| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa Horn |
| Islamists tighten grip on Somalia |
| 2006-09-22 |
| Somalia's powerful Islamist movement has announced that it is tightening Sharia law in its territory and that it will fight the proposed deployment of foreign peacekeepers. In a series of edicts, statements and court rulings issued just days after a failed attempt to assassinate the president of the country's transitional government, the Supreme Islamic Council of Somalia (SICS) moved to strengthen its grip on power. Already in control of the capital Mogadishu and much of southern Somalia, the Islamists said they would seize the port of Kismayo and close the border with Kenya to prevent an east African peacekeeping force entering the country to shore up the government's limited authority. They also sentenced two alleged murderers to be executed in public, arrested a male martial arts coach and six female students, and banned the sale and use of the popular stimulant khat during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Sheikh Mohamed Nur Duale, a top SICS member in the Lower Juba Valley, said the Islamists had surrounded Kismayo, about 500km south of Mogadishu, and would soon take it from a local armed group. "We will not attack our Muslim brothers in Kismayo or any other place in the region. Our objective is to defend the country from the enemies of Allah. No one should dare stand in front of this holy objective." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 They've already all GOT guns. Then give them more ammo or bigger guns. Yeah, and cutting off the use of khat is really gonna make these Islamics the center of attention. And I don't mean that in a good way. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-22 23:48 |
| #8 As with all good things. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-09-22 17:15 |
| #7 Paradoxic reactions occur with overdosage. |
| Posted by: J.D. Lux 2006-09-22 14:11 |
| #6 I was under the impression that qat/khat is a mild hallucinogen and depressant? I can't imagine speed junkies lolling about all day, cow like, chewing large mouthfuls of green leaves and dribbling green goo over themselves without caring, as qat chewers in Yemen are reputed to do. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-09-22 14:07 |
| #5 Gorb- Give them all guns They've already all GOT guns. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2006-09-22 11:01 |
| #4 Did they outlaw using khat 24/7 or only during the day? |
| Posted by: James 2006-09-22 03:51 |
| #3 Give them all guns. |
| Posted by: gorb 2006-09-22 03:06 |
| #2 The turbins have outlawed Qat {khat} for Ramadan? Boy, things ought to get interesting in the rump state of Somalia about a week into that : speed junkies get MEAN when you cut them off. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-09-22 02:50 |
| #1 One of these days this is going to be a new base for terror. Crush it now while it's later and reap the dividends later. |
| Posted by: gorb 2006-09-22 01:20 |