U.S. official: Missiles fired at Somalia terror target

cnn.com ^ | March 3, 2008 | Barbara Starr, CNN

[RDTF]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States on Monday used precision missiles to strike a "known terrorist target" in southern Somalia, a U.S. military official said.

The strike near Dhoobley, which is close to the Kenyan border, was aimed at a "facility where there were known terrorists" affiliated with East African al Qaeda operations, according to the official.

News agency reports from the region are saying civilians were killed in the attack, but the official said the United States still is collecting post-strike information and is not yet able to confirm any details about casualties.

The U.S. military official described Monday's strike as "very deliberate" and said forces tried to use caution to avoid hitting civilians.

"We woke up with a loud and big bang and when we came out we found our neighbor's house completely obliterated as if no house existed here," a resident of the town, Fatuma Abdullahi, told The Associated Press. "We are taking shelter under trees. Three planes were flying over our heads."

Clan elder Ahmed Nur Dalab told AP that said a senior Islamic official, Hassan Turki, was in town Sunday to mediate between his fighters and a militia loyal to the government. Turki's forces took over Dhoobley last week, AP reported.

-snip-

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Taking out the trash.

[SoldierDad]

...a wedding party at a baby milk factory.

And hit when everyone was taking their aspirins.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

...a wedding party at a baby milk factory.

With lots of babies, puppies, and kittens in attendance.

[mad_as_he$$]

Guess I missed the millile upgrade to the AC-130.

[Fireone]

I love waking up to good news!

[Marko413]

I was wondering about that too. Thought it was just the gun, but maybe they have done something now.

I assumed it was missiles fired from a nearby ship. Either way, no way it was jets or a bomber. There’s no way that guy woke up to the sound, had time to get up, run to trees for shelter, and then saw 3 planes fly overhead. The “3 planes” would be long gone before the boom happened.

[Redleg Duke]

"I appreciate the effort, but isn’t this too little, too late? We should have cleansed the planet of this pathetic country already."

Ah, yes. Now we have heard from the "glass is half empty" section.

[FReepaholic]

...We are taking shelter under trees...

Yeah, that'll work.

[angcat]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/saudi/fazul/

Apparently Fazul should be pitied.

[RDTF]

per Fox it was an Al Qaeda training camp

[We Dare Defend Our Rights]

Wonder if they were wearing their Official Obama Muslim Robe Gear?

[dfwgator]

Cue, “America, F Yeah” from Team America.

[Joe Boucher]

Yep, my mistake you are right, just ask al ge zera.
If we took out the whole cesspool known as somalia would anyone really care?

[buccaneer81]

...a wedding party at a baby milk factory.

A baby milk factory with an aspirin-making wing.

[buccaneer81]

...We are taking shelter under trees...

LOL! Works for cows during thunderstorms.

[kenavi]

Apparently Fazul should be pitied.

Too bad he didn't follow his brother Pasta into the cooking business.

[angcat]

LOL

[Tommyjo]

Why would it have anything to do with a Med deployment? The assets used in the Somalia strike would already be deployed in the region.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

“A baby milk factory with an aspirin-making wing.”

...next to the centrifuge equipment used for peaceful nuclear energy in an oil-rich land.

[Straight Vermonter]

Please let it be:

MURDER OF U.S. NATIONALS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES; CONSPIRACY TO MURDER U.S. NATIONALS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES; ATTACK ON A FEDERAL FACILITY RESULTING IN DEATH; CONSPIRACY TO KILL U.S. NATIONALS, TO MURDER, TO DESTROY BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO DESTROY THE NATIONAL DEFENSE UTILITIES OF THE UNITED STATES

ABDULLAH AHMED ABDULLAH

Aliases:

Abu Mohamed Al-Masri, Saleh, Abu Mariam

DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth Used:	Approximately 1963	Hair:	Dark
Place of Birth:	Egypt	Eyes:	Dark
Height:	Approximately 5'8"	Sex:	Male
Weight:	Unknown	Complexion:	Olive
Build:	Medium	Citizenship:	Egyptian
Language:	Arabic
Scars and Marks:	Abdullah has a scar on the right side of his lower lip.
Remarks:	Abdullah fled Nairobi, Kenya, on August 6, 1998, and went to Karachi, Pakistan. He may wear a moustache.

CAUTION

Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah has been indicted for his alleged involvement in the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

REWARD

The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah.

SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FBI OFFICE OR THE NEAREST AMERICAN EMBASSY OR CONSULATE.