US indicts Eritrean on charges of aiding Somali insurgents
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed an indictment March 8 accusing a suspect brought to the US from Nigeria, Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, of conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization—al-Shabab, the main insurgent army in Somalia. Ahmed, 35 of Eritrea, is also charged with providing that support, conspiring to receive training from a foreign terrorist organization, and receiving the training.
The indictment charges that in 2009 he bought a Kalashnikov rifle and two grenades, and provided about 3,000 euros (about $4,470) to al-Shabab. The indictment also states that he received training at Shabab camps in Somalia.
The State Department designated al-Shabab a terrorist organization in 2008. Last year, the group claimed responsibility for a mortar attack aimed at a Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-NJ), who was visiting Somalia. Ahmed's indictment also states that members of al-Shabab and the affiliated Islamic Courts Union are thought to have provided a haven to al-Qaeda members wanted for the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. (NYT, March 8)
See our last post on Horn of Africa.
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No idicating eritrea....
No its wrong to mix Eritrea on the issue of supporting Somalia which has related to this destructive aims. Eritrea was and is a victim of terrorism and with its utmost stand and determination It is primary issue on fighting terrorism.Eritrea had been fighting terrorism since 1998. When Bin Ladin had a round tip within the region in the horn of Africa. No one can blaming Eritrea such cheep propaganda.Eritrea needs only to let here to work hard and improving the life standard of its people.It is well known as a new nation and tough task on nation building program. Please no more lies.Come with constructive engagement rather than finding faults or blackmailing this promised nation. Stop defamation this nation.
Fighting terrorism...
...by supporting the Shabab?
You've got to explain this one to us.
Geroge bush poltics
Some analysts have attempted to tie Somali piracy to terrorism. But David Shinn, former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, notes: "There is no evidence that piracy is directly linked to international terrorism." Similarly, Commander John Patch (ret.), formerly with the Office of Naval Intelligence, writes that "the facts fail to support allegations of terrorist linkages." Some observers point to pirate money to and cooperation with the al-Shabab militia. But there is no evidence that al-Shabab is interested in attacking American targets, and, notes Shinn, "the alliance between the pirates and al-Shabab is fragile." If al-Shabab attempted to strike at Americans, Washington should target al-Shabab directly. Says Patch: "In its current form and scope, piracy threatens no vital U.S. national security interests."
Confused on Somalia
We can argue about whether or not either the pirates or the Shabab threaten US "national security interests," but nobody with any real savvy about Somalia argues that they cooperate with each other. On the contrary, they appear to be enemies. The Shabab want an orderly sharia state that will brook no piracy—especially not piracy that attacks their Saudi underwriters!
Shoehorning Eritrea's name into any thing negative ?
This shoehorning and trying to associate Eritrea with Somalia and Al shabab which ever way is getting tiring.
What you need to ask is who is benefiting from this and who is pulling the strings.
Ethiopia is benefiting to the tune of $3billion, and the other countries that make the IGAD (Djibouti, Uganda etc) who instigated all this are the main beneficiaries of the WOT in Somalia.
It is typical concocted propaganda to hide their own involvement and Ethiopia’s crimes.
The sad thing is AU and UN are being used as a rubber stamps for the few countries adventures in Somalia and in the Horn of Africa.
In 2007 the UN monitoring group published the same falsified report that claimed 2000 Eritrean Special forces were dispatched to Somalia before the invasion, yet not a single Eritrean soldier was found dead or alive in Somalian soil. You are a journalist, go and ask the UN where did they vanish to ?
But there are evidence upon evidence of the US, Ethiopia, AU peace keepers running arms in Somalia. Here are few links from Reuters incase you have forgotten.
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN0728288520070407
http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSL24158241._CH_.2400
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7417435.stm
Have you asked why the very Ilyushin 76 that the UN monitoring group accused Eritrea of using to transport arms, crashed in lake victoria transporting American Dyncorp contractors and AMISOM soldiers ?
http://crossedcrocodiles.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/africoms-lake-victoria...
Well never mind, we live in make belief world, where Ethics and Justice does not exist
They did not acknowledge Eritrea's extreme stance to terrorism for nothing.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=42407
When everyone was in slumber Eritrea was fighting fundamentalists, so this is just pathetic and not going to persuade any one.
Actually he is Ethiopian
The nationality is wrong. This Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed is a Swedish citizen and Swedish police today confirms that he originally is from Ethiopia, as in NOT from Eritrea.
Given that he got some kind of training in Mogadishu one would suspect that he is ethnically Somali, Ogadeni perhaps? Bill, you need to highlight what's going on in Ogaden, not that it in any way is an excuse for terrorism...
We were following our source.
Go argue with the New York Times. We have certainly covered the Ethiopian state's crimes against humanity in Ogaden.
Good point bill, tells you how skewed the whole media is.
May be some one should write to the NY Times.
I'd like to see some evidence...
...that the Times is wrong about this, before I accept it on faith.
Where have got your
Where have got your evidence, if you could keep your credibility as journalist. To day we see only marketing the articles with your niche to punish nations. Otherwise you don't have any clue that to associate Eritrea to satisfy the special interest groups.
Are you really arguing...
...that Eritrea doesn't assist the Shabab? I didn't think they were particularly trying to hide it.
Media with credibility issues.
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID...
Refresh it if it does not work the first time.
As to Eritrean supporting this group that group, Eritrea made it clear it supports the consensus between the Somali people. To that end it managed the impossible in 2007, when it brought blood enemies under one tent, those included everyone including the diaspora educated, civil societies and including the current president who was on the US list.
Look what was being written about him.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6032907.stm
So you get the gist, I hope.
Ethiopian indicted for supporting Al Shabab
"Sabrina Schroff, the man’s lawyer in the United States, says that the Ethiopian native denies all the accusations. The New York Times identifies him as Eritrean, but the Swedish Foreign Minister holds that he is originally from Ethiopia."
Yes, the New York Times, Washington Post, AFP repeated a lie a thousand times until the truth gets drowned out. The man indicted is Ethiopian according to the Swedish Foreing Minister and his lawyer Sabrina Schroff.
"Al Shabab" is in Somalia...there is a US and French Base in Djibouti which borders Somalia. Ethiopia shares a border with Somalia (a very long one to be exact). The presence of Ethiopian soldiers is no secret and the invasion backed the US.
Eritrea shares no border with Somalia whatsoever. For it to even use an cargo plane as the SMG Report suggested is laughable being that the US and French have their base right under the airspace that a plane could possibly fly from "Eritrea". It's not possible and quite frankly as ludicrious as the presence of 2000 "Eritrean" troops in Somalia during Ethiopia's invasion of Somalia. This whole sanction against Eritrea based on these fabrications and lies is downright filthy and despicable and only shows the low character and integrity of it's designers (namely the US State Department)
Could be...
So Radio Sweden on March 10 said the suspect is Ethiopian. Thank you for providing this information, despite your odd habit of making the entire text of your post the link. Better to include the source and the date in your text, as links sometimes go dead.
Run with the rabbit or hunt with the hound
What Eritrea's dictator is trying to be is a peace-broker while arming terrorists to the hilt and abusing his 5 million people. All because of a piece of worthless 150 sq. miles called Badime. Plunging the entire region into misery just because he didn't get the 150 sq. miles. Why not get this bastard and drag him to the Hague? You wouldn't have to worry about Shabab or Janjaweed after that.
The point is: you can't run with the rabbit and hunt with the hound, you've got to make a choice.
No name calling
A poster left the following link, but I had to delete his post because he called another poster a "dingbat."
Read our posting policy!
WW4 ADD the News Report from SWEDEN on Ethiopian terror suspect
WW4 Report, I couldn't find that article on Your Site here. Will you add the article with the following link on your site for Fair and Balance coverage?:
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID...
Give it the proper headline which says:
"Ethiopian Resident of Sweden Charged with Terrorism in US Court"
"An Ethiopian man living permanently in Sweden has been charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts by a court in New York. According to the Swedish Foreign Ministry, he was captured in the end of November in Nigeria, and was later moved to a United States prison on Saturday."
The New York Times reports that he is suspected of financing al-Shabab, a Somali terrorist organization that has connections to Al-Qaeda. He is also said to have received military training in an al-Shabab camp, learning how to construct explosive charges."
Pay attention
We link to the Swedish story above, and I thank the posters for bringing it to our attention. But I'm not going to change the headline after the fact. Most news sources (e.g. Associated Press) say the suspect is Eritrean.
Associated Press says "Eritrean" but Sweden Govt says "Ethiopian
The Sweden Foreign Ministry counters the claim of the New York Times. If your site is trying to cover it appropriately then out of fairness for Truth, presenting as that Article from Sweden says it would only show the objectivity of your site. Otherwise, repeating what the Associated Press says and only promoting their view on it, only lacks Honest merit to show the Truth on this matter.
"But I'm not going to change the headline after the fact. ", it is not after the fact. The only request is to post the article from Sweden as it's own article like you posted this article with it's claim. Unless, something is stopping you from posting this report from all sources and not only the NewYorkTimes?
Will you post the Sweden report as it's own standalone article on your site? With the title in line with the content of the Sweden article ie "Ethiopian resident of Sweden indicted on terrorism charges in US Court"?
These comments noting the Swedish government's stance...
...are sufficient. We don't change headlines after an hour or two of posting. If we (or our sources) got something wrong, we want the record to reflect that. Any follow-up stories will note the controversy over the suspect's nationality. Thank you.
Separate Article, Separate Posting is the request...not...
Bill said: "We don't change headlines after an hour or two of posting."
Well Bill...as a reader, I'm not asking you to change this articles title. But to post the Sweden article as a standalone article on your site so that the Worldwideweb readers can obtain all articles on this matter.
The Request is that you POST the Sweden Article as an article on it's own just as you did this article.
I am sensing that you have no justification to not post the Sweden article as it's own article on your site. It seems something or some organization(maybe US State Department) is stopping you from posting the Sweden article.
Your site loses credibility if it doesn't post all articles related to this story. The Sweden Article states that the defendant is Ethiopian per the Sweden Foreign Ministry and the lawyer. Why are you against displaying the Sweden Foreign Ministry's perspective via the Sweden article?
Why is World War 4 Report censoring the Sweden Article from their site? Censorship in this case is not giving that article it's equal viewing to readers on the internet. You are censoring that article by not showing it as a standalone article like you did with the New York Times. Reconsider your position because it's a wrong position that you have.
We aren't censoring anything
On the contrary, World War 4 Report appears to be one of the few media sources to make note of the Swedish claim—thanks to you. I express my appreciation, but it is rather ironic to be accused of censorship in a comment on my own website.
If World War 4 is about TRUTH, then Post the Sweden Article
This is from World War 4 Reports own mission: "Above all, we are committed to real journalism (as opposed to mere opinion-spewing and bloggery), and seek through our example to resist its alarming decline. We are fastidiously non-sectarian, and our first loyalty is always to the truth."
Real journalism and loyalty to the Truth would mean posting the following Sweden article as a standalone article on your site:
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID...
"Swedish Resident Charged with Terrorism in US Court
Photo: Farah Abdi Warsameh / SCANPIX
al-Shabab fighters training in Mogadishu
An Ethiopian man living permanently in Sweden has been charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts by a court in New York. According to the Swedish Foreign Ministry, he was captured in the end of November in Nigeria, and was later moved to a United States prison on Saturday."
Titled to show the content of the article like you did with the "US Indicts.." article. So the title for this article would be "Ethiopian resident of Sweden Charged with Terrorism in US Court".
Anything less than this, would show a hypocrisy in World War 4 Reports coverage of the events (this being an example)
Stay tuned.
We will return to this issue in the coming days.