Tankers could be used for terror attacks: Somali PM
Somalia's prime minister warned Thursday that Al-Qaeda could soon start hijacking super-tankers to stage attacks.
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed told a UN Security Council debate that Osama bin Laden's followers in Somalia were learning from the country's now notorious pirates who seize hundreds of ships and yachts each year.
"It will not surprise us if Al-Qaeda's agents in Somalia start hijacking tankers on the high seas and use them as deadly weapons as they did in September 2001," Mohamed told the Security Council debate on his war-stricken nation.
"Why bother with a small plane when you can capture a tanker?" he added.
The prime minister, who has US nationality, said: "We are in the first line of defense against two evils: the scourge of piracy and the plague of terrorism." The Somali insurgents fighting Mohamed's government has links to Al-Qaeda.
"Not only are these two ills working in tandem, but they are learning from each other," said the head of a transitional government which is propped up by an African Union peacekeeping force.
Russia is proposing a Security Council resolution on piracy which urges talks on setting up special courts and prisons for pirates.
Ra'iisul wasaaraha Soomaaliya Maxmaed Cabdullaahi Maxamed (Farmaajo) oo ka hadlay shirkii looga hadlayay abaaraha iyo colaadaha ka taagan Soomaaliya oo ka dhacay xarunta Qarammada Midoobay ee New York Khamiistii shalay ayaa sheegay inuu jiro xiriir u dhexeeya Xarrakatul Shabaab iyo burcadbadeedda.
Shirkan oo ay ka qaybgaleen 15-ka waddan ee golaha ammaanka ee Qarammada Midoobay iyo 21-waddan oo daneeya arrimaha Soomaaliya ayuu Farmaajo ka codsaday in xukuumaddiisa gacan ka siiyaan sidii ay ammaanka Soomaaliya u soo celin lahayd.
"Dalka Soomaaliya wuxuu ka degi waayay burcadbadeedda iyo argagaxisada," ayuu yiri Farmaajo oo intaas ku daray: "Labadan kooxood ma ahan oo keliya inay ka degi la'dahay Soomaaliya balse waxaa ka dhexeeya xiriir hoose oo wadashqeyneen."
"Wax lala yaabo ma noqoonayso haddii Al-Qaacida badaha waaweyn ee Soomaaliya ka afduubaan maraakiibta booyada ah," ayuu hadalkiisa raaciyay, "Waxba uguma kala duwana inay afduubaan diyaarado iyo inay qabsadaan maraakiib boobayado ah."
Ra'iisul wasaaraha Soomaaliya wuxuu sheegay in la isla gartay in guddoomiyaha baarlamaanka la doorto bisha Luuliyo ee sannadkan, halka madaxweynaha la dooranayo bisha Ogoosto, sidoo kalena la dhisayo xukuumadda cusub dhamaadka sannadkan.
Ugu dambeyn, Farmaajo wuxuu sheegay in dowladdiisu ay horumarro la taaban karo ka gaartay dagaalladii ay Muqdisho iyo gobollada dalka qaarkood kula galay Xarrakatul Shabaab, ayna caalamka ka codsanayaan in laga kaalmeeyo sidii ay howshooda ku dhameystiri lahaayeen muddada yar ee u harsan.
