Monday, September 10, 2007
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The United States has warned Eritrea it will declare it a "state sponsor of terrorism" if it does not stop its support of Al-Qa'ida in neighboring Somalia.The warning came on Sunday in a public announcement made by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs Jendayi Frazer. The east-African nation denied the allegations and described them as "preposterous," AP reported.
Frazer said U.S. intelligence had information about a conference of Somali dissidents that Eritrea was currently hosting that included individuals who have been linked to Al-Qa'ida.
The U.S. also has information, according to which Sheikh Hasan Dahir 'Aweis, one of the leaders of Somalia's Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC), was in Eritrea last Friday.
During 2006 Somalia was ruled by the SCIC, an Islamist organization that overpowered the ruling Somali government. Experts then believed the SCIC was backed to a certain extent by Al-Qa'ida operatives and advisers, who arrived through neighboring Eritrea.
When the SCIC were ousted by the Ethiopian and Somali armies in January 2007 many of its leaders fled to Eritrea.
Source: The Media Line, Sept 10, 2007