Somalia: diplomats fear al-Qaida activities
Somalia, Politics, 11/11/2003

One ship discharged its load at Mogadishu port, included hundreds of sets of military uniforms and tents in violation to the military embargo imposed by the UN against Somalia. A matter which raised diplomatic fears over the renewal of al-Qaida organization activities.

This is, however the first military shipment disclosed since a draft report was leaked last week by experts at the UN urging tightening embargo on Somalia in order to prevent eastern Africa attacks.

The chairman of al-Maamn port, Muhammad Omar said that the trip of the ship started from the United Arab Emirate and it carried large amounts of military items and food nutrition supplies.

A high ranking official at the UN said that there is "a violation, but there is no mechanism to deal with such violations," noting the easy process in which exporters and importers violate the embargo imposed on Somalia since ten years.

The UN experts report which urged to tighten monitoring of Somali weapons shipment disclosed that fighters from al-Qaida received training and armament in Somalia were the ones who organized the suicide attack against a hotel owned by Israelis in Kenya in 2002. The report said that at least four members suspected to be members in al-Qaida are in Somalia. He warned against the import of additional weapons with the aim of carrying out attacks.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Qathafi gets a telephone call from Salad Hassan   (10/14/2003)
  Makadishu: 8 persons were killed in tribal clashes   (8/16/2003)
  Land of Somalia refuses to join Makadishu government   (8/7/2003)
  Somali government withdraws from peace conference in Kenya   (7/30/2003)
  Somalia 30 persons were killed in inter- militia clashes   (5/23/2003)
  Some 12 persons killed in fighting between warring militias in Somalia   (2/28/2003)

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