Salaan... I don't know when will these puppets will learn, oo ku dhamaadaan labo reer dhexdooda. I don't know when will they learn to care about their masses, who were not that long ago on a verge of exinction. Marba mid qori loo soo dhiibo, kan kale dil la leeyahay. Can't they ask whom are fighting and where the fight will take place? Who will suffer? Their poor masses. Shame on you all: Shaatigaduud Madoowe Xaabsade Saransoor Kiishbur Black Deeroow Qalinle Shame all of you, incapable of leading your own masses.

Salaan... ...ima nice guy so this will give me a negative image but the ppl from garoowe ruled you like xoolo since time immemorial so bow down kiddos. Sometimes, this guy's outbursts is comedic itself. A missed punch of unfounded history uu soo tuuraa. Sheekooyinkii geedaha showriga hoostiisa loogu soo sheekeeye uuba lasoo shirtagaa. Yac!

Salaan... The pearl-eyed "Sheekh" made a huge, huge blunder. Entering an already burning flame of internal squabbling could possibly be his last political card's spade. I see Qoryooleey, Awdheegle, Daafeed, Marka, Afgooye, Baraawe waa ku filnaan weysay, but as it had been said: "Cagtii joogsan weydo mar bay ceeb la kulantaa." Pray for the innocent Soomaalis, the soon-to-be victims of all but expected blood that will soon spill once again. In early 1991, Cumar Jees and his minion "Junior" Sayidka came. God knows what they did. In 1995, Caydiid, led by the same endowed mentality factions kistoo loo soo dhaabtay $$, came and the unspeakable cruelty followed is fresh in many people's memory. And now, our pearl-eyed "wadaad" apparently hadn't learned a lesson yet.

Salaan... Meeshaan alaalax dhan maxee isku baheysteen. Tutigiin aaskuluusto umbaryaako waaxidiin. Cabdi Aalkole aaba isoo xasuusiseen dariskeena ahaa oo cabi jiray aalkoda farmashiyaasha lagu gado gaduudan oo nus biyo lagu daro oo barafna lagu sii daro.....ooh, casar walba casariya camal uu u cabi jiray, marqaankiis muxuu shidnaa, anagana aaskuluusto umbaryaakonimadeena waa noogu jirtay oo u sugi jirnay galabtii. Tuuryo.com

Salaan... Suddenly, Shariifka aa la heystaa, waana ognahay meesha dadka qaarkood ka kulul yihiin. Jecliyaa. He was elected by this same disputable, pseudo-parliament, some thinking he wasn't a seasoned (read: neophyte) politician. Laakiin ninkii sidii la mooday ma noqon, flexing his political muscles. Jecliyaa. Aw Shariifoow, aw Sharafoow, saas ku wad. And back to the thread, I don't agree his dictatorial decision of banning Soomaali "journalists," which wasn't confined to only Reer Bari's media, as Waagacusub, an anti-C/llaahi Yuusuf website, also reports this: ...halkaasna lagu celiyay Warfidiyeeno ka kala socday Warbaahinada Idaacada Shabelle,Banaadir,IQK,Waagacusub,SBC Radio,Allpuntland,PuntlandPost,Somalinimo,Gobanimo,Hiiraan Online halka uu labo idaacadood oo qurana u hergeliyay inay shirka goobjoog u noqdaan... I believe the 'labada idaacadood oo qura' ay yihiin Been-Been-Sii and HornAfrik.

Salaan... I call this ii dheh, an oversight. Qodoba qoran fiiriyaba: Inay guud ahaan ka baxayaan baarlamaanka hadii laga doodo Ciidamo ka socda safka hore. In ugu dambeeyn dhamaadka bishaan la guda galo dhismaha maamulka gobolka banaadir. In guud ahaan maleeshiyooyinka Muqdisho hibka laga aruuriya iyo kuwa ku xeeran. In la sameeyo Ciidamo Amniga suga oo ka kooban 10 ilaa 15 kun oo Askari. In Askari waliba la siiyo Mushaar dhan 100$ dolar iyo 30 dollar oo cunta ah sidaasna guud ahaan mushaarkiisa bisha uu ku noqdo 130$ In maamulka gobolka Banaadir uu yeesho lix xero Ciidan oo waaweyn, kuwaas oo ka baxsan magaalada ilaa iyo 30 Kilo miter,sida dhanaane,hiilweyne,Carbiska. In wasiirada (qabiil's name) uu dhinaca wixii siyaasad ah u qaabilsan yahay Xuseen Maxamed Ceydiid halka dhinaca Xildhibaanada aan xukumada ka mid noqona u qaabilsan yahay Cumar Xaashi Adan. In dhismaha Maamulka gobolka banaadir loo maro sida uu dhigayo dastuurka dalka qeeybtiisa maamul goboleedyada. In magaalada Muqdisho dhammaanteed laga mamnuuco hubka. In la magacaabo Madaxweyne maamul goboleed iyo duq magaalo guud ahaana ay soo maraan Wasaarada Arrimaha Gudaha. In si deg deg ah loo iclaamiyo gudi gaara sida, Guddiga Abaabulka iyo Arrimaha bulshadda ,Guddiga Hogaaminta guud, Guddiga Dhaqaalaha,sidoo kalana la magacaawdo gudi hoosaadyo ay ku mideeysan yahiin,ganacsatada,maxkamadaha,warbaahinta iyo dowlada. In Mowqifkooda guud uu yahay in dowlada Degto Muqdisho meel kalana aysan marna u aqoonsan doonin Caasimad. In Ciidanka shisheeyaha ee sameeynaya Hubka dhigista aysan gedi Karin ,gubi Karin,meel kale geeysan Karin balse ay ku soo wareejiyaan gacanta Dowlada dhexe ee Soomaaliya maadama uu yahay Hanti Qaranka leeyahay ee dhinaca gaashaandhiga. In sharuud la’aan Dekada iyo Eelaboorka loo furo, mas’uuliyiinta labada golena tagaan Muqdisho si ay u soo guda galaan hoowlahooda. In Maxaakiimta Islaamiga ah iyo ganacsatada taageero weyn looga baahan yahay hergelinta arrintaas. In guud ahaan maleeshiyooyinka la isku dhafo lana geeyo meel magaalada ka baxsan. In la sameeyo xerooyin gaar ah oo lagu tababaro maleeshiyaadka Muqdisho iyo degaanada ku hareereeysan,loona sameeyo dhaqan celin iyo tababar Ciidan oo ku dhisan sharciga Caalamiga ah. Déjà vu, all over again. Waagii masses were ignorant ahayeen about these men and their likes, were optimistic, waagii Cali waa Caydiid, Caydiidna waa Cali {Aaheey!} in 1991, literally and figuretively writing their names on the dark sky at nights--by firing bullets' ammunitions' lights in celebration. (I was there, and I was one of the ignorant masses, eager to believe, giving them the benefit of the doubt.) This communiqué is waste of words, effort and time at best; at worst this communiqué will join the dust-gathering, long--and growing--list of ii dheh communiqués from these men.

Salaan... I recently heard that some Ethiopian commanders reminded RRA branch leader Xaabsade that it was them - the Ethiopian army - that ultimately helped the then-unified RRA recapture the entire regions of Bay and Bakool from USC/SNA forces. I guess that's why Xaabsade is suddenly welcoming the TFG. Well, I don't think that is a good believable reason. One thing for sure is Xaabsade, Saransoor and other opposition figures that were against C/llaahi Yuusuf and Amxaaro--their attentive ears were whispered some appealing tribal words: Amxaaro will help them "liberate" the lands of D in the D&M tribal "caucus." That is Shabeelada Hoose and some parts of Jubbada Dhexe if you hadn't have a clue. One more sick tribal nonsense. It is one reason getting your weapons from Amxaaro (as all Soomaali jabhado did one time or another, RRA ma lagu koobin), but supporting and leading them to deegaanka Soomaalida, even if it is occupied by other clans, for clanish reasons. Sick. They (waa Shaatigaduud, Sh. Madoowe iyo Xaabsade) told the guy, the so-called wadaad, who rules Shabeelada Hoose: Iskaga bax deegaanka if you don't want to face Amxaaro wrath.

Salaan... Btw bro, why do you worry about The Capital being moved to another town? I have a different opinion and feeling about this. The capital, Muqdisho, isn't a sacred and inviolable permanent place, written under the Quraanka Kariimka. No, it isn't. I have unease about this issue in the future, why, because once it is moved, something beyond our control will happen in this shaky tribal Soomaali politics. Hokey, today, say, it is moved to Baydhabo. All is good at the present. But what happens when another "government" down the road is formed and it explicitly declares another so-called hometown (tribal deegaan) as its capital, because they will refer it the unprecedented move earlier that happened. Opening the Pandora's Box comes to mind? Yes. We do not need to open the doors that won't and don't help the "dib-u-heshiinta," for we need to remember this is government that needs to conciliate to the masses, not arousing a badly unneeded mistrust. So far, the signs of misgivings are leading to that. This is the same case and result I was and still am against federalism. There isn't clear and clarified strategy; most jumped on the bangwagon without pondering the uncertainty that is ahead. For one thing, federalism in Soomaali politics wasn't born in this century (circa 2000 and later). It was an idea that was intertained, proposed and rejected in 1950s. A noble man was assassinated a half century ago because he espoused this unconventional idea. His name was Ustaad Cismaan. A whole party's platform--and it was the only de facto opposition party in a SYL-dominated parliament--was based federalism and an abrupt necessity on countrywide census, led by vehemently C/qaadir Soobe. His party was HDM. Few now know these men and their then radical ideology. Soobe, Eebe ha u naxariistee, went to grave firmly believing, and intact, his federalist politics.

Ninkaan iga koreeyo camal aa jiro kuna kaliftay dadka Amxaaro ka daba ordaayo inay damcaan in dalka shisheeye soo giliyaan. Wali USC iyo wax loo joogin uu ka daba socdaa. War Soomaali...Soomaali...yaa wax fahansiiyo.

Salaan... 6. Catherine Michael Mariano (Canada) Ina Maykal Maryamaa Kanada dagan, I didn't know. I always respected her father though, a true nationalist indeed.

Salaan... Dadka qaarkood wax walba laf qabiil la dhahaa dhuunta ugu jirto, uguna horeeyo. Hadee rabaan, all things adduunkaan ka jiro, inay naga dhaadhacsiyaan Sooomaaliya in la keeno ciidamo Amxaaro/Tigreey ah. Rayigaas in qof Soomaali fiyoow laga maqlo iska dhaafee... Haye waaba yahay, Amxaaradii baaba lala yaabanaa, hadana Magaalo madaxdii hala badalo (xataa si kumeel gaarnimo). Yaab iyo nuskiis. Dowlad dalkeeda sitimaan ka badan joogi karin ayaa saan u dhaqmeyso, odeygaas wareersan fursada uu heysto madaxweyne Soomaaliyeed masoo marin wixii ka danbeeyo dagaalada sokeeye, sidaasna u dhaqmaayo, Soomaali sii kala fogeynaayo, waa wax madaxa laga lux luxo; haduu saas ku socdana meeshuu gaaro hala arko. Marmar Soomaalida dadka ku dhex jiro hadaa aragtid waaba ku lab laboonee, Ilaahoow adigaa caadil eh qabyaalad ka saar ummada qaarkood. ______________ Magaalo madax waa Xamar--shaleey, maanta iyo bariba. Waligeedba. (Ninkaan saas idinlehna seven of his brothers and sisters were born in Baydhabo, laakiin runta hala isku sheego.)

Salaan... Ar huu, xaa la sheegay. Awlaadiin ma ii faaytiinoo. Koow. Ar horta intii aaba war kale galin, hadiyad aan idiin wadaa; Wiilo aan ka bilaabo, ee dhakab iga dheh. Wiilo, cali falaaxaan isku tijaabi Nuune asagana maadaama uu nuune saqiirkoo yahay, ha iga qabsado kastuumadaan. Nuune haye, ma kula eg yahay "buumahaan"? Yaa soo haray? Rawla maa soo hartay, waa loo haayaa. Finaanadaan hadii Rawla loo giliyo, shafkeeda aaba i dili lahaa.

Salaan... Somalia needs a tough leader who can face of with these so called strongmen around the country. Yes, indeed macalinka. We do indeed need a tougher leader. But I didn't know bringing Amxaaro/Tigrey to do that "tough" dirty job was a "tough leader's" idea. The last time I knew, tough men faced their adversaries personally, not lagu soo ganbado shisheeye.

Salaan... Somalia needs a tough leader who can face of with these so called strongmen around the country. Yes, indeed macalinka. We do indeed need a tougher leader. But I didn't know bringing Amxaaro/Tigrey to do that "tough" dirty job was a "tough leader's" idea. The last time I knew, tough men faced their adversaries personally, not lagu soo ganbado shisheeye.

Salaan... Somalia needs a tough leader who can face of with these so called strongmen around the country. Yes, indeed macalinka. We do indeed need a tougher leader. But I didn't know bringing Amxaaro/Tigrey to do that "tough" dirty job was a "tough leader's" idea. The last time I knew, tough men faced their adversaries personally, not lagu soo ganbado shisheeye.

Salaan... UN, Maraykanka , Fransiiska , Talyaaniga , Masar , Ethiopia , Jabuuti , Kenya , Ugandha iyo Sucuudiga What? No Imaaraadka Carabta, but Faransiiska? No Kuweyt, but Ugaanda? No Yemen? No Liibiya? Maaaan. War dadkeena dalalkaas ee daadsan yihiin oo business, qaxootinimo iyo wax kale u joogaan. This man talked like a president, walked a president, seemed like a president, yet few listened his nationalist messages

Salaan... Markuu C/qaasin madaxweynaha ahaa, maxee faafin jirtay allpuntland.com? Dacaayad in, dacaayad out. Waliba C/qaasin oo lahaa "walaaloow waa idin baryaa", dhag jalaq maloo siin, ninkaan ereyga sarbeebka dhiibaayo, oo ismoodo nin shacabka dhan soo wada doortay meeshuu gaaro hala arko. Aniga personally for the sake of Soomaalinimo and our flag aa u support gareyaa C/llaahi Yuusuf, just as I did C/qaasin. Laakiin don't start and tell us now hebel iyo heblaayo don't support C/llaahi Yuusuf; they don't support him just as you didn't support C/qaasin, remember? (It all comes to qabiil, dad sidii daacuun camal u galay bahalka.) C/llaahi Yuusuf Axmed needs to shore up his diplomatic skills--I know he is a military man, however the days of xukun xoog and boob ma jirto--more, if he wants disprove his sceptics' unfounded fears. Maloo baahno maanta inay ahaato the days of thinly veiled clanish threats and ambiguous messages, which fuels an already burning fire.

Salaan... Markuu C/qaasin madaxweynaha ahaa, maxee faafin jirtay allpuntland.com? Dacaayad in, dacaayad out. Waliba C/qaasin oo lahaa "walaaloow waa idin baryaa", dhag jalaq maloo siin, ninkaan ereyga sarbeebka dhiibaayo, oo ismoodo nin shacabka dhan soo wada doortay meeshuu gaaro hala arko. Aniga personally for the sake of Soomaalinimo and our flag aa u support gareyaa C/llaahi Yuusuf, just as I did C/qaasin. Laakiin don't start and tell us now hebel iyo heblaayo don't support C/llaahi Yuusuf; they don't support him just as you didn't support C/qaasin, remember? (It all comes to qabiil, dad sidii daacuun camal u galay bahalka.) C/llaahi Yuusuf Axmed needs to shore up his diplomatic skills--I know he is a military man, however the days of xukun xoog and boob ma jirto--more, if he wants disprove his sceptics' unfounded fears. Maloo baahno maanta inay ahaato the days of thinly veiled clanish threats and ambiguous messages, which fuels an already burning fire.

Salaan... Markuu C/qaasin madaxweynaha ahaa, maxee faafin jirtay allpuntland.com? Dacaayad in, dacaayad out. Waliba C/qaasin oo lahaa "walaaloow waa idin baryaa", dhag jalaq maloo siin, ninkaan ereyga sarbeebka dhiibaayo, oo ismoodo nin shacabka dhan soo wada doortay meeshuu gaaro hala arko. Aniga personally for the sake of Soomaalinimo and our flag aa u support gareyaa C/llaahi Yuusuf, just as I did C/qaasin. Laakiin don't start and tell us now hebel iyo heblaayo don't support C/llaahi Yuusuf; they don't support him just as you didn't support C/qaasin, remember? (It all comes to qabiil, dad sidii daacuun camal u galay bahalka.) C/llaahi Yuusuf Axmed needs to shore up his diplomatic skills--I know he is a military man, however the days of xukun xoog and boob ma jirto--more, if he wants disprove his sceptics' unfounded fears. Maloo baahno maanta inay ahaato the days of thinly veiled clanish threats and ambiguous messages, which fuels an already burning fire.

Salaan... Why, for Reer Sool used to live in Baydhabo in the pre-civil war, waliba iyagoo af Maay jacbursanaayo. Shaneemada kasoo horjeeda masaajidka weyn Jameeco ee buuxi jireen. Hada ka horaa xariifkoo Booroow la dhahaayo dhulkaas u booqday, asxaab ku bartay, his typical struggling day in the first few months used to go similarly like this: Booroow: De'eroow, see haayta. Dacar Waar BOORANOOW waa nabad, ee dee waxaanu heyno majidho. Booroow: Nibid wiyaan De'eroow. Dacar: Waaxay dee nibid? Booroow: War mahaad hadalka niki gagabaneysaa. Dacar: Gaw!! Oo maxaad tidhi Booranoow? Booroow: War mahaad naka ayaareysaa ma Abeydin baad naka Aaleysaa. Dacar: Ka daroo dibbi dhal, ma hadaad... Booroow: Hadiis dhalyana mahaa jarto? Dacar: Gaw!!! Waar iska aamu yaaney aadanuhu kula yaabine... Booroow: War mahaad oratay? Eedan intee joogyaa? ______________ Hakaa saarto Booroow, adigaa isku tagtee meel indhaha faraha lagaa galinaayo. Ar google ee ku jirta sheekada, ee true ma'aha.

Salaan... I didnt makee him that it was all ordained by the lord. Allaahu akbar! I guess Bush isn't alone in that league of God-wanted-me-to-be-president. Oh, wait a minute again, the "lord" is Sir Senaawi, my bad.

Salaan... Going back the topic at hand and we should be brutally honest with ourselves: The deplorable people who live in and around Shabeellada Hoose--waana degmooyinka Afgooye, Awdheegle, Daafeed, Marka, Baraawe iyo Qoryooley--would care less whether invaded and occupied by "gaalo" or living under untamed militiamen controlled by the pearl-eyed, self-proclaimed wadaad, whose militia currently harass and hassle them daily. They have been victims and over-oppressed for far too long. For vast majority of them, I am sure, they are thinking, "Let the so-called gaalo come and both the oppressed and the oppressor feel the heat equally." Thus, rightly or wrongly, C/llaahi Sheekh Ismaaciil is a victim of his own unmaking. When Cismaan Caato and et al. start talking about in defence of "Soomaalinimo" against foreign troops, mainly Amxaar, it makes me giggle for a moment. Where was "Soomaalinimo" in the last 15 years, especially when the majority of his hub (and most of other warlords' weaponry in every region) were bought and bestowed by the same Amxaar/Tigrey to kill and victimize another Soomaali? No sane Soomaali would allow an Amxaar or a Kenyaati soldier to set a foot in our soil, but the likes of Cismaan Caato would be the last to feel Soomaalinimo in this case.

Salaan... Baydhabo yaa ugu horeeyo C/llaahi Yuusuf, aniga waaba yaabee? Mise its "neutral" clan-wise position uu isku haleynoyaa? It isn't even as safe as Xamar now, for it is equally ruled by four warlords {Xaabsade, Saransoor, Madoowe, Shaatigaduud and the upcoming et als}. Yes, Itoobiya would try inay u qabato, but Reer Arlaadi ain't gonna be fooled again. They were first fooled by returning Siyaad Barre's militia. They were again fooled by Caydiid's Salbalaar. No more fooling game and "peace-loving community" label. Toogtaan laga barte laga badiye aa socoto, oo iyagii aaba qolo qolo iyo hebel hebel isku rifooyo. Aw Cabdullaahi should stick with Xamar, and if he is that fuleey, ha iska dhigo jagada "madaxweynimada."

Salaan... waxaan aqaan dhalinyaro leh magacyo somali asal ah, waxay ka neceb yihiina ma leh... Wax lala yaabo, ummad magacyadood Eebe u uumay neceb. Rabiyoow sharafta ha naga qaadin. Marka "cool" waxaa eh in lala baxo magacyada xataa Carabta la bixin, kamid ah "Imtihaan" ama "Imtisaar" ama "Ummayma." Nothing saddens me markaa arko Soomaali la baxaayo magacyo Carabeed that has nothing to do with diinta. Abaadir, abaa magacyo waa laguu hayaa iyagoo buux eh, mida koowaadna aad iyo aad aan ugu faraxsanahay magac Soomaali in aad u bixisid awlaadaada, ha ugu horeysee wiilkaa dhalan doono, Eebe haduu idmo. {Waana laguu hambalyeeye.} Hadaa magacyada Soomaaliyeed u noqdo, Guuleed iyo Liibaan waa magacyada aan ugu jeclahay, laakiin kuwaana fiiriba: Qamaan Hanad Abshir Abyaan Kaafi Keenaan Bootaan Mataan (inkastoo u badi ciyaalka mataanaha loo bixiyo) Keer Dalmar Dubad Deeq Deer Sharmaarke Geedi Kulmiye Raabi Raage Mise the old ones: Samatar Warsame Xareed Samawado Saxardiid Sugule Xaashi Rooble

Salaan... An international fanfare incident occured in '77 at our own capital. Indeed many of us were born after that fateful event and few of us heard it. Albeit coming across the then new information two years ago, here, for your knowledge, is that eventful day: On October 13, 1977, Lufthansa Boeing 737, bound for Frankfurt, is hijacked by Palestinians shortly after take-off. The plane is diverted to Rome's Fiumicino Airport. Almost all of the passengers are German vacationers. Including the crew, there are 91 hostages. The hijackers' leader called himself "Captain Mahmoud", and was subsequently identified as a notorious international terrorist*, Zohair Youssef Akache. He ordered the aircraft captain to fly to Fiucimino airport in Rome, where the airliner was refueled. From Rome, the airliner set off eastwards and landed at Larnaca in Cyprus at 2038. Here, "Mahmoud" demanded that the aircraft be refueled again, or he would blow it up, the first of many threats to use explosives. After refueling, the airliner took off and overflow various Middle East countries. Permission to land at Beirut was denied and the runaways were blocked, so it was taken on to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf where the same thing happened. It was flown on to Dubai,where, despite being refused permission to land, the crew were forced to do so for lack of fuel. At one point at Dubai the airliner lost power and the temperature inside rose to over 120 degrees F (49 degrees C); many of the passengers, some of them quite elderly, became very distressed. While here, the crew managed surreptitiously to signal that there were four hijackers. Then on Sunday, October 16, the airliner suddenly took off, only 40 minutes before the first deadline for blowing iy up. It was refused permission to land in Oman and arrived over Aden airport with sufficient fuel for another 10 minutes' flying. Despite warnings from air traffic control, the aircraft was brought down safely on the taxi track. PILOT EXECUTED By now conditions inside the aircraft were very bad, and "Mahmoud" was acting in an increasingly unpredictable and unstable manner. Jurgen Schumann, the pilot, was allowed to leave the airliner to check the undercarriage, and disappeared for a few minutes. When he returned he was taken to the first class cabin and made to kneel on the floor; "Mahmoud" then shot him in the head, killing him instantly, directly as a result of Schumann's earlier, successful effort to feed information about the terrorists to authorities. The next morning the co-pilot, Jurgen Vietor, took off and flew the airliner to Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. There, German government spokesmen contracted the hijackers and said they were prepared to release 11 terrorists held in jail and fly them to Mogadishu; "Mahmoud" postponed his deadline to 0145 hours the next morning (October 18). THE RESCUE A 30-stromg contingent from GSG 9 was in the air within hours of the hijacking and arrived in Cyprus just as the Boeing 737 was taking off. Following a brief discussion with the Cypriot police, the GSG 9 team took off in their aircraft again and returned, via Ankara, to Frankfurt. Meanwhile, a second aircraft containing Hans-Jurgen Wischenewski, West German Minister of State, psychologist Wolfgang Salewski, and another 30-strong group from GSG 9, led by their commander Ulrich Wegener, had left West Germany and gone to Dubai. From there they went to Mogadishu, where they were given permission to land. In Mogadishu, Wischenewski took over discussions with the hijackers. As the 1600 hours deadline approached and it was clear the "Mahmoud" would in all probability carry out his threat to blow up the aircraft, the German minister said that the 11 prisoners would be released. "Mahmoud" gave them until 0245 hours the following morning to produce the 11 at Mogadishu. At 2000 hours the first group of GSG 9 who had gone to Cyprus and then returned to Germany arrived in Mogadishu and the rescue briefings began. At 0205 hours, just 40 minutes before the deadline, Somali troops lit a diversionary fire ahead of the aircraft. Two hijackers went to the cockpit to assess its significance, whereupon the tower contracted them by radio and started to discuss the conditions of the exchange. They said it would commence in the near future, when the aircraft arrived from Germany with the released prisoners on board. At 0207 precisely the emergency doors over the aircraft wings were blown open and members of the rescue party tossed in some "stun grenades." The men of GSG 9, with two British SAS men lent by the British government, had reached the aircraft and climbed onto the wings completely undetected; the hijackers (and the hostages) were taken by surprise. The men of GSG 9 rushed into the aircraft shouting to the hostages to keep down on the floor, and opened fire on the hijackers. "Mahmoud" was fatally wounded in the first few seconds, but managed to throw two hand-grenades before he died; fortunately, their effects were cushioned because they rolled beneath seats. One of the women terrorists died also and the second man was wounded inside the aircraft but died outside in a few minutes later. The second woman, Suhaila Sayeh, was wounded but did not die. Meanwhile, the passengers were herded off the aircraft through the doors and emergency exits; three hostages had been wounded, but none was killed. The operations ended at 0212 hours and was entirely successful. GSG 9 had proved itself and the men received a well-merited heroes' welcome when they returned to Germany. Sources:1 2 ______________ The only survivor of the four hijackers at Xamar _________________ *As the aphorism goes, one man's terrorist is another man's...