Soliders killed in Baghdad in fighting with Shiites By LARRY KAPLOW Cox News Service BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Seven U.S. soldiers were killed and more than 24 were wounded Sunday in fierce fighting in a Shiite Muslim slum of Baghdad, pushing the number of American troops who have died in Iraq to more than 600. The U.S. military also reported two Marines were killed in separate action near Fallujah. The ambush of Army troops in Baghdad and the intense gun battle that followed was unprecedented in a Shiite area and came amid a day of Shiite rioting in four cities. Suddenly, American troops faced the prospect that the majority Shiites could be turning from uneasy tolerance to open resistance against the U.S.-led occupation. Shiites comprise about 60 percent of Iraq's population and a sustained revolt could dwarf the year-long anti-American insurgency by the minority Sunnis and remnants of Saddam Hussein's former regime. Near the holy city of Najaf, an attack on a Spanish garrison killed one Salvadoran soldier and wounded a dozen more. The Spanish Defense Ministry said an American also was killed in the fighting there, though U.S. military officials did not confirmed that. At least 14 Iraqis were killed and more than 100 wounded in the gun battle and rioting. Coalition helicopters and airplanes were used to try to scatter the crowds. By Sunday evening, Iraq's pre-eminent Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Hussein al-Sistani, was reportedly calling for calm, as he has throughout the U.S. occupation. Shiites were persecuted by Saddam's regime and they have been largely willing to cooperate with the American-led coalition. The rioters and gunmen Sunday were supporters of 30-year-old militant Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who stepped up his anti-American rhetoric last week after U.S. troops closed his newspaper for allegedly inciting violence. Coalition troops also arrested a senior aide of al-Sadr in connection with the murder of another cleric. Also Sunday, the U.S. military announced that two Marines were killed in action over the weekend in the Anbar province, a part of the so-called Sunni Triangle that includes the city of Fallujah, where four U.S. contractors were killed and mutilated Wednesday. Overall, the deaths brought to at least 610 the number of American troops who have died since the invasion just over a year ago, according to the Associated Press. The fighting comes after the horrific killing of the contractors in Fallujah and assassinations of Iraqi security officials. The violence caused new concern among policy makers in Washington as the Bush administration prepares to hand over political authority to a new Iraqi government on June 30. Bush administration officials have repeatedly said that date is fixed, but Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana suggested Sunday that more troops should be sent to Iraq and, perhaps, the hand-over delayed until the country can be pacified. "I think it's time to probably have that debate, because clearly pragmatically, as we're discussing today, you have the militia that has not been disarmed," said Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "And, in fact, the worse the situation becomes, the militia begin to fight each other, that is, civil war. Sometimes people say, well, in the case of civil war, then we're out of that. But, that won't work. We are in Iraq, and so we are going to have to bring stability." The fighting in Baghdad was in the Sadr City slum, a district of some 2 million Shiites that has been relatively quiet over the past year. The area was called Saddam Hussein City under the previous government and is now named after a cleric killed by Saddam's regime. U.S. officials said that supporters of al-Sadr, including his newly fashioned al-Mehdi militia, tried to take over local government buildings and police stations. His supporters have made such attempts in the past, sometimes angering other, more moderate Shiites. Television video showed Shiites running with rifles and rocket launchers along the streets of the sprawling urban district. Two American Humvees were in flames and the fighting continued late into the night. By the end of the day, Arabic television stations reported that al-Sadr was calling for an end to the mass protests, but he continued to urge action against the coalition. "Terrorize your enemy, God will reward you well for what pleases him. It is not possible to remain silent in front of their abuse," he said in a statement reported by the Reuters news agency. There were several hot spots around Iraq Sunday. A suicide bomber in the northern city of Kirkuk wounded two U.S. soldiers. The Salvadoran soldier was killed in Kufa, near the central city of Najaf, after thousands of rioters and gunmen gathered at the Spanish base in the area. Some Iraqis fired at the base, according to wire reports and video from local cameramen. It was the first combat death among the soldiers from the Central American country. U.S. administrator for Iraq L. Paul Bremer condemned the riots, saying that the fall of Saddam's regime opened the door for peaceful protest, but not this. "This morning a group of people in Najaf have crossed the line and they have moved to violence. This will not be tolerated," he said. "This will not be tolerated by the coalition and this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi people." The friction with the al-Sadr's Shiites began building last week. U.S. troops closed for 60 days al-Sadr's mouthpiece newspaper claiming it was inciting anti-American violence. They also detained Mustafa al-Yacoubi, a senior adviser and spokesman for al-Sadr. U.S. officials say Yacoubi is connected to the murder last year of moderate, pro-U.S. Shiite cleric Abdel Majid al-Khoei, who was hacked to death by a mob in Najaf last April shortly after he returned from exile. There were also a large anti-coalition demonstration Sunday in the southern Iraq city of Nasiriyah, where Italian troops traded fire with gunmen and rioters demonstrating against al-Yacoubi's detention. In the city of Amarah, British troops clashed with protesters. Al-Sadr is believed to be seeking to expand his support, which now lies mostly among poor Shiites. As he sharpened his already anti-American rhetoric, angry protests began in Baghdad Thursday. In a sermon Friday, al-Sadr characterized his supporters as a new opposition to the United States, aligned in spirit with the Lebanese Hezbollah guerillas and the Palestinian Hamas militants. Saturday hundreds of black-clad men paraded in Sadr City as members of his al-Mehdi militia. Sunday morning, in an unusual announcement, the U.S. consulate warned that it expected demonstrations around Baghdad that would likely turn violent. One of the more peaceful gatherings came when several hundred Shiites also came to Firdos Square -- where U.S. troops tore down the statue of Saddam Hussein upon capturing central Baghdad last year. The demonstration broke up after Iraqi police fired in the air. The crowds had gathered in front of blast barriers where U.S. troops protect two major hotels. Larry Kaplow is an international correspondent for Cox Newspapers.

Thousands march in support of al-Sadr Sunday 04 April 2004, 9:45 Makka Time, 6:45 GMT Al-Sadr is a vocal opponent of the US-led occupation and IGC Thousands of supporters of Iraq's Shia cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, marched through the streets of Baghdad on Saturday, in a show of strength punctuated by anti-occupation rhetoric. Members of al-Sadr's militia, known as the Mahdi army, paraded through al-Sadr city, his power base in the northeast of the Iraqi capital. Some of them wore black masks, and many carried banners and pictures of the cleric and of his father who was assassinated in 1999. An American and an Israeli flag were set on fire. "This parade of the Mahdi army was ordered by his eminency the general commander of the army, Sayid Muqtada al-Sadr," said Sadiq al-Hashimi, a cleric who was leading a group of marchers. "We are here to show the world our might, this army can be a striking force at any moment, it's a time bomb that will go off at a time and place it chooses." Al-Sadr has often spoken out against the US occupation and against the Iraqi Governing Council which Washington hand-picked. He has wide influence, especially among poor urban Shia in and around Baghdad, and formed his "Jaysh al-Mahdi" militia last year. Hundreds of Iraqis protested at the closing of al-Sadr's newspaper The US-led occupation authorities in Iraq closed down a newspaper acting as his mouthpiece last Sunday, accusing al-Hawza of inciting violence. His supporters have mounted several major protests since. Saturday's marchers also complained about the arrest of a senior al-Sadr aide who they said had been detained by US forces. "This is a message to the council of oppression and the US who tried to tell the people we have no influence," Said Murtada Kinani, a construction worker who joined the parade, said. "Saddam could not stop us, do they think they can stop us?"

Iraqis killed in US Apache air strike Monday 05 April 2004, 15:35 Makka Time, 12:35 GMT According to Aljazeera's correspondent, a number of adjacent houses were damaged in the strike. A US vehicle was also seen burning in the area, he added. Followers of the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr had previously taken control of al-Shula area, the correspondent said. Falluja besieged Meanwhile, at least six Iraqis have been killed and several others wounded in clashes with US occupation forces in Falluja, west of Baghdad. According to Aljazeera's correspondent, huge numbers of US soldiers have surrounded the city, preventing people from entering or leaving. One Falluja resident reportedly told AFP that: "US forces bombed the Goland residential neighbourhood." Several people were killed, others wounded and some houses hit, said Burhan Abid, adding he went on to the roof of his house when the fighting started and saw US aircraft overhead. According to Abid the fighting erupted at 4:00am (00:00 GMT) and lasted for 90 minutes. US occupation forces have prevented Aljazeera's media crew from entering Falluja city. The US army patrols the streets of Sadr City "We were also prevented from videotaping the area," reported Aljazeera's correspondent. Jordan-Baghdad highway shut He added that occupation forces "are based at all gates of the city, preventing citizens from entering or exiting it". US forces have told Aljazeera the city will remain sealed off for a couple of days. "Door-to-door operations may be launched in the city, in an attempt to capture those who killed US contractors last week," the correspondent added. The US-led occupation forces have also shut the highways from Baghdad to Jordan due to ongoing "military activities" in the area of Falluja and Ramadi. "The highways from Baghdad to Jordan will be closed indefinitely due to military activities" US consulate statement "The highways (highways 1 and 10) from Baghdad to Jordan will be closed indefinitely due to military activities," the US consulate said in a statement on Monday. The latest incident follows heavy clashes between occupation forces and Iraqis in Baghdad on Sunday, which, according to latest reports, left 50 people dead. "More than 50 people were killed and 100 others were injured", Amir al-Hussaini, director of al-Sadr's office in Rusafa, told Aljazeera. Najaf explosions Also on Monday, two explosions were heard in the holy city of Najaf. At least 20 Iraqis were killed in clashes with Spanish forces Aljazeera's correspondent reports the explosions may have targeted the Spanish forces' headquarters in the city. On Sunday, 20 Iraqis were killed and more than 100 injured in clashes between Spanish-led occupation troops and Shia demonstrators in Najaf. Two occupation soldiers – one from EL Salvador and the other from the US - also died in the clashes. The demonstrators were protesting against the detention of one of the top aides of Muqtada al-Sadr. Mosul blast In the northern city of Mosul, a roadside bomb attack on a US convoy on Sunday killed one American soldier and wounded another, a US military spokesman said on Monday. Al-Sadr supporters have taken Two British tanks over the Basra governor's office The attack was on a main road 390km north of Baghdad. In the British-controlled port city of Basra, followers of al-Sadr have taken over the governor's office. Elsewhere, another US soldier and a Marine were killed in separate attacks by fighters in Iraq, the US army said on Monday. It said the Marine was killed in the tense area west of Baghdad on Monday. The soldier was killed by a car bomb in the northern city of Kirkuk on Sunday. Basra Dozens of armed Mahdi Army members stormed the governor's office in the southern city at dawn, raising a green flag on the roof of the building, an AP reporter said. Mahdi Army members were seen deployed inside and on the rooftop of the governor's office, alongside policemen who had been inside the building when it was overtaken. Four hours later there were no British troops in the area. Eighth US soldier killed An eighth US soldier had died from wounds sustained in fighting on Sunday with radical Shia protesters in the Baghdad's al-Sadr's city, the US army said on Monday. In a statement, the army said its previous reports that a US soldier was also killed on Sunday in clashes with Shia protesters near Najaf were incorrect. It said a Salvadoran soldier was the only foreign soldier killed in the fighting near Najaf. It has also emerged that eight Iraqis were killed and 10 others were injured late on Sunday during clashes between British forces and supporters of al-Sadr in the Iraqi southern Maysan province, Aljazeera's correspondent in Iraq reported. Two British tanks were also destroyed as they came under RPG attack in al-Amel area in Amara city, the correspondent added.

Sharon threatens Arafat and Nasr Allah Friday 02 April 2004, 10:26 Makka Time, 7:26 GMT Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says Palestinian President Yasir Arafat and Lebanese resistance chief Hasan Nasr Allah could become targets for assassination. Sharon's comments in interviews with Israeli newspapers published on Friday were his most explicit threats yet against his arch foes. Asked by Haaretz whether Arafat and Nasr Allah are targets for assassination, Sharon said: "I wouldn't suggest that either of them feel immune ... Anyone who kills a Jew or harms an Israeli citizen, or sends people to kill Jews, is a marked man. Period." Sharon told Maariv that Arafat "has no insurance policy." The threat came 10 days after Israel's assassination of Hamas founder and spiritual leader Shaikh Ahmad Yasin by a helicopter strike in the occupied Gaza Strip. Sharon has kept Arafat confined to his West Bank headquarters in the city of Ram Allah for more than two years. Last September, Israel's cabinet declared that Arafat is responsible for the Intifada or uprising against Israel's occupation and should be "removed." Several cabinet ministers have called frequently for his expulsion or killing. Hizb Allah Secretary General Nasr Allah vowed earlier this week that his group will help Hamas retaliate Yasin's murder. More threats Sharon also warned that once Israel completes the controversial separation barrier it is building cutting off parts of the occupied West Bank, more Palestinians would be expelled from Israel. The Israeli premier claimed there are tens of thousands of "illegal" Palestinians in Arab-Israeli towns and villages. At the height of international condemnation for Sharon's barrier-which cuts off some of the most fertile parts of the West Bank and separates tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes-Sharon proposed his so-called "disengagement plan" from the occupied Gaza Strip. This included unilaterally withdrawing from the occupied Gaza Strip and four small Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Palestinians fear such a move will demarcate the borders of a future Palestinian state and cement Israel's hold on large Jewish settlement blocs. Under international law, all Jewish settlements are illegal, a stance not recognised by Israel. Sharon told the Maariv daily he hopes that by the spring of 2005, "we will be in the midst of disengagement, because disengagement is good for Israel." Sharon has said he would leave the final decision on a withdrawal to his divided Likud Party. After his return from an 14 April meeting with US President George Bush, Sharon is to hold a binding referendum among 200,000 Likud members. Recent polls suggested that while he has an advantage, the gap is too small to assure approval of the Gaza plan. Sharon's interviews with the Maariv, Yediot Ahronot and Haaretz dailies, given ahead of next week's Passover holiday, were seen as the opening of his campaign for the withdrawal plan. The Prime Minister also told Yediot that after the withdrawal Israel would consider cutting off water and electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip if resistance attacks continued. On Thursday, American diplomats told skeptical Palestinian officials that Israel's plan to pull out of Gaza would revive the US-backed "road map" aimed at ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The US envoys delivered the message in a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Quraya. The team then had two hours of talks with Sharon, but no details were disclosed. After Thursday's meeting, Quraya said he would welcome an Israeli pullback from Gaza, but only if it is part of the "road map". Quraya said he sought assurances that the Gaza plan would not prejudice future talks on a permanent settlement, including the status of the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem and the right of return for millions of Palestinian refugees. "Unilateralism is not the solution," Quraya said. "The only thing that will help and bring forth Palestinian commitments is to negotiate with the Palestinians." In related developments, Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian civilian during an invasion of the Gaza Strip overnight, according to medical sources. Israeli military sources said the raid was ongoing.

Just that fact alone just goes to show you that there is no such recognition coming. Its obvious that the interest of the international community lie with a united, and territorially intact Somali Republic.

Shanta Qof ee loo heysto dilka Haweyneyda Kenyatiga aheyd oo ah dad u dhashay Somaliland Sida maalmahii danbe ay sheegayeen masuuliyiinta Soomaliland in dilkii loo geystay haweyney u shaqeyn jirtay hayadsamafal ee fa dhigedu yahay dalka Kenya in ay ka danbeyeen dad u dhashay Konfurta Soomaliya qas ahaana ka yimid magaalada Muqdisho yaa beenoowday kadib markii aan u guurgalnay si aan wax ugu ogaano dhacdadaan la doonaayo in lagu sii kala fogeeyo dadka walaalaha ah ee Somaliland iyo Konfurta Soomaliya . Baaritaan kadib ayaa waxaan soo ogaanay in dilkaasi ka danbeyeen dad u dhashay Soomaliland kuwaas oo kasoo jeedo dhamaantood beesha ***** sida uu inoo xaqiiyiyey masuul katirsan kuwa loo xilsaaray in ay baaraan dilkaasi. Sidoo kale markii aan la xariirnay masuulka iska lahaa Baaburka la sheegay in falka lagu geystay ayaa beeniyey in uu baaburkisa ay ka iibsadeen kuwa ka yimid koonfurta Soomaliya asagoona sheegay in laga been abuurtay warkasna aysan waxba ka jirin Dadhayamaayo ayaa xoog ku galay xabsiga ay ku xirnayeen shanta qof ee looheystey dilka kuwasoo aminsanaa kuwa falka geystay in ay ka yimaadeen koonfurta Soomaliya ayaa ogaaday markii ay galeyn xabsiga in ay yihiin kuwa u dhashay Soomaliland . Arinta been abuurka ku ah dad aan wax geysan ayaa looga golahaa in lagu soo jiito indhaha beesha caalamka oo baryahaan u taag la qaraxyo badan oo aan loo abayeelin. webmaster@dayniile.com

Thanks to Qhudhac for opening this topic, The Kenyan conference has traumatised those of us who where hoping that these people could come to their senses.. However I doubt that any so called national conference will ever work in Somalia, there needs to be a new approach in which emphasis is based on local initiatives. Empowering the common man is important in order to resolve the hotspots, for example look at Xeeraale and Xaramka in Juba why is so much blood being shed in two small towns? The fact that people from these two towns are in Kenya sitting next to each other smiling says so much for the power and influence of so called Somali leaders. Peace should start town by town region by region and then at the national level. It should be done by Somali’s who are sincere about peace and real reconciliation. I gree with Shiekh Yassin Furthermore, increased control/power(s) should be given to religious groups, civil society and tradition leaders; rather than warlords, would-be warlords, and politicians.

Welcome to Gaddafi's mad, mad world What amazes me is Blair's choice of fall-guy: one of the weirdest, battiest, deadliest Arab dictators of them all By Robert Fisk 25 March 2004 We live, as the Arabs say, in interesting times. Today, our Prime Minister flies to Libya to pay homage at the court of Gaddafi. The man blamed for blasting two airliners - one American, one French - out of the sky, for sending weapons to the IRA, for invading Chad, killing a young British policewoman, murdering political opponents at home and abroad, who has himself been bombed by both the United States and Egypt, is to play host to our dear Prime Minister. Gaddafi of the Green Book meets Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara. I cannot wait. . . . . . . . . .

Blair meets Gadafy Mark Oliver Thursday March 25, 2004 Tony Blair and Colonel Muammar Gadafy in Tripoli. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA The prime minister, Tony Blair, today shook the hand of Colonel Muammar Gadafy ahead of historic talks with the Libyan leader, who was once a pariah to the west. Mr Blair and Col Gadafy - whom the former US president Ronald Reagan once described as a "mad dog" - met in a Bedouin tent on farmland near the Libyan capital, Tripoli. The visit brings an end to three decades of international isolation for Col Gadafy's regime. There appeared to be an atmosphere of some tension, but Mr Blair smiled as the pair shook hands. They then sat alongside one another. "It's good to be here at last," Mr Blair said. With an interpreter standing behind him, Col Gadafy first spoke in Arabic before switching to English to say: "You did a lot of fighting on this issue and seem exhausted." Mr Blair replied: "There's been a lot to do." Col Gadafy, again speaking in English, said: "You look good, you are still young." After the photocall, the two leaders were expected to hold private talks for around 90 minutes. Mr Blair was expected to hold a press conference later, possibly alongside Col Gadafy. The visit follows Libya's admission, in December last year, that it was developing a weapons of mass destruction programme. Tripoli promised to dismantle the programme, and has also pledged to pay compensation for the Lockerbie bombing in return for a lifting of sanctions. Critics in the UK, including the Conservative party leader, Michael Howard, have described Mr Blair's visit as premature. However, the families of some of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing - which was sanctioned by the Libyan regime - have said that they support the prime minister's trip. In an attempt to bolster it, the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, announced, before Mr Blair arrived in Tripoli, that British police investigating the murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher would visit Libya next month. There have never been any convictions over the killing of Fletcher, who was gunned down outside the Libyan embassy in London in 1984. It is seen as one of the remaining issues needing to be resolved as Libya attempts to rebuild ties with the west. It was also today disclosed that the visit will pave the way for British blue chip companies, including oil giant Shell, to sign multi-billion pound deals with the Libyans. Mr Blair's officials confirmed that Shell was to sign a £110m deal for gas exploration rights off the Libyan coast. The prime minister's official spokesman told reporters that the contract could potentially be worth £550m. Speaking in London, Mr Straw said that the Libyan authorities had been "tardy" over the Fletcher case in the past. However, he added that Libya now recognised the need to "co-operate fully with the Metropolitan police service - they will be out there on April 3 to take part in those further investigations". Mr Straw said that officers would "hopefully ... talk directly to those who we suspect of having been involved". Scotland Yard officers had previously visited Tripoli as part of their investigations, but had been able to make little progress. Some observers have argued that, at the time of the shooting, Libya's embassy was effectively an outpost for pursuing a violent, politically-sanctioned revolutionary struggle, and that Libyan suspects should not have enjoyed any diplomatic immunity. Mr Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is terrible, and it remains something that is a daily, hourly, nightmare for the parents concerned, to whom I have spoken. "But what we have been able to achieve since negotiations with Libya were first opened up by my predecessor, Robin Cook, in respect of Lockerbie, is a recognition by the Libyans that they do have to co-operate fully with the Metropolitan police. The announcement followed a telephone call from Mohammad Shalgam, the Libyan foreign minister, to Mr Straw last month, during which he suggested that British police would be able to visit Libya. It came after a diplomatic storm sparked by Shukri Ghalem, the Libyan prime minister, who disclaimed Libyan responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and the death of Fletcher. Officials later backtracked after Mr Blair sought clarification of Tripoli's position amid calls for his visit to be cancelled. The prime minister's visit to Libya is part of a four-day diplomatic mission. Last night, he stayed in Portugal after having earlier been in Spain to attend a memorial service for the victims of the March 11 Madrid train bombings. Speaking in Lisbon, he said: "Let us offer to states that want to renounce terrorism and the development of WMD our hand in partnership to achieve it, as Libya has rightly and courageously decided to do. "That does not mean forgetting the pain of the past, but it does mean recognising change when it happens." Jim Swire, of the UK Families Flight 103 campaign group - who lost his daughter in the Lockerbie bombing - said that Mr Blair's visit would "greatly diminish the chances of a backsliding of support for terrorism, so we are greatly in favour of such a move". However, Lockerbie councillor Marjory McQueen said: "On a purely personal basis, I have sympathy with the views of the American relatives who see it as a betrayal, but obviously the prime minister now feels it is time to move on - although it appears to have been arranged rather quickly." Special reports

Blair extends hand of friendship to Gaddafi 25 March 2004 Tony Blair today extended the hand of friendship to the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the man once dubbed a 'Mad Dog' by US President Ronald Reagan. The historic meeting took place in a tent near the capital Tripoli. The two leaders shook hands in the tent on farmland outside the Libyan capital Tripoli with camels grazing nearby and Mr Blair said: "It's good to be here at last after so many months." With an interpreter standing behind him Mr Gaddafi spoke first in Arabic then switched to English to say to the Prime Minister: "You did a lot of fighting on this issue and seem exhausted." Mr Blair replied: "There's been a lot to do." Mr Gaddafi speaking in English replied: "You look good, you are still young." The two leaders were seated in wooden armchairs separated by a small low table on which Mr Gaddafi had placed a sheaf of felt–tip pens. Col Gaddafi was wearing dark brown robes and sat crossed–legged as he spoke to Mr Blair in the farmland known locally simply as "the place", or al Macan, where the Libyan leader frequently greets foreign dignitaries. Col Gaddafi had been in his tent for some time before Mr Blair's arrival "meditating" according to local officials. The two were expected to have what were described as private talks before lunch then a separate session of discussions on political issues with Mr Blair's aim to encourage Libya to join the international mainstream. The Prime Minister's chartered British Airways jet had earlier touched down at Tripoli airport at 9.18am. Mr Blair was met by a Revolutionary Guard of Honour on the tarmac at the airport. Crowds lined the streets of the Libyan capital as his motorcade sped towards to the venue for the talks. The decision to go to Libya, a country which for many years was an enthusiastic sponsor of terrorism, came after the Libyan leader's decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction and terror. In a carefully choreographed build up, the visit coincided with the announcement that police investigating the murder of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher will visit Libya next month, and that Shell was signing a multi–million pound gas deal with Libya. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw revealed the breakthrough concerning Wpc Fletcher while the Prime Minister was en route to the country. The policewoman was gunned down outside the Libyan embassy in London on April 17 1984. The gunman, who was inside the embassy, later fled country under the cloak of diplomatic immunity in a deal to end the siege that followed the shooting. Officials said the Prime Minister was well aware ahead of the meeting that he was dealing with one of the most unpredictable leaders in the world. Mr Blair has already defended his trip to a country. He said last night that he was determined to offer "our hand in partnership" to states that had renounced terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. His visit follows Libya's agreement in December to dismantle its WMD programme and its acceptance of responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and the murder of Wpc Fletcher. Critics at home have said Mr Blair's visit may be premature. Tory leader Michael Howard questioned its timing after the PM's attendance at yesterday's Madrid rail bombing memorial service. But the Prime Minister insisted last night: "Let us offer to states that want to renounce terrorism and the development of WMD our hand in partnership to achieve it, as Libya has rightly and courageously decided to do." But he added: "That does not mean forgetting the pain of the past, but it does mean recognising change when it happens." * The oil giant Shell confirmed its return to Libya today by signing a landmark agreement with the country's national oil company. The group said the tie-up involved the establishment of a long-term strategic partnership in the Libyan oil and gas industry. The agreement was signed in Tripoli by Abdalla S El Badri, chairman of the management committee of Libya's National Oil Corporation, and Malcolm Brinded, chief executive officer of Shell exploration and production. 25 March 2004 12:41 Search this site: Printable Story

Modesty, thanks for the post. May Allah reward the Shiekh and may he free our people in Palastine and the globe over.

GAZA, March 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Islamic resistance movement Hamas senior leader Sa'eed Seyam announced on Wednesday that there is no need for an internal election in Hamas after Abdel Aziz Ranteesi was chosen to be the leader of the movement in the Gaza Strip. "There is no need for election after the assassination of SheikhAhmed Yassin because Abdel Aziz Ranteesi was elected when Sheikh Yassin was alive as a deputy to the Sheikh," said Seyam. He said that electing Ranteesi as a deputy to Yassin "was not declared for security reasons," adding that the election took place about three weeks ago in Gaza, "but it was not publicly declared." "Because of the occupation policy of targeting the movement's top leaders and because of security reasons, it was not announced at that time that Ranteesi was elected as a deputy to Yassin," saidSeyam. He said that "it was natural that Ranteesi would automatically become the leader of the movement in the Gaza Strip as he was a deputy to Sheikh Yassin." Enditem

Blair fails to persuade Zapatero over Iraq Published: March 24 2004 13:23 | Last Updated: March 24 2004 13:23 Tony Blair on Wednesday failed to persuade Spain's incoming Socialist administration to drop its threat to withdraw its troops from Iraq. The British prime minister spent almost half an hour trying to reassure José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain's prime minister-elect, that a forthcoming United Nations security council resolution would help meet his demands for UN control in Iraq. Though British officials stress the common ground between them, Mr Blair made little headway in persuading Mr Zapatero to reconsider pulling out 1,300 Spanish troops after the planned June 30 handover of sovereignty to the Iraqis. There was a tacit acceptance in Downing Street that an imminent breakthrough, on what is a tough domestic issue for Spain after the March 11 terrorist bombings in Madrid, was unlikely. In a brief statement to reporters, Mr Blair's official spokesman said the prime minister and Mr Zapatero discussed Iraq during an intimate one-to-one meeting without officials present. "The prime minister set out how he hoped the situation would move on in Iraq in the period to June30 as we handed control to the Iraqis in a way that the UN would approve of," the spokesman said. Leaders gather for Madrid blast funeral Click here The incoming Spanish leader "set out the stance that he took during his election campaign and the prime minister said that he understood that which ever way the situation moved in Iraq, that is the position backed by the Spanish people". He was said to have added that whatever happened on this, Madrid's stance should "not be misinterpreted as a lessening in Spanish support for a successful transition in Iraq". They also discussed the draft EU constitution and, joined by officials, they moved on to economic reform. After his meeting with Mr Zapatero, Mr Blair joined other world leaders at a state memorial service for the 190 victims of the bombings. He then flew to Lisbon for talks with José Manuel Durão Barraso, Portugal's prime minister.

UK to offer Libya military help It was announced last month that Blair would meet Colonel Gaddafi Tony Blair is set to offer British military training for Libyan troops when he meets Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. BBC political editor Andrew Marr says the idea is to help persuade Libya it does not need weapons of mass destruction to defend itself. As the Libya trip was confirmed, the Tories claimed they would distress families of Lockerbie bombing victims. Tory Michael Ancram described the trip's timing - shortly after a Madrid memorial service - as "astonishing". Weapons move The Lockerbie bombing killed 270 people and their families are divided on the wisdom of the Libya talks. Mr Blair's meeting comes after Libya announced in December that it was ending its weapons of mass destruction programmes. Swire, whose daughter died at Lockerbie, welcomed the talks A senior official travelling with the prime minister said: "We will be using the visit to continue the process of bringing Libya into the international mainstream and to make clear that we will be trying to get Libya's relationship with the European Union developed in the months ahead." The offer of military help could involve Libyan officers coming to British training academy Sandhurst. Downing Street are presenting the move as part of its wider strategy against international terrorism. BBC political editor Andrew Marr said: "It is seen as part of the price that has to be paid for Libya coming in from the cold and getting rid of its weapons of mass destruction." Terror support At prime minister's questions deputy Tory leader Michael Ancram told Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott the prime minister's visit was "highly questionable" and its timing even more so. Britain had suffered from Libyan support for terrorism through Lockerbie, the murder of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher and backing for the IRA, he said. "Welcome as Libya's commitment to disarmament is, we should never forget the victims of Gaddafi's sponsorship of terrorism. "Don't you at least agree that if the Prime Minister does meet with Colonel Gaddafi, he should sup with a very long spoon?" 'Talks working' The prime minister should also raise the issue of Colonel Gaddafi's support for Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe, he added. But standing in for the prime minister, Mr Prescott said it was right to continue talks which had brought a breakthrough over Libyan weapons programmes. It was a matter of judgement, he said, adding: "I think the judgement that you talk to these people is absolutely important." Earlier, Conservative leader Michael Howard also questioned Mr Blair's visit. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I imagine it will cause considerable distress to the families of the victims of Lockerbie." US Assistant Secretary of State William Burns flew on Wednesday to Tripoli, becoming the most senior American to visit since the 1969 coup which brought Colonel Gaddafi to power. Families' reaction Jim Swire, from the UK Families Flight 103 campaign group, welcomed news of Mr Blair's visit. "This is obviously the next step in a process which we have been campaigning for over the past few years," he said. "It started with the reinstatement of the British ambassador in Tripoli and the logical next step would be a prime ministerial visit to establish that Libya has been accepted back into the community of nations. "It would also greatly diminish the chances of a backsliding of support for terrorism, so we are greatly in favour of such a move." But Kathleen Flynn, whose son John Patrick was killed in the bombing, said visiting Tripoli was insulting to the victims' families. The American told BBC Radio Scotland: "We really don't have the full answers as to what happened with Pan Am 103. Nor do we have answers from all the people involved. "So I am not happy to hear that Tony Blair is going out to make nice with Muammar Gaddafi, the person who ordered the murder of my son."

if you look at the bold part that we are BLINDED BY QABIIL. well arent you blinded by tribalism ? or are you just a cool cat who has to defend the clan?

You should send your post to the Nairobi folks, I think they would appreciate your friendly advice. Dont you appreciate my friendly advice bro? Its not like there are "Somali's" who are thriving, all i see is desperate innocent people merely surviving. So please people lets stop the tribalism and fake hatred and ask the lord for forgiveness. "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" Ghandi

I totaly agree with Qac Qaac, Qabil and tribalism is what has made us the laughing stock of the world. We are Africa's problem child, we can me much more than mere beggers. So wake up people nothing is better than Unity. We have lost our heritage, language and discarded our culture and religion. We are chasing phantoms blinded by greed. Stop tribalism and lets work on developing our youth that should be our main priority. "lets build a nation as beautiful as this land as beautiful as we are" Steve Biko

Rantisi will take Yassin's place in Gaza Abdel Aziz Rantisi was named yesterday as Hamas chief for the Gaza Strip and immediately repeated the faction's vows of vengeance for the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Mr Rantisi, 57, a frequent spokesman for Hamas on television, was appointed as the organisation moved swiftly to fill the gaps left by Sheikh Yassin. It designated the exiled Khaled Mashaal, chief of the faction's political bureau, as overall leader. Mr Rantisi addressed thousands of mourners gathered in Gaza's main soccer stadium a day after Sheikh Yassin was killed in a missile strike by Israeli helicopters. He said: "We will fight them everywhere. We will hit them everywhere. We will chase them everywhere. We will teach them lessons in confrontation." Hamas supporters responded, chanting: "We will sacrifice our blood and souls for you." Mr Rantisi, a paediatrician, said that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other Israeli leaders would never feel "security or safety". He said: "My dear people, you who were displaced by the Jews from your cities and villages, you will return to your villages and cities through fighting, because we don't have any other strategic option ... Resistance is continuing," he said. Hamas's new Gaza leader is seen in some quarters as a hardliner, in contrast to Abu Shanab who was also assassinated by the Israelis last year and had floated possible acceptance of a two-state solution as an interim means of achieving peace. Mr Rantisi's family fled as refugees to Gaza in 1948 from their home village near Jaffa. He has six children and has had a post at the Islamic university in Gaza since 1978. Arrested five times by the Israelis in the 1980s and 1990s, he was expelled to south Lebanon in 1992 with 400 activists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. He became the spokesman for the group, which returned after a year. He was arrested on his return and sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his political activities in South Lebanon. He stayed in prison until 1997. In June last year, he escaped an assassination attempt, which was criticised publicly at the time by President George Bush. * Arabs marched in their hundreds in the streets of Nazareth yesterday to protest against the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. The protesters, among them senior Arab officials, were dressed in black, and hoisting black banners, Palestinian flags, along with a wheelchair and coffin.

Hamas will fight Israel 'everywhere' Wednesday 24 March 2004, 12:35 Makka Time, 9:35 GMT Al-Rantisi will now be the head of Hamas in Gaza Abd Al-Aziz al-Rantisi has taken over as the new leader of Hamas in Gaza after Israel's assassination of the group's founder. On taking over from the assassinated Shaikh Ahmad Yasin, al-Rantisi vowed Israelis "will not know security" and threatened to "fight them everywhere". He called on the military wing of Hamas, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, to "teach Israel a lesson". Call to strike "We tell the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades: you must teach a lesson to the enemy. The door is open for you to strike all places, all the time and using all means," al-Rantisi said, addressing thousands of supporters. "This enemy must come to the realisation that we fear nothing," he said. Hamas supporters responded chanting: "We will sacrifice our blood and souls for you." Senior Hamas official Ismail Haniya had earlier announced al-Rantisi had been chosen as the official deputy to Shaikh Yasin before his death. "As a consequence, Dr al-Rantisi will take over from the shaikh as the head of the movement," he said. Smooth succession Al-Rantisi confirmed his appointment, saying: "During its last meeting, the consultative council confirmed Shaikh Yasin as leader and elected me as deputy and, therefore, according to the statutes, the deputy replaces the leader if he is eliminated." "We tell the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades: you must teach a lesson to the enemy" Abd Al-Aziz al-Rantisi Khalid Mishaal, a Hamas leader based in Syria, still heads the group's political bureau, the main decision-making body. A senior Hamas official said on condition of anonymity: "The successor to Shaikh Yasin is the internal leader while Khalid Mishaal is the head of the overseas political bureau." Meanwhile, occupied Gaza Strip and the West Bank continued to mourn the death of Yasin. Schools, universities and businesses are closed, reported Aljazeera’s correspondent. Israel was on heightened alert for retaliatory attacks. Security has also been boosted at Israeli embassies around the world.

This nonsence, its a stunt by the failed so called adminstration in Hargaysa to get some attention. who ever killed the NGO's must be brought to justice however it seems the secession mad mafia are just trying to use the "south" as scape goats in order to further their agendas. If this continues all of us will suffer, so people lets get a clear perspective of the Situation before we cause another CALAMITY. Peace

The life and death of Shaikh Yasin Tuesday 23 March 2004, 12:34 Makka Time, 9:34 GMT Shaikh Ahmad Yasin was killed on 22 March 2004 In al-Jura, a Palestinian village that no longer exists, Shaikh Ahmad Yasin was born in 1936. His birthplace was bulldozed, along with nearly 500 other Palestinian towns and villages in 1948, following the occupation of Palestine. His life Young Ahmad Yasin accompanied his family and tens of thousands of refugees to the Gaza Strip, a place that later became synonymous with dispossession, poverty and resistance. The early years of his life were once again impeded, this time by an injury he sustained while playing sports at the age of 12. It left him quadriplegic, and forced to use a wheelchair for life. Despite his paralysis, Yasin left Gaza to Egypt in 1959 where he spent a year studying in Ain Shams University. Forced to cut short his academic career due to a lack of funds, he returned to Gaza. However, Yasin returned home deeply influenced by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, a movement that inspired the ideological framework of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, established by Yasin many years later. He worked as a teacher of Arabic and Islamic studies, gaining the reputation of being one of the strip's most respected preachers. Shaikh Yasin was very popular In 1983, he was arrested by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and was sentenced to 13 years in prison for allegedly forming an underground organisation and possessing weapons. He was released two years later as part of a prisoner swap. In 1987, he founded Hamas. "He was at the time the Gaza-based leader of the Muslim Brotherhood," says the movement's official website, hamasonline.com. He was again arrested and sentenced to 40 years in prison in 1989, this time charged with inciting violence and ordering the killing of an Israeli soldier. The father of 11 children spent eight years in prison, aided by two of his sons who volunteered to accompany their quadriplegic father in his cell. Released in 1997 after a deal forged between Israel and King Husayn of Jordan, Yasin's health worsened. In prison, he had lost vision in his right eye and suffered from respiratory diseases and hearing loss. His death Yasin was used a wheelchair for During the second uprising (al-Aqsa Intifada) which began in September 2000, Yasin proposed several ceasefire initiatives with Israel, granted that the latter would withdraw from the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem and cease assassinating Palestinian activists. He strongly defended the Palestinian people's right to resist the occupation and often criticised the Palestinian Authority for discounting the armed resistance option in its dealings with Israel. His death The Israeli government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had openly called for Shaikh Yasin's assassination. The Hamas leader was killed after On 6 September 2003, Yasin survived an attempt on his life when an Israeli F-16 fighter jet fired several missiles at a home in Gaza city. The ailing resistance leader was slightly wounded. Finally, Israel managed to assassinate him on 22 March 2004, along with nine other people. "His wheelchair was twisted. Two or three people were laying next to him on the ground," said a taxi driver describing the bloody scene in Gaza. The most prominent Palestinian leader to be assassinated by Israel was targeted while on his way out of a Gaza mosque after the early morning prayer. The attack was carried out by Israeli helicopters that struck him along with several others. The killing sparked an array of responses worldwide. Palestinian response In an exclusive interview with Aljazeera.net, the West Bank leader of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Zakariya al-Zubaidi, vowed swift retaliation. "Our response to the assassination of Shaikh Yasin will not be like any other. Those who ordered the killing have committed a grave mistake. They will pay very dearly." Al-Zubaidi continued: "Yasin was not only a symbol of resistance, but a symbol of Palestinian unity. "The resistance shall intensify with the shaikh's death. Our brigades will retaliate and the response this time will be more painful. We shall not yield until the last drop of our blood." Jamal Shati, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the head of the refugees affairs, told Aljazeera.net that the assassination of Yasin is further proof that the Israeli government only understands "the language of blood". "For every action, there is a reaction," he said, speaking of an imminent Palestinian response. "What else does Israel expect from us while it continues with its murderous campaign that excludes no one? Palestinians march in the city of Nablus "The death of Shaikh Yasin highlights the greatness of responsibility now facing the Palestinian people. This is a collective responsibility. Palestinians must reconsider their political approach toward Israel." Raid Abbas, a member of the central committee of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine in the West Bank said: "Israel's goal is to quell the Palestinian uprising and weaken the spirit of the resistance. "This assassination is part of Sharon's muscle flexing prior to any move regarding Gaza. He thinks that this way he can impose whatever policy he finds suitable on the Palestinian people. "Now Israel has crossed all the red lines. The Palestinian Authority and every Palestinian faction must face the Israeli crime collectively." Dr Abd Al-Aziz al-Rantisi, a prominent Hamas activist, described Yasin as a "man in a nation, and a nation in a man. And the retaliation of this nation will be of the size of this man." Palestinian negotiator Saib Uraiqat said: "This will add fuel to the fire, and the cycle of violence and counter-violence." Meanwhile, prime minister Ahmad Quraya stated that the killing of Yasin, was "one of the biggest crimes that the Israeli government has committed". Israeli response On the other hand, the Israeli government viewed the Hamas leader's death in a different light. Thousands mourn the killing of Shaikh Ahmad Yasin In an Israeli radio interview Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim accused the assassinated leader of being the mastermind of the "terror network in the Gaza Strip". Prime minister Sharon had personally supervised the bloody attack on Yasin, according to Israeli radio. Finance minister Binyamin Netanyahu hailed the killing of Yasin, saying: "Even if, in the short term, there will be a harsh response from Hamas, in the long term the effect will be to rein in Hamas and the rest of the terror organisations because their leaders will know that they will be destroyed." Gideon Meir, an official at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, made the claim that Yasin had been "the one who is sending children and women to explode themselves," inside Israel. Avi Pazner, an Israeli government spokesman, also boasted about the "long run" benefit of assassinating Yasin. "In the short run we will face more tension, but in the long run there is no doubt whatsoever we have improved the possibility of more security by weakening an extremely dangerous and murderous terrorist organisation." Arab response Iraq's US-appointed Governing Council denounced the assassination, linking it to the deteriorating security situation in Iraq. Palestinian refugees in Baghdad carry a mock coffin of Yasin Council member Muwaffaq al-Rubaiyi told AFP news agency: "We condemn the killing, which will only serve to strengthen the justification for terrorist acts in the world and does not serve peace." In Kuwait, Prime Minister Shaikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah said: "Violence will increase now because violence always breeds violence." The head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Muhammad Akif, described Yasin as a "martyr" and his assassination a ''cowardly operation." In an interview with Aljazeera, Sudan's Islamic leader, Hasan al-Turabi, said the killing of Yasin will "put pressure on the Arab governments that have so far let down the Palestinian cause." Meanwhile, Jordanian King Abd Allah II described Israel's killing as a "crime". Lebanon's president Emile Lahud vehemently denounced the Israeli act. "Israel has committed a crime but will not succeed in liquidating the Palestinian cause, for the resistance is going to increase." The spiritual leader of Lebanon's Hizb Allah resistance movement, Shaikh Muhammad Husayn Fadl Allah, accused US president George Bush of complicity. "Bush is a killer in the manner of Ariel Sharon. It is he who gave the green light to the Zionist criminals for them to carry out their acts of liquidations and their war of extermination of the Palestinian people." International response The United States responded in much more muted terms with a state department spokesman urging "all sides to remain calm and exercise restraint". An injured Palestinian boy after clashes with Israeli soldiers British foreign secretary Jack Straw led the international condemnation of the killing of Yasin, saying: "It is unacceptable, it is unjustified and it is very unlikely to achieve its objective." EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana stated: "This is very, very bad news for the peace process. The policy of the European Union has been to consistently condemn extra-judicial killing." Echoing his comments, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said: "Such acts can only feed the spiral of violence." Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexander Yakovenko, commented: "Moscow is deeply concerned about the situation. It threatens a new wave of violence, which could sabotage efforts to restart negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis by the 'quartet' of international mediators and key regional powers." Iran on the other hand described the killing as a "criminal act". The Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hamid Reza Asefi, said, Yasin's murder was a "further example of the Zionist regime's barbarity," warning, Israel it "will plunge further into the crisis it brought upon itself." Yasin in his own words Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat with Yasin in November 1997 Aljazeera had met with Yasin on several occasions. During these interviews, the Palestinian leader highlighted his movement's position on the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process and resistance. This is a selection of some of these quotations: "The Oslo accord, as we see it, is an unjust and a bad agreement that will not fulfil our people's aspirations and goals. "In my view, [the Oslo Accords] sowed the seeds of disunity among the Palestinian people and aimed at halting the Intifada against the Israeli army. "The agreement has fulfilled no goals. What was implemented of it was too little to meet our aspirations, which made this agreement null and void. "No Palestinian was convinced that this path will lead to peace, secure Palestinian territories or establish a Palestinian state. "What I believe is that the Palestinian Authority has no option but to go back to the path of resistance, unify the ranks of the Palestinian people in the face of the Israeli occupation. The life and death of Shaikh Yasin Shaikh Yasin is lifted on to the main stage of a Hamas rally "Up to the moment, the position of Hamas is that jihad is a strategic option that we will not deviate from, unless Israel agrees to a truce. "As I see it, Israel was founded on oppression and the confiscation of land. Any entity which is based on oppression and land grabs is doomed for disintegration." "If I am killed there will arise a thousand like me. "They [the Israelis] should know that the battle will continue and that our people will hold them to account and make them pay the price of their crimes. "I believe our predicament is tough and calls for sacrifices and patience. But the future is on our side, God willing."

Focus on Africa interview with Somaliland Information minister....... Supposidely it was Somaliland's biggest diplomatic initative. And according to the Info minister they passed a letter to Tony Blair and had Lunch with Mr Chris Mullen a Junior Minister in the foreign office. http://www.radiolascaanod.com/focus.ram

To Nassir from Horn Lets hope you don't mention that kind of rhetoric among ajnabi folks. they might start thinking you have a severe identity crisis.

Check out link http://www.mudugonline.com/2004/March/familyservices.htm

Nassir, let me remind you something, you dont run this site boy. Again Somaliland myth is losing big time