U.S. targets al Qaeda suspects in Somalia

Canuck_Buck · 01-08-2007, 08:28 PM

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A U.S. gunship has attacked suspected al Qaeda targets in southern Somalia, a senior Pentagon official said Monday.

The AC-130 flew its mission within the last 24 hours, the official told CNN.

The operation was launched based on intelligence that al Qaeda operatives were in the location, but there was no immediate indication of how successful the strike had been.

Additionally, the official said, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has moved within striking distance of Somalia, but its jets have not been put to use.

Three al Qaeda operatives accused in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania have been hiding in Somalia for years. The US believes they were closely tied to the Somali Islamic group - the ICU.

"We had seen intelligence evidence these three Al Qaeda operative were very much influencing the leadership of the council of the ICU -- for example providing logistics, fuel and arms to the militias," said Jendayi Frazer, assistant secretary of state for African affairs

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/01/08/somalia.strike/index.html

alsaqr · 01-09-2007, 01:17 PM

"Three al Qaeda operatives accused in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania have been hiding in Somalia for years. The US believes they were closely tied to the Somali Islamic group - the ICU."

Find out that our great Arab friends Egypt and Saudi Arabia and several other Arabcountries have been helping out the Islamic crazies in Somalia.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/11/wsomalia11.xml

Charlie P · 01-09-2007, 01:34 PM

Did they get who they were looking for?

Charlie P · 01-10-2007, 08:00 AM

To answer ny own question, THEY GOT HIM.

The suspected al-Qaida militant who planned the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in east Africa was killed in an American airstrike in Somalia, an official said Wednesday.
"œI have received a report from the American side chronicling the targets and list of damage," Abdirizak Hassan, the Somali president"™s chief of staff, told The Associated Press. "œOne of the items they were claiming was that Fazul Abdullah Mohammed is dead."
Hassan said that American airstrikes in Somalia would continue.

Charlie P · 01-10-2007, 08:03 AM

It did get me thinking, I know ,I know that's a bad thing.

Thought these guys were all going to Iraq so we could kill them there.

Instead of spending Billions isn't this a better way of killing these guys.

It's also how we killed Husseins son's and almost Husseina few others in Afghanistan and proably end up being the way we kill Bin Laden.

Canuck_Buck · 01-10-2007, 08:16 AM

hehehehehe

Charlie, why would a Somali Al Qaeda leader goto Iraq unless it was for some sort of sales convention, a visit to hismommaor something ?

And we all know the best way to kill Al Qaeda is to kill 'em dead the first time ! Killing them twice would be a waste, yes !

If they go to Iraq, all the better to kill them easier...saves on travel expenses.

This Somali attack was to send a message as well. Why do you think Ethiopia is involved?

ipscshooter · 01-10-2007, 08:17 AM

Wow. A success for our intelligence agencies and the Bushies. I hope Ifferd's head doesn't explode.

Charlie P · 01-10-2007, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Charlie, why would a Somali Al Qaeda leader got to Iraq unless it was for some sort of sales convention, a visit to hismommaor something ?

Thought all the terroists were going to Iraq for the winter.

This one went to Pakistan.

Quote:

In November 2006, American officials confirmed that al Qaeda operative Muhsin Musa Matwalli Atwah, who was also wanted in connection with bombings, was killed in April in Pakistan

I was a little tongue in cheek ie sarcasim IPS you know the "we're fighting them there so we don't have to fight the here" spin.

Seriously glad to see he's dead.

ipscshooter · 01-10-2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Charlie P

I was a little tongue in cheek ie sarcasim IPS you know the "we're fighting them there so we don't have to fight the here" spin.

Seriously glad to see he's dead.

I think that "there" is pretty much everywhere else that isn't "here"...

Very nice to have a success for once. It would be nice if it got as much coverage as all the negative stuff.

Canuck_Buck · 01-10-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Charlie P

Quote:

Charlie, why would a Somali Al Qaeda leader go to Iraq unless it was for some sort of sales convention, a visit to hismommaor something ?

Thought all the terroists were going to Iraq for the winter.

Discount vacation packages should draw them in...