/ 29 July 2006

Somalia: Iran, Libya and Egypt helping militia

Somalia’s prime minister on Saturday accused Egypt, Libya and Iran of providing weapons for Islamic militants who have seized control of much of the country’s south, citing unnamed sources within his government.

”Egypt, Libya and Iran, whom we thought were friends, are engaged in fuelling the conflict in Somalia by supporting the terrorists,” Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Gedi said.

The accusations came as Somalia’s already weak government was unravelling. Two lawmakers were shot this week — one fatally — and Gedi was facing a no-confidence vote after 18 lawmakers resigned from his administration.

Meanwhile, a militia known as the Supreme Islamic Courts’ Council has steadily gained power, raising fears of an emerging Taliban-style regime. The United States accuses the group of harbouring al-Qaeda leaders responsible for deadly bombings at the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

”We call for the international community to put pressure on these countries who want the problems in Somalia to continue,” Gedi said.

Earlier on Saturday, the prime minister was among hundreds who attended the funeral for Abdallah Isaaq Deerow, the Minister of Constitutional and Federal Affairs, who was shot outside a mosque as he walked out of Friday prayers.

Seven people have been arrested in Deerow’s death, but authorities had no further details, according to Police Chief Aadin

Biid.

The shooting enraged hundreds of Somalis, who rioted in the streets Friday, screaming, ”We want a government that can restore law and order!”

”We condemn this wicked action, and the government will chase the murderers and treat them with an iron hand,” the government’s Information Minister, Mohamed Abdi Hayir, said.

Two days earlier, Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed, chairperson of the parliamentary committee for constitutional affairs, was shot and wounded. It was not immediately clear whether the shootings were connected, although the men had worked together. — Sapa-AP