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Terror Fears As (Islamic) Radicals Reopen Vital Port (Mogadishu)
The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 8-25-2006 | Mike Pflanz

Posted on 08/24/2006 7:45:09 PM PDT by blam

Terror fears as radicals reopen vital port

By Mike Pflanz in Nairobi

(Filed: 25/08/2006)

Islamic radicals who have seized most of southern Somalia yesterday celebrated the reopening of Mogadishu's main seaport, a key gateway between the Horn of Africa and the Arab world.

The strategically crucial harbour had been largely unused for 11 years.

A Kenyan registered cargo ship, Ronja, is the the first ship to dock in Mogadishu's seaport

Now it is in the hands of radical clerics whose leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, appears on an American "watchlist" for suspected terrorists.

His alliance, the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts, also announced the opening of a training camp for 600 of its militia fighters.

The camp's instructors are volunteers from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Eritrea, raising fears that southern Somalia could become a new training ground for terrorists linked to al-Qa'eda.

"This camp is a further example of the consolidation of the council's control," said Matt Bryden, the Somalia expert for the International Crisis Group.

"They are pulling everyone together in one place as a way to unify them, to band them together under one umbrella, rather than in all the sub-clan camps."

So far, there is no evidence to show the Islamic fighters receiving anything more than basic military training. There is no sign of them learning any techniques, such as bomb-making, useful to terrorists.

Mr Bryden said: "There is a chance this is the widely feared and so-called terrorist training camp but my sense is it is more a place to indoctrinate all the armed fighters in one place."

Reopening the port and establishing what amounts to an armed forces training academy are the latest signs of the Islamic Council's growing power. The danger is the port could become a key artery for arms shipments, beyond the reach of international maritime law.

In July, the militants also managed to repair the runway at Mogadishu's main airport, allowing the first commercial passenger flights in more than a decade.

It also brought in huge Russian-built Ilyushin cargo planes, said to be loaded with small arms and reportedly hired from Kazakhstan by the Supreme Council's main regional ally, Eritrea.

"We have been hearing about how the council has scrapped roadblocks, brought back the city buses, brought some order there," said one western diplomat. "But there's an unpredictability about these guys, they're uncontrollable and none of us in the diplomatic community should think we've got a stick big enough, or a carrot big enough, to make them bend to our will."

Eritrea is believed to be arming the radicals to use them against its bitter enemy, Ethiopia. The danger is that these weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists.

"Eritrea has been flying in small arms to Mogadishu airport ever since the Islamists reopened that. Why not ship in surface-to-air missiles now they've opened the port?" asked the diplomat.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fears; islamic; mogadishus; port; radicals; reopen; terror; vital
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1 posted on 08/24/2006 7:45:14 PM PDT by blam
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To: blam
Terror? Nah, all we gotta do is talk to these people. The US is of course the reason why they hate us.

Sorry, just practicing my DNC talking points.

2 posted on 08/24/2006 7:50:11 PM PDT by The Iceman Cometh (Just another evil conservative)
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To: The Iceman Cometh

Don't worry - I think we have all of this targeted down to the last nanometer.


3 posted on 08/24/2006 7:54:03 PM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: blam

Is this a "Thank you Bill Cliton moment?"


4 posted on 08/24/2006 7:54:19 PM PDT by shankbear
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To: blam

The 'Axis of evil' is moving it's most advanced weapons through here... /s


5 posted on 08/24/2006 7:57:55 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: blam
"They are pulling everyone together in one place as a way to unify them..."

Makes for a nice target.
Got nukes?
6 posted on 08/24/2006 7:58:15 PM PDT by Outland (Socialism IS the enemy.)
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To: blam

"Somalia's prime minister charged Saturday that Egypt, Libya and Iran are arming the Islamic militants who challenge his rule,..."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/29/AR2006072900210.html


7 posted on 08/24/2006 7:59:20 PM PDT by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business])
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To: blam
"But there's an unpredictability about these guys, they're uncontrollable and none of us in the diplomatic community should think we've got a stick big enough, or a carrot big enough, to make them bend to our will."

Understatement of the Year Award nominee - 2006
Captain Obvious Award nominee - 2006
8 posted on 08/24/2006 7:59:32 PM PDT by RedCell ("...thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available" - Dick Marcinko)
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To: Wally_Kalbacken

I gotta say Mark Levin a couple of days ago said on his program that he 'was sick of living this way'. He was talking Islamo-fascism of course. I have to say this has resonated with me.


9 posted on 08/24/2006 8:01:48 PM PDT by The Iceman Cometh (Just another evil conservative)
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To: RedCell

Pics please...


10 posted on 08/24/2006 8:02:12 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: blam
"...the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts, also announced the opening of a training camp for 600 of its militia fighters."

But I thought Islam was a religion of peace.

11 posted on 08/24/2006 8:05:08 PM PDT by Outland (Socialism IS the enemy.)
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To: shankbear

Yup this is part of Bill's "Pay us later" legacy.


12 posted on 08/24/2006 8:08:27 PM PDT by mcshot ("If it ain't broke it doesn't have enough features." paraphrased anon.)
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To: kinoxi

Pics of what?


13 posted on 08/24/2006 8:09:16 PM PDT by RedCell ("...thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available" - Dick Marcinko)
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To: RedCell
post #8
I was curious.
14 posted on 08/24/2006 8:11:19 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: blam

Ethiopia's troop movements cut Somalia in half. Ethiopia is trying to colonize Hobyo for use of the port?


15 posted on 08/24/2006 8:26:06 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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To: kinoxi
Sorry, still not following. What pics are you curious about?
16 posted on 08/24/2006 8:28:47 PM PDT by RedCell ("...thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available" - Dick Marcinko)
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To: RedCell
Understatement of the Year Award nominee - 2006 Captain Obvious Award nominee - 2006
I was curious.
17 posted on 08/24/2006 8:30:56 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: blam

Abort the port. :)


18 posted on 08/24/2006 8:32:40 PM PDT by Chena ("I'm not young enough to know everything." (Oscar Wilde))
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To: JerseyHighlander
"Ethiopia's troop movements cut Somalia in half. Ethiopia is trying to colonize Hobyo for use of the port?"

I think Ethiopia is our proxy in this one.

19 posted on 08/24/2006 8:33:10 PM PDT by blam
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To: kinoxi
Can I get some help here? Anyone?

Sorry, I must be jacked up on too much caffeine. I have no clue what you want pictures of.
20 posted on 08/24/2006 8:35:45 PM PDT by RedCell ("...thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available" - Dick Marcinko)
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