American air sorties over Somalia

The US has announced that its planes are making reconnaissance sorties over Somalia in order to help in deciding whether al-Qaida organization is rebuilding itself in this country.

News reports quoted Department of State spokesman Richard Boucher on Thursday that the reconnaissance air sorties aim at making sure that Somalia is not a center for al-Qaida organization, noting that Somalia might be a possible shelter for this organization.

For his part the US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld said without giving a mention to the name of Somalia that the US administration wants to know the possible terrorist threats through increasing military intelligence activities.

Rumsfeld added " terrorist camps" have been in Somalia since several years but we are not sure if these camps practice any activity there at the meantime.