Mogadishu , Somalia, October 7, 2006 (SL Times) – Contrary to previous convictions held that they were unlikely to attempt at this stage actions of military nature in Somaliland, the leaders of the Mogadishu-based Islamic Courts Union have already been plotting a takeover of Somaliland from within.

A plan calling for the eventual declaration of Islamic Courts in Somaliland’s major cities is already nearing the final stages of its implementation.

The Somaliland Times has learned that at least a group of militants from one sub-clan in Hargeysa has contacted a well known cleric from another sub-clan to endorse a plan for the proclamation of Islamic Courts administration in the capital.

The said Cleric not only rejected the plan but also warned those who contacted him that they would be responsible for the repercussions of such an action.

Meanwhile several reliable sources in Mogadishu have confirmed to the Somaliland Times that hundreds of Somalilanders are currently undergoing intensive military training and indoctrination in religious fundamentalism in camps at Mogadishu for future deployment to Somaliland.

According to those sources, the trainees will be used to spearhead an armed insurrection designed to take place in Somaliland’s main towns.

Most of the Somalilanders being trained were initially recruited by ICU cells in Somaliland and were later persuaded to travel from Hargeysa, Buroa, Borama, Erigavo and Las-Anod to Mogadishu mostly by road and occasionally by plane, the sources said.

The training which includes assassination techniques was said to be provided by Arab and Pakistani veterans of the Afghan war.

A video footage showing a militant Sheikh called Mohamed Ismail allegedly being tortured in Hargeysa Jail, was recently put into circulation by militant groups in Somaliland and within the ICU so as to stir a popular backlash against the Somaliland government. However a number of demonstrations held in the last 10 days in Hargeysa, Buroa, Erigavo and a remote village in the Sanag region had only attracted small crowds.

Though the footage purporting to show the use of torture against Mohamed Ismail is widely regarded as fake by experts, however unfair reporting by the Somali Service of the BBC on the issue has kept it in the spotlight until now.

The Somaliland government’s failure to respond much earlier to the torture allegations has also affected its case negatively.

To fuel incitement against the Somaliland government, ICU leaders took turns to condemn president Rayale’s administration as a puppet of the Americans “who keep Muslim Clerics in Guantanamo Bay prison cells”.

Meanwhile, the price of AK-47 rifles in the black market went up to $500 a piece instead of $200 only two months ago.

The sudden jump has been attributed to a sudden rise in demand for small arms from religious militant groups inside the country.

Yesterday Adan Haji Hirow, a Muslim cleric who preaches at a Mosque in northern Hargeysa, disclosed that extremist groups operating in Somaliland had sent him a threat in writing warning him to stop his attacks on the fundamentalist movement or else face consequences.

While preaching the faithful before the Juma’ (Friday) prayer at Hawadle Mosque yesterday, Shiekh Adan Haji, better known as Adan Sira, said that he was not going to be intimidated by the threat.

“Tens of thousands of our citizens sacrificed their precious lives for the liberation of Somaliland and by God we will keep this country independent and safe,” he added as thousands in prayers responded by saying “Amin Amin”.

The offices of the Haatuf Media Network which publishes the Somaliland Times, the daily Somali language Haatuf and the weekly Arabic Haatef Al-Arabi also received numerous phone call threats carrying messages of similar nature during the last several days.

Source: Somaliland Times

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives