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Mogadishu,
Somalia, September 5, 2009 (SL Times) – The leader of the Somali
terrorist organization al-Shabaab, Ahmed Abdi Godane (a.k.a Mukhtaar Abu
Zubeir), sent a message full of warnings and threats to Somaliland. The
audio message was distributed in Mogadishu on Sept.3. In a BBC
broadcast, Ahmed Abdi Godane called Somaliland government an “apostate
administration” that instead of serving the people is a burden on them.
He accused Somaliland government of handing innocent Somalis to Ethiopia
and said such actions have led to the isolation of the people of
Somaliland among other Somalis.
He strongly attacked Ethiopia and asserted that it deliberately exports
alcohol, hashish, Christianity and AIDS to Muslims. He also claimed that
Ethiopians are taking over Somaliland.
The terrorist leader said Somaliland’s peace and stability was due to
the huge number of intelligence personnel. He dismissed Somaliland’s
coming presidential election, calling it a gimmick to divert and divide
the people. He mocked Somaliland’s quest for diplomatic recognition and
said the result of that effort is shortage of water and poverty.
In a reply to al-Shabaab leader’s message, Somaliland’s Foreign
Minister, Abdillahi Muhammad Duale said Ahmed Abdi Godane is an enemy of
Somaliland, a terrorist, and that the blood he had spilled in Somaliland
has not yet dried. The foreign minister promised that Somaliland’s long
arm will reach him wherever he is.
Ahmed Abdi Godane is originally from Somaliland but fled to the south
(Mogadishu) where he is based now. He became the head of the al-Qaida
linked organization al-Shabaab after its former leader Adan Hashi Ayro
was killed in a U.S. air strike on May 1, 2008. He is wanted in
Somaliland for the October 29, 2008 coordinated multiple suicide attacks
on the Ethiopian Trade Office, the UNDP office and Somaliland’s
presidential palace in which more than 30 people were killed and 29 were
wounded.
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