Islamists claim authority over all of Somalia

[Xarago]

Islamists claim authority over all of Somalia

 

MOGADISHU, Somalia (Reuters) -- Mogadishu's Islamist leaders said on Thursday they were expanding the authority of their sharia courts across the whole of Somalia in a move likely to create further tensions with the weak interim government.

 

They also confirmed that hardline Muslim cleric, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys -- whom the United Nations has linked to al Qaeda -- would be the overall leader of their new 91-member Council of Somali Courts.

 

"From today, the Council will change from the Council of Islamic Courts of Mogadishu to the Council of Islamic Courts of Somalia," Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, a moderate face and former leader of the Mogadishu courts' body, said.

 

Ahmed, who was seen as the leader of the Islamists when its militia took the Somali capital and some other southern towns from U.S.-backed warlords, said he had been named as chairman of the Islamic courts executive committee with 15 members.

 

But it is now clear real power among the Islamists will reside with Aweys, who has said he wants Islamic sharia law to be the basis for any future Somali constitution.

 

Thursday's moves will alarm the government of President Abdullahi Yusuf, which was formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004, has the endorsement of the international community, but has little authority on the ground and is based in the provincial town of Baidoa.

 

Yusuf is close to Ethiopia, which has massed troops on the border. Analysts believe Addis Ababa would intervene to prevent a complete Islamist takeover of Somalia.

 

Somalia has been without central rule since the 1991 toppling of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre by warlords.

 

Thursday, June 29, 2006 Posted: 1332 GMT (2132 HKT)

[Allamagan]

^^^Xarago, that would mean they sat their sight also on Somaliland, right?

[Gediid]

^^^^Maanta laga bilaabo Somaliland has been renamed "The Islamic Republic of Somaliland" and Sh Riyaale as the Amir and Sh Ciiro as the Shura chairman..........

 

Eat your heart out Sh Aweys we beat you to that.Go and find somewhere else to try out your courts we are a Islamic republic?????

[Som@li]

^^To be honest, the people of Somaliland are better off under Islamic court , rather than the Qat adict parliamentarians.

[Fanisha]

Originally posted by Allamagan:

^^^Xarago, that would mean they sat their sight also on Somaliland, right?

No, that Aweys dude better not mention Somaliland. Somaliland is a peacefull place and does not need anything from the south.

Muqdisho ha ku ekaado.

[General Duke]

The leader and founder of al-itixad, is a resident of Burco.

 

But you knew that right..

[Qudhac]

the truth is the courts had the chance to be a major poitical force in southern somalia but as it is so predictable with somalis they blew it by appointment of the former leader of al-itixad talk about shooting yourself in the foot, its a political suicide if they were clever they would let the keep the hawkish characters in their midst away from the gazzing eye of the world.

 

if they had any political proweses they would let nature take its course and let the anti-warlords feeling do the work for them but like so many movement before them the greed of power go too much to control, and have already anounced themselves as kingdom loool.

 

 

and suprise suprise there is very little chance of them getting any internation help with al-itaxaad at the helm, its not really the people movement anymore, sad really because they had potencial.

[RedSea]

Assalamu Calaykum,

THERE is no doubt in my mind that Somalis in general wherever they are, are better off under the Islamic rule of law than anything else, All of Somali regions should be ruled in accordance with the Islamic Sharia way in my opinion; that is better for them all than to maintain the current status quo.

 

salam calaykum.