By Aweys Osman Yusuf

Mogadishu, 21 June 2007 - Somalia transitional federal government disclosed Wednesday that 64 Somali inmates were released on Thursday. Most of the prisoners were Islamist related elements, according to Mohammed Warsame Darwish, the chief officer of Somalia national security department and the leader of the national security committee which was forced in early this month.

In a news conference the committee held in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, Darwish said another number of Somali inmates would be freed soon.

“The release of these people who are linked to the defeated Islamic Courts Union came after Somalia president Abdulahi Yusuf offered an amnesty to all Islamist fighters and their supporters,” he said.

He said the remaining of Islamist inmates were under investigations. “As soon as the investigations that are currently underway are over, they will be discharged by tomorrow,” he added.

He stressed there were some specific U.I.C. figures still in the government custody that would not be freed.

“There are some people who were proven to have committed terrorist acts and such people will remain in jail,” he said. He indicated that 18 men dressed in the army uniform were captured on Thursday. He said they were some of the criminals posing as government soldiers and terrorizing civilians.

On June 19, Somalia president Abdulahi Yusuf issued a formal decree offering a clemency to all U.I.C. supporters and fighters that combated with the T.F.G.

“The president has approved a proposal offering amnesty to Islamist militias and supporters who have been fighting the government for the past months and to release former fighters from jail,” said Justice Minister Hasan Dhimbil Farah, reading a statement to the press.

Source: Sh.M.Network