U.S. says al Qaeda radicals lead Somali Islamists-(no bad word)

reuteurs ^ | Dec 14, 2006 | Sue Pleming

[Flavius]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Somali Islamists, who are in charge of the capital and other key areas, are becoming more radical and under growing control from an al Qaeda cell in East Africa, the top U.S. diplomat for Africa said on Thursday.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer told reporters that U.S. hopes a more moderate group might emerge to lead the group had not materialized.

"The Council of Islamic Courts is now controlled by al Qaeda cell individuals, East Africa al Qaeda cell individuals. The top layer of the court are extremists. They are terrorists," Frazer said. Reuters Pictures Photo

Editors Choice: Best pictures from the last 24 hours. View Slideshow

"They are killing nuns, they have killed children and they are calling for a jihad (holy war)," she added.

The Islamists, who seized the capital, Mogadishu, in June and are vying with the weak transitional government for control of the lawless country, have strongly denied having foreign fighters in their ranks.

Washington believes at least three of the plotters behind the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya are in Somalia. The head of the Council of the Islamic Courts, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, is on U.N. and U.S. terrorist lists.

The United States has had contact with more moderate members of the courts and would continue to do so, she said.

[EagleUSA]

Isn't Islam and all its friends, beautiful ??? Just what the world needs ??? Gee, where is the outrage from Kofi Annan ??? (/gross sarcasm)

[Prokopton]

"U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer told reporters that U.S. hopes a more moderate group might emerge to lead the group had not materialized."

Is our Country really run by people this naively stupid?

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1747324/posts?page=749#749
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1747324/posts?page=750#750