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CBS: U.S. Attacks Al Qaeda In Somalia
CBSNews ^ | 1/8/07

Posted on 01/08/2007 3:53:36 PM PST by Rose in RoseBear

Edited on 01/08/2007 4:00:49 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

(CBS/AP) A U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports exclusively.

The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, Martin reports. The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second, and sources say a lot of bodies were seen on the ground after the strike, but there is as yet, no confirmation of the identities.

The gunship flew from its base in Dijibouti down to the southern tip of Somalia, Martin reports, where the al Qaeda operatives had fled after being chased out of the capital of Mogadishu by Ethiopian troops backed by the United States.

Once they started moving, the al Qaeda operatives became easier to track, and the U.S. military started preparing for an air strike, using unmanned aerial drones to keep them under surveillance and moving the aircraft carrier Eisenhower out of the Persian Gulf toward Somalia. But when the order was given, the mission was assigned to the AC-130 gunship operated by the U.S. Special Operations command.

If the attack got the operatives it was aimed at, reports Martin, it would deal a major blow to al Qaeda in East Africa.

Meanwhile, a jungle hideout used by Islamic militants that is believed to be an al Qaeda base was on the verge of falling to Ethiopian and Somali troops, the defense minister said Monday.

While a lawmaker had earlier told The Associated Press that the base was captured, Somalia's Defense Minister Col. Barre "Hirale" Aden Shire said troops had yet to enter it and that limited skirmishes were still ongoing, though troops were poised to take the base.

Ethiopian soldiers, tanks and warplanes were involved in the two-day attack, a government military commander told the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Shire said there had been heavy fighting with high numbers of casualties.

"There are a lot of casualties from both sides," he said, declining to give details.

Residents in the coastal seaport of Kismayo, some 90 miles northeast of Ras Kamboni, said they saw wounded Ethiopian soldiers being loaded onto military helicopters for evacuation.

"I have seen about 50 injured Ethiopian troops being loaded onto a military chopper," said Farhiya Yusuf. She said 12 Ethiopian helicopters were stationed at the Kismayo airport.

Somali officials said the Islamic movement's main force is bottled up at Ras Kamboni, the southernmost tip of the country, cut off from escape at sea by patrolling U.S. warships and across the Kenyan border by the Kenyan military.

In Mogadishu, Somalia's president made his first visit to the capital since taking office in 2004. During the unannounced visit, President Abdullahi Yusuf was expected to meet with traditional Somali elders and stay at the former presidential palace that has been occupied by warlords for 15 years, government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said.

U.S. officials warned after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that extremists with ties to al Qaeda operated a training camp at Ras Kamboni and that al Qaeda members are believed to have visited it.

Three al Qaeda suspects wanted in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa are believed to be leaders of the Islamic movement. The Islamists deny having any links to al Qaeda.

Somalia's government had struggled to survive since forming with backing from the United Nations two years ago, and was under attack by the Islamic militia when Ethiopia's military intervened on Dec. 24 and turned the tide.

But many in predominantly Muslim Somalia resent the presence of troops from neighboring Ethiopia, which has a large Christian population. The countries fought two brutal wars, the last in 1977.

On Sunday, gunmen attacked Ethiopian troops, witnesses said, sparking a firefight in the second straight day of violence in the capital, Mogadishu.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; bush; hallelujah; somalia; wot
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To: Dog

Bingo :)


121 posted on 01/08/2007 4:26:13 PM PST by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: MarkL

Les Aspin....


122 posted on 01/08/2007 4:26:30 PM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)
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To: Dog
Probably targeting him also (although he has been spotted outside Africa):

Aliases: Sheikh Ahmad Salem Suweidan, Sheikh Ahmed Salem Swedan, Sheikh Swedan, Sheikh Bahamadi, Ahmed Ally, Bahamad, Sheik Bahamad, Ahmed The Tall

This strike is great news, by the way.

123 posted on 01/08/2007 4:26:56 PM PST by Donna Lee Nardo (DEATH TO ISLAMIC TERRORISTS AND ANIMAL AND CHILD ABUSERS.)
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To: tobyhill

Which congresscritter was using the escalation word today?


124 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:04 PM PST by RightWhale
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To: Cheburashka

Agreed!


125 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:04 PM PST by pissant
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To: oceanview
if the AQ kills are confirmed, Bush needs to get to a microphone on this.

He needs to get to a microphone in any event. I can already hear the spin -

"We question the timing of this, right before Bush goes on TV to push escalation!"

126 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:05 PM PST by CFC__VRWC (AIDS, abortion, euthanasia - Don't liberals just kill ya?)
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To: oceanview
the Eisenhower battle group is being diverted to Somalia

That would leave the Gulf without a carrier group. At a time of heightened tension with Iran...

127 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:06 PM PST by maquiladora
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To: Dog

You beat MSNBC; good job!


128 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:15 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)
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To: Rose in RoseBear

Democrats are deeply saddened.


129 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:26 PM PST by sappy
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To: The Blitherer

I know, but there isn't much new on that story.


130 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:39 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Peach; Tony Snow

I wish Tony was here....but maybe he is....lol


131 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:41 PM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)
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To: canadianally

Please report, I permanently tuned out CNN.


132 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:48 PM PST by pissant
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To: Txsleuth
I believe David Martin....he broke the missile attack on Zawahiri in Damadola last year.

He has a pipeline into the special ops..

133 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:50 PM PST by Dog (DEMS--- 5 day work week..............errr...nevermind....100 hours...starting...soon .....MAYBE)
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To: Palladin
Is this Bush's New Direction for the New Year?

Dubya may be a Reconquista enabler.
Dubya may have squandered his "political capital", even going into the red.

But if he wants to make a doubter like me stand up and cheer...
blasting the H-E-Double-Toothpicks out of Islamic jackals in
Somalia is sure a good start!
134 posted on 01/08/2007 4:27:57 PM PST by VOA
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To: Peach
Wolf is having an Orgasm
135 posted on 01/08/2007 4:28:27 PM PST by cmsgop ( How do we know he's NOT Mel Torme?)
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To: mystery-ak

MSNBC: Operatives in Somalia believed responsible for 1998 embassy bombings were targeted.


136 posted on 01/08/2007 4:28:28 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)
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To: Txsleuth

What??????????????????????????


137 posted on 01/08/2007 4:28:42 PM PST by pissant
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To: Dog

http://www.c-span.org/homepage.asp

C-SPAN has had a "Capital News" section for about a year and it's the first time I've seen a Breaking News post there.

· BREAKING: U.S. Strikes Al-Qaeda Targets in Somalia

· Pres. Bush to Nominate Zalmay Khalilzad As U.N. Envoy

· Commander in Iraq Says Stability Could Be Years Away

· Over 17,000 Civilians, Police Died in Iraq in Latter Half of '06

· Sen. Inouye (D-HI) Says Sen. Obama Should Wait for WH Bid


Updated: January 8, 2007 - 7:24:14 PM ET More Headlines »


138 posted on 01/08/2007 4:28:47 PM PST by leadpenny
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To: Peach

Fox is picking up coverage now


139 posted on 01/08/2007 4:29:05 PM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)
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To: cmsgop

MSNBC going to Chris Matthews and regular programming so I'm on CNN now too.


140 posted on 01/08/2007 4:29:10 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)
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