"Mr. Ambassador, besides Sheik Sharif that you have pointed out as a moderate, can we also say that the moderate leaders of the Islamic Courts include Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys?
Ambassador: I don't want to get into commenting of a lot of individuals. The reason I referred to Sheik Sharif is because he was the head of the executive council and therefore he was a person in a position of a lot of responsibility. He was one of the leading spokesmen of the Islamic Courts. I think there are many there are many other people want to point to, but I don't want to get into saying which person specifically we think was an extremist or a moderate. I think these people can prove what they are by speaking out in favor speaking out against violence, against terrorism and extremism. If they do that, they will prove themselves to be moderates, and they will prove themselves as people who deserve to play a role in the future of their country."
