U.S. ambassador, top Somali Islamist meet: official

[xiinfaniin]

NAIROBI (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger has met top Somali Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, who is being held by Kenyan intelligence in Nairobi, a U.S. embassy official said on Wednesday.

 

Ranneberger has said Ahmed potentially can be a player in reconciliation between the interim Somali government and Ahmed's militant Islamist movement, which government troops with Ethiopian backing defeated over the New Year.

 

 

Ranneberger has said any Somali who renounces violence and extremism will have a part to play in reconciliation in the Horn of Africa country.

 

The U.S. official, who confirmed the meeting which a source had told Reuters about earlier, spoke on condition of anonymity and declined to give any details.

 

Ahmed, one of the most visible faces of the defeated Somalia Islamic Courts Council (SICC) during its six-month rule of most of southern Somalia, surrendered at the Kenya-Somalia border.

 

Ahmed is being held at an upmarket hotel on the outskirts of Nairobi by Kenya's National Security Intelligence Service.

 

Diplomats say Kenya, and possibly the United States, had a role in brokering Ahmed's surrender.

 

A senior Kenyan official told Reuters on Wednesday that Ahmed wants to seek refuge in Yemen, and that Kenya will not send him to Somalia because he would be killed there.

 

Kenya is also trying to push him to talk with Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, who is in Nairobi, but Gedi has thus far refused, the official said.

 

Washington and its ally Ethiopia have said the SICC had al Qaeda members in its ranks, and the United States has conducted at least one confirmed air strike against what it believes were al Qaeda hiding with the Islamists in southern Somalia.

 

Many blame hardcore Islamist remnants for a series of attacks against government and Ethiopian troops in the coastal capital Mogadishu. The SICC has vowed a guerrilla war.

 

Source: Reuters, Jan 24, 2007

[Faarax-Brawn]

Sh.Shareef for President!!

[Pi]

How long was Sh. Shareef in bed with the Americans? I guess it's still too early to tell. But we'll see what his official press release brings.

[xiinfaniin]

^^Sharif knows not how to sleep with Americans; there are known ones in our political congregation who excel in that business adeer! That prize has already been won by the old man, Geedi and the likes. For him to try it now would be useless; a lame steed as it were never outruns the stout one, yaa Pi !

[Taako Man]

^ Sheik Shariif has been in Kenya for upto a week by some reports. His intentions are not clear. But his support is useless. If Aweys were not on U.S terror watchlists he would be the first one to be dialed upon especially with his clan not fully onboard and most of the problems in Xamar originate from the South Xamar.

[Pi]

xiin, faras xiiqsan iga dheh.

 

Like I said, I think it's too early to read the stars. I'll reserve my comments till Sh. Shariif plays his cards. But if the somali rumor mill is anything to go by, the chorus is:

 

Sir baa laga hayaa iyo, sawiro waaweyne

[xiinfaniin]

Originally posted by Taako Man:

^ Sheik Shariif has been in Kenya for upto a week by some reports. His intentions are not clear. But his support is useless. If Aweys were not on U.S terror watchlists he would be the first one to be dialed upon especially with his clan not fully onboard and most of the problems in Xamar originate from the South Xamar.

^^That's the problem with somali politics adeer. You see, the other day when CQasim met with the old man tfg supporters told us that it was over and the brainchild behind the courts is now onboard with the program. see what a difference few week make yaa Taako.

 

Adeer Somalia god dheer bay ku dhacday, this tfg has niether the energy nor the competence that it takes to in godka laga soo bixiyo..

 

nin sacab tuntay ciyaar dalbay,as somali says, and we will see how it all ends!

 

Pi, spill it out adeet duniduba ha ogaatee..

[Che -Guevara]

But his support is useless

Arrogance aside, you need every Somali for peace to take hold permanently in Somalia. If you believe even for sec that few thousands ill-equipped African peacekeepers will bring about a lasting peace, then you will be sadly mistaken.

[Taako Man]

Che

 

You seem to misplace his relevance. Lets not lie to ourselves and our senses. The TFI needs more backing from the south Xamar clans then they need Shariif. They won't get that for obvious reasons. Sheik Shariif telling his supporters to 'halt' is unlikely. His supporters today are much of Geedi and Jeele constituency.

 

 

However to assert control through and through Xamar you need the aweys, the salads etc of the world.

 

 

Xiin

 

We shall have to wait and see.

[ansaar17]

The reason why people set allegiance to him was to lead them in jihad and if has forsaken this task then the trust will be taken back from him.

 

There are other men who have vowed to continue on.

 

and they have said that their jihad was not for sheriff just as abu bakar (ra) told the sahaba when the prophet(saw) died that if they worshipped muhammed then muhammed died but if they truly worshiped allah than god is everlasting. likewise those went to war for the sake of this man then has turn himself in but those waging this war for the sake of allah then he is eternal the absolute.

[General Duke]

Just a question, is there a connection with meeting the Sharif and the new air strikes?