Somalia: Hizbul Islam urge Lawmakers to join Islamists 15 Feb 15, 2010 - 1:03:17 PM
A spokesman for the Somalia’s Hizbul Islam militant group says his group is willing to rank high Somali lawmakers who are willing to ditch the government side.
Sheikh Mohammed Ma’alin Ali urged the lawmakers to take up the offer and support the Islamist.
“We are urging Somali lawmakers to leave the government of Sheikh Sharif and work for the well-being of the society and the religion because that is good compared to living under the mercy of the enemy,” he told reporters in Mogadishu.
He said the lawmakers should took the example of their fellow lawmaker who recently ditched to Al-Shabaab, saying the Islamist groups are not killers as portrayed by the government.
“The government officials are told that Islamists kill people but that is propaganda. We are ready to welcome anyone who deserts the government,” he said.
A lawmaker called Salah Badbado has recently announced that he has officially joined the hard-line Al-Shabaab group.
Sheikh Ali reiterated that his group is steadfastly against any talks with anyone, vowing to continue with the fight against fragile UN-backed government and African Union troops.
