Somali region raids 1 of many hijacked ships

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somali forces raided one of the many ships hijacked off the country's coast Sunday as a deadline loomed in a standoff aboard another, arms-laden vessel, officials said.

Troops in northern Somalia's semiautonomous Puntland region unsuccessfully tried to take back a ship that was hijacked by pirates on Thursday, said Ali Abdi Aware, Puntland's foreign minister. He said two pirates were killed.

The vessel, which carrying cement, is believed to have Syrian and Somali crew on board.

"Our forces are chasing the ship and we hope to rescue it," Aware said in a telephone interview from Puntland, a hotbed of piracy.

Meanwhile, pirates on the Ukrainian MV Faina, which is carrying 33 tanks and other heavy weapons, continued to demand ransom money before releasing the ship and its 20 crew.

The pirates have threatened to destroy the vessel Monday night or early Tuesday unless the shipowners pay a ransom of up to US$20 million. They have held the ship for more than two weeks.

Sugule Ali, a spokesman for the pirates, said by satellite telephone that negotiations with the shipping company were continuing. Regarding the ransom, he said: "It is before Tuesday or never."

Pirates have seized more than two dozen ships this year off the Horn of Africa, but the Faina has drawn the most international attention because of its dangerous cargo. Many fear the weapons on board could end up in the hands of Islamic militants in Somalia.

The ship's operator, Tomex Corp. in Odessa, has not commented on negotiations.

The threat by the pirates on the Faina was unusual. Pirates operating off Somalia rarely harm their hostages, instead holding out for a ransom that often exceeds $1 million.

But international pressure on the pirates is growing. NATO said Thursday it would send seven ships to the treacherous waters where pirates are negotiating the release of the Faina. U.S. warships are surrounding the ship, and a Russian vessel is on the way as well.

There are 20 Ukrainian, Latvian and Russian crew members on board.

The ship's Russian captain died of a heart condition soon after the hijacking nearly two weeks ago, officials in Moscow say.

Lt. Stephanie Murdock, a spokeswoman for the 5th Fleet, which is based in Bahrain and helps monitor Somalia's coast, said there were no significant developments Sunday.

A nation of around 8 million people, Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991. A quarter of Somali children die before age 5 and nearly every public institution has collapsed. In the capital, Mogadishu, thousands of civilians have died over the past 18 months in a ferocious, Iraq-style insurgency.

Source: AP

Gunmen pillage UN warehouse in southern Somalia

MOGADISHU (AFP) — Gunmen stormed a warehouse run by the International Labour Organisation office in southern Somalia and stole construction equipment, local and UN officials said Sunday.

They took things like cement and water taps when they stormed the facility overnight Saturday in Burhakaba, a dusty trading post about 190 kilometres (120 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu.

"The store was full of construction equipment and they loaded everything on two trucks at midnight. We don't know why they robbed the warehouse," said Adan Mohamed Nur, an ILO local supervisor in Burhakaba.

"We are still investigating who robbed the ILO warehouse," said Adan Abdirahman, an Islamist deputy district commissioner in Burhakaba.

Since the ILO started operations in Somalia in 2002, it has been trying to improve conditions for locals, notably rehabilitating infrastructure ruined by frequent floods in the shattered African nation.

Somalia has lacked an effective government since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre set off bloodletting that has defied numerous UN-backed bids to restore stability.

The feeble Somali government formed in Kenya in 2004 is currently battling powerful Islamist militants mainly in Mogadishu, and has been unable to offer security to aid groups, forcing many to relocate.

Source: AFP

Uganda army warns Somali on terror

THE army yesterday warned the Somali community living in Uganda to cooperate with security agencies to avert the looming terror attack.

The warning comes at a time when Uganda has been put on high terror alert following intelligence reports that al-Qaeda regional linkman Fazul Abdallay plans a strike.

A source attached to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) yesterday told The New Vision that there were reports that al-Qaeda agents were trying to use some ‘desperate’ Somali refugees in Kisenyi, a Kampala suburb.

“We have heard reports that some people are planning to use some of you (Somali) to cause mayhem. But be warned that this will backfire on you.

Support the relevant security agencies with information regarding any intent from subversive elements,” said Lt. Timothy Tumusiime, the civil military relations officer.

Tumusiime, who addressed over 50 Somali clan heads and leaders at a security meeting held in Kisenyi, urged the leaders to ask their colleagues to cooperate with security agencies.

“Do not be lured into causing terror in Kampala. Let us live together or we shall all perish like fools. Desist from terrorism activities while living here,” he said, adding that “Our gallant soldiers are dying in Somalia because we want peace. We do not want a similar situation here.”

At least 1,000 Somali are living in Kisenyi, one of the city’s largest slums.
The Somali community chairperson, Hussein Hassan, said they had formed a security committee to gather intelligence on suspicious people.

According to Kenyan intelligence reports, Fazul, who escaped arrest in Kenya last month, wants to punish Kampala for its involvement in the peacekeeping operation in Somalia.

Fazul, born on the Comoros Islands, was indicted in the US for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of the American embassies in Dar-es-Salaam and Nairobi.

In Kenya, Fazul is suspected of involvement in two attacks in Mombasa on November 26, 2002.

Early in 2007, during the war in Somalia, Fazul was thought to be in the border area near Ras Kamboni, along with remnants of the Islamic Courts Union.

On January 8 last year, a US Air Force gunship targeted al-Qaeda in the area and Fazul was rumoured dead.

However, the US ambassador to Kenya denied that he had been killed in the airstrike.

On August 2, he escaped a police dragnet in Malindi, Kenya, but two of his aides were arrested. The police confiscated two of his passports and a laptop.

The US Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5m for information leading to his arrest.

Source: New Vision (Uganda)