander and his team briefed officials on NATO’s and the other counter piracy forces, including the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean to fight piracy.

Commodore Steve Chick and Horseed Media reporter Ayoub Abdirahman

“25 officials from Bari, Karkaar, Nugal and Mudug regions of Puntland attended the meeting and we critically analyzed the anti-piracy mission,” Qarjab said.
“The NATO officials informed us that they would be meeting Puntland public and government including the president who is currently out of the country,” he added.
NATO, which has fleets in Somalia’s coastlines has established a working relationship with Puntland in an attempt to uproot piracy off the Horn of Africa.
Somali pirates have carried out more than 300 attempted attacks on foreign vessel since the beginning of 2009, a record high compared to 2008.(ANP)

The Buhodleh and Widhwidh Massacre: an opportunity for peace and stability

The concurrent disparaging incursion of the Ethiopian forces – the overlords of Somalia – in to the peaceful town of Buhodle that resulted in an all out massacre of multitude of innocent civilians and Somaliland militia’s savage hammering of Widh-Widh district with the sole aim of forcing unwilling people to vote for the ruling party (UDUB) has come at the least desirable time. This military action is ill-timed as the region is in the run up to the long awaited election and thus can neither afford to give any ropes to the weak and bewildered opposition that has no viable agenda, nor to disappoint the international community that invested heavily on the election project, who are watching from afar. In times of confusion and civil war, history teaches us that the extremist ride on the back of the society and if this policy of belligerence is not tamed rapidly it will certainly backfire to UDUB who so far glided Somaliland through perilous times in which the opposition were prepared to stage pointless civil wars. Attention of the leaders should always focus on the fact that Somaliland’s fragile economy can’t sustain an open ended war of aggression against the SSC – the SSC is the third administrative region in Northern Somalia besides Somaliland and Puntland.

It is very plausible that the opposition will use this unfortunate aimless militarism to their advantage if they play their cards right. The opposition is bound to depict (UDUB) as undemocratic and corrupt  administration that is using- the funds the international community donated to Somaliland’s administration to conduct safe, fair and peaceful election - to start wars in the neighbourhood to uproot civilians from their towns. The current policy of militarism has the potentiality of tainting the success UDUB party is expected to reap from the ballot box which is due to take place very soon as the opposition is in no position to throw out a significant challenge other than to cry foul and claim the vote was rigged. To score few political points, against the insane and far right opposition that live in the days of the now defunct and controversial SNM that has no relevance to the current situation except in the minds of the out-of-touch opposition, isn’t worth derailing the centrist UDUB party.
 
In the eyes of the students of Somalia affairs this untimely running battles in Sool amounts to desecration of the good name of Somaliland’s people that prided themselves as the bearers of the banner of peace and the undisputed pioneers of bottom up local reconciliation which was and is truly an envy that the rest of the Somalis would wish to emulate. This policy of hostility and intolerance in place of the traditional negotiation based culture of Somaliland carries a potent warning sign that clearly paints a picture of mystified administration and a weak opposition that hijacked the lofty goals of Somaliland’s people – this dents the future confidence of the international community that would like to see Somaliland to march further in the way to democratic culture.

Somaliland and SSC’s polity subscribe to unionist and secessionist agenda, albeit to different degree, but the divide should be best left under key and lock in view of the real serious security threats Puntland, SSC and Somaliland are facing – The Islamists onslaught which is spreading like bush fire.  Brotherly people (SSC & Somaliland) must be fused together by the fear lest the wretchedness that crippled the rest of Somalia comes to roost in their back yard. Somaliland and SSC people among the Somalis are like twin brothers that speak the same dialect and have the same values in every aspect of social life which even makes  Puntlander’s,  next door neighbour, appear in the eyes of both group’s minds, foreigners from a far away land. In thin and thick and where ever they go the SSC and Somaliland people are attracted to each other to the exclusion of other Somalis which demonstrates that natural affinity and instinct is at play.

There is no homogenous society, as far as unionism is concerned, on either side of the contending parties of this soon to smoulder house (Somaliland/SSC) which, if not quickly put off, will have a devastating effect on both groups –the right time to wash everybody’s laundry in the streets is yet to arrive. Societies that have shared centuries old culture and blood ties ought to have the same destiny so the preservation of the common umbilical cord should be paramount and at all times hoisted above the infantile question of Unionism VS secessionism  in which the  Hawkish  politicians from both sides are tirelessly fishing in to reach their unholy goals.

The Somalis are indebted to the SSC people for the exemplary role they played during the liberation wars led by Darvish movement that put Somalia in the history books. It’s stamped in the hearts and minds of all Somalis where ever they are and will remain so with the future generations – the price the SSC people paid for the cause of Somali nationalism is the only unparalleled historical treasure that Somalis collectively claim to own and as such will transcend generations.

Having said so, I believe the SSC’s love for Somali nationalism is once again needed to play a constructive role that can reshape the whole of northern Somalia for the good of all.  The geographical location of SSC and the rich diversity of its people hold the key that can safe Somaliland/Puntland people from eternal underdevelopment.  Being in the hinterland, SSC  can serve as a bridge that can create a  healthy and booming commercial competition between the ports (Berbera and Bossaso) that has the potentiality to generate employment opportunities and development for all which in the end can cement the stability of the whole of Northern Somalia as no stake holder can contemplate of killing the gees that lays the golden eggs – cooperation and negotiation is the only game that can rescue the suffering people of Northern Somalia irrespective of their political orientation.

As a concluding remark I say “Seize opportunity by the forelock, for behind she is bald” – Somaliland and Puntland must stop patronizing the SSC people and start helping them in the establishment of    their legitimate administration in their own land as SSC is neither Puntland  nor Somaliland but an entity that has noble history. The myth of the colonial boundary is a dream in some of Somaliland’s politicians because the SSC people never accepted then and will never accept now – the tribal boundaries set by the British was the epicentre of the 21 year long war waged by the SSC people against the British colonialism and to expect the SSC people to embrace the same colonial and irrelevant boundary now can only be possible when a camel passes through the eye of the needle.

Abdikarim Buh Political analyst E-mail :abdikarimbuh@yahoo.com

Somaliland: The Myth of Clan-Based Statehood

Somaliland: An enclave of one secessionist clan hijacking others

 

Happy Memorial Day

don't forget Somali veterans
Operation Restore Hope, Battle of Mogadishu,1993

Mogadishu, Somalia
	Start Time	Oct. 3, 1993
	End Time	Oct. 4, 1993

honor the fallen

U.S. military personnel killed in the fighting were Chief Warrant Offic er Donovan L. Briley, Staff Sgt. Daniel D. Bus ch, Cpl. James M. Cavaco, Staff Sgt. William D. Cleveland, Sgt. Thomas J. Field, Sgt. 1st Class Earl Fillmore, Chief War rant Officer Raymond Frank, Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon, Sgt. James Z. "Casey" Joyce, Pvt. Richard W. "Alphabet" Kowaleski, Pvt. James Martin, Master Sgt. Timothy "Griz" Martin, Sgt. Dominick M. Pilla, Sgt. Lorenzo M. Ruiz, Sgt. 1st Class Randall D. Shughart, Cpl. James E. "Jamie" Smit h, and Chief Warrant Officer Clifton "Elvis" Wolcott. Sgt. Cornell Houston was mortally wounded and died Oct. 6 after being evacuated to Germany.Sgt. 1st Class Matthew L. Rierson, who took part in the battle, was killed two days later by a mortar.

Somalia . a mission to capture lieutenants of habar -gidir Hawiye Terrorist warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a team of U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force came under heavy assault from local militia. Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters went down in the fighting, and U.S. foces inflicted heavy casualties on Hawiye (habar-gidir)usc Jihadist fighters while suffering significant losses of their own.Al-Qaeda appear to have taken any direct role in the fighting, but several senior al-Qaeda fighters traveled to Somalia from Sudan to train militiamen there in techniques they employed against the Soviets during the Afghan war.In particular, they trained the militiamen in the use of unguided rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs, as an anti-helicopter weapon.The tactic came as a surprise to American forces in Somalia, and RPGs were credited with downing the two Black Hawks.The U.S. government did not learn of al-Qaeda's role in the attack until 1996, presumably from Jamal Ahmed al-Fadl.
Attacker Deaths 500 Habar-gidir Hawiye ' Al-Qaeda mercenaries'

Somalia will be peaceful one day

ON ALERT: Ugandan Africa Union peacekeepers patrol the international sea port in Mogadishu.  

By Risdel Kasasira  (email the author)

Posted Sunday, May 30 2010 at 00:00

Somali Islamist fundamentalists, the al Shabaab, last week shelled the Presidential Palace, Villa Somalia, which is guarded by Ugandan peacekeepers under the hospice of African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom). The fighting that lasted three days left 20 people dead. It preceded the death of a Ugandan soldier who was killed by a road suicide bomb. Risdel Kasaira talked to Amison spokesman Maj. Ba-Hoku Barigye in Mogadishu on a wide range of Somalia-related issues.

There has been a lull in the Mogadishu fighting for the last couple of months. Why are the attacks intensifying now, and what is the threat assessment to Amisom, and what could be done to contain a full scale onslaught on their positions?
There has not been a lull in the Mogadishu skirmishes like you portray it. What you are possibly referring to is periodic calmness when the senseless attacks by the violent armed opposition groups on the general population, government and Amisom are suspended.
Such suspensions often occur when there is infighting amongst these groups or when they have run short of ammunition or both of these. Otherwise, disruptions of the peace process and disturbances of the population by these negative forces have been quite frequent. This, however, doesn’t mean that Mogadishu is melting. The positions and stature of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and Amisom have remained intact for over a year. The violent armed groups have no capacity whatsoever to dislodge TFG and Amisom forces from their positions.
The solution to this conflict which affects not only Somalia but also the region, the continent and the whole world is political, not military. It is political because the conflict itself is political and quite complex. The solution therefore is to stabilise the country by establishing durable and sustainable peace and security through dialogue and reconciliation by all the people of Somalia, including the violent armed groups once they denounce violence. The gun has been used for the last 20years and has not proven to work.

Do you think Somalia will be sustainably stabilised without you (Amisom)? Elaborate on the new Amisom mandate (given by AU to actually engage in offensive operations) – what does it entail?
Amisom is not in Somalia for war, it is not there to fight anyone or to occupy any territory. We are in Somalia to create an enabling environment that can facilitate dialogue and reconciliation amongst the Somalis. We therefore have no enemies but rather misguided local and foreign elements, supported and financed by international terrorist networks, who take advantage of a young government to cause chaos and anarchy that adversely affects the innocent majority peace-loving Somalis.
The population is a hostage of these elements. It is this innocent civilian population that we seek to protect and enable access to humanitarian assistance and these two are the cornerstones of our work in Somalia. The mandate of Amisom has not been changed at all and Amisom is not engaged in any offensive operations, you are possible talking about the Rules of Engagement (RoE) that were revised to suit the operational environment.

What is needed to have a peaceful Somalia and who is supplying al Shabaab, and can’t this source of weapons and ammunition be cut off?
There is no doubt that peace will return to Somalia. This can happen if all the Somalis put aside their differences and work towards security, peace and stability through genuine and all inclusive dialogue and reconciliation. Somalia is a sovereign country but is currently unable to implement programmes that can lead it to achieve this desired state of affairs. It is threatened by the local extremists supported by international terrorist networks that find a fertile ground because of the vacuum created by the lack of a strong state. It lacks institutions and capacity to implement any meaningful programmes that can alleviate the suffering of the people who have been traumatised for the last 20 years.
The current government can only achieve meaningful progress with the assistance and support of the rest of the international community. Such assistance and support should be directed towards such sectors as capacity and institutional building, logistical, financial and humanitarian relief. Amisom, with the support of the international community is already helping in some of these endeavours.
Cutting off the support to the violent armed groups is vital and efforts by the UN in this direction are very welcome. A number of resolutions targeting all such spoilers have been passed and it is hoped that in the near future, such targeted sanctions will bear fruits.

There have been reports of some Al Qaeda agents running away from Afghanistan to seek safe haven in Somalia. Doesn’t this complicate the Somalia situation?
The Somali situation with or without Al Qaeda or any other foreigners is already complicated. What the hardliner foreigners will add to it are skills and experience. But if the international community can act fast and in time either by supporting Amisom or by the UN taking over the mission to give it the required logistical support, then this could be averted. But if this is not done, the magnitude of the problem may become greater with dire consequences to the whole world.

Does AU need reinforcement to flash-out these insurgents? Do you see Uganda being drawn into a full-scale war with the insurgents as a consequence of their baiting of Amisom?
What is important is not reinforcements but rather a formula that can bring together the Somalis to find solutions that can resolve this conflict. But reinforcements are important to achieve the troop levels (8,000) planned for the mission in 2006; the required capacity for them to deliver on the mission and in consideration of the current dynamics, challenges and threats. UPDF is part of the larger family of the AU member states that responded to the call when Amisom was formed. So many countries pledged troops and so the issue of Uganda does not arise. We encourage all those countries that pledged and others from the African continent and elsewhere to deploy because all other options might be more disastrous.

You recently said that you had information on seven suicide bombers with vehicles loaded with explosives ready to strike in Mogadishu. Do you have actionable intelligence on these people?
Our operational plans and actions and indeed many military plans are not a subject of public discussions and debates. The fact is that the vehicles do exist and we will continue to monitor all the movements of the forces opposed to the peace process not only on their suicide bomb plans but on all other actions intended to disrupt and hurt the innocent civilians.
Our alertness and vigilance is permanent and our capacity has been improving and that is how a recent suicide attack on our newest base in Shangani District in South Eastern Mogadishu was foiled. We will continue to work with the people of Mogadishu specifically and Somalia in general through their government to achieve everlasting peace for this country.

The relatives of some dead Ugandan soldiers have not been compensated. Why?
The question of compensation of our fallen comrades is a question between the Troop Contributing Country (TCC) and the AU. There are procedures and processes in place to address this and no one from Uganda or elsewhere, including the families that have lost their dear ones, should get worried about compensating the fallen comrades.
I am sure the UPDF can show you statistics of the fallen soldiers and how many of these have been compensated. Those who are not yet compensated will obviously be compensated.

Sugar and arms barons rule Somali border

An administration police officer inspects illegal sugar imports impounded by KRA officials at the Lunga Lunga border point in 2006. Investigations show illicit trade in the commodity continues in towns and trading centres along the Somalia border. Photo/FILE 

By SAMMY CHEBOI
Posted Saturday, May 29 2010 at 21:00

In Summary

• Officials pocket bribes as smuggling fuels insecurity and threatens local industry

A porous border with lawless Somalia and rough terrain continue to drive sugar and arms smuggling in northern Kenya, threatening to cripple the local sugar industry and increasing insecurity.

Although the illegal sugar imports were initially destined for major towns in North Eastern Province like Mandera, Wajir, Habaswein and Modogashe, the barons are now targeting even smaller centres.

Wajir has lately acquired the reputation as the hub of smugglers, thanks to its proximity to the Diif crossing point, dubbed “the Devil’s gateway” by local people.

A narrow panya route leads to the Devil’s paradise, 60 km away on the Kenya-Somalia border. The illegal trade, which also involves electronic goods, is a windfall for some local residents, business people and senior government officials....more

Kenya Security Officials Probe al-Shabab Attack Motives

Security officials in Kenya are investigating possible motives behind Thursday's attack by Somalia's al-Shabab militants on a village on the Kenyan side of the border.  The attack is the fourth such incursion by al-Shabab on Kenyan soil in three years.

The commissioner of Kenya's Northeastern Province, James ole Serian, tells VOA that suspected members of al-Shabab in two pickup trucks crossed the border early Thursday and attacked residents of a remote village near Kenya's border town of Liboi.  

The gunmen wounded seven people, two of them seriously, before escaping back into Somalia.  Ole Serian says it is not clear why the villagers were targeted.  

"We have received some allegations that the family that was attacked was sympathizers of a faction that is opposed to al-Shabab.  But the investigation is still on-going," he said..more

Al Qaeda supporter pleads guilty to supporting terrorist organization

by Jim Kouri
Law Enforcement Examiner
A Kansas City (Missouri) man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to conspiring to provide material support to al Qaeda. He also pleaded guilty to bank fraud and money laundering, according to a Justice Department report obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.
This guilty plea resulted from an investigation conducted by the Heart of America Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes agents from the Department of Homeland Security's  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Thirty-two year old Khalid Ouazzani waived his right to a grand jury. He then pleaded guilty on May 19 in the Western District of Missouri to a federal charge of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization. Ouazzani also pleaded guilty to charges contained in an indictment returned under seal February 3 by a federal grand jury in Kansas City.
Ouazzani, a native of Morocco and a naturalized U.S. citizen, swore an oath of allegiance to al Qaeda in June 2008. Ouazzani admitted that from August 2007 to February 2010 he participated in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to al Qaeda, according to the NACOP report.
Ouazzani also admitted he personally provided more than $23,000 to al Qaeda and performed other tasks at the request of and for the benefit of al Qaeda. Ouazzani had conversations with others about various ways to support al Qaeda, including plans for them to fight in Afghanistan, Iraq or Somalia.
"This case reminds us that terrorism can touch even the small towns and communities of our nation," said Gilbert Trill, assistant special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Kansas City. "ICE will continue to use all of its resources to protect Americans from terrorist organizations and individuals who support them."
Ouazzani agreed to contribute $6,500 to al Qaeda in August 2007. A co-conspirator, who is not identified in court documents, made that payment on Ouazzani's behalf.
Ouazzani repaid the co-conspirator in November 2007 through a wire transfer to the co-conspirator's bank account in the United Arab Emirates. Those funds came from Ouazzani's sale of his business, Hafssa LLC, doing business as Truman Used Auto Parts, a retail operation that bought and sold used auto parts and cars.
In June or July 2008, Ouazzani also agreed to pay al Qaeda $17,000, which represented his profit from the sale of an apartment in the United Arab Emirates that was owned by Ouazzani and a co-conspirator (who is not identified in court documents).
Bank Fraud Scheme
Ouazzani obtained a $175,000 line of credit commercial loan from Union Bank in April 2007 for Hafssa LLC (Truman Used Auto Parts). Under the terms of the loan, the funds were to be used as working capital for his business. Ouazzani admitted that he submitted false financial information about himself and the company to obtain the loan, and used substantial amounts of the loan proceeds for various personal purposes.
Ouazzani made only about $13,000 in payments on this loan. In September 2008 Union Bank wrote off the loan (then in the amount of $174,028) as uncollectible. On February 11, 2009, Union Bank obtained a civil default judgment against Ouazzani and Hafssa LLC in the amount of $177,001.
Money Laundering
Ouazzani admitted that he used part of the proceeds of the Union Bank loan to purchase an apartment in the United Arab Emirates with a co-conspirator.
On May 23, 2007, Ouazzani caused a wire transfer of $112,830 to be sent to a bank account in the United Arab Emirates. The funds for this wire transfer included funds obtained from the $175,000 Union Bank loan and involved a series of transactions designed to make it more difficult to trace the funds.
Ouazzani used the wire-transferred funds to purchase an apartment in the United Arab Emirates, which he later sold for a profit of about $17,000. Ouazzani requested a co-conspirator to pay this $17,000 to al Qaeda.
Under federal statutes, Ouazzani is subject to a sentence of up to 65 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.