Sunday, March 22, 2009

Somalis reject Bin Laden call

The Somali people, clerics and information minister have told Osama bin Laden not to interfere in their country's internal affairs.

The al-Qaeda leader on Thursday called for the collapse of Somalia's new government led by newly elected President, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.

This is while Sheikh Nur Barud Gurhan, a prominent Somali cleric accused bin Laden of instigating warfare in a country that is recovering from a 20-year-old civil war, terming the al-Qaeda chief's message as being 'against Islamic teachings'.

"Osama bin Laden is not our cleric and it is wrong of him to urge more fighting in a country that has been in war for two decades," a Press TV correspondent quoted Sheikh Gurhan as saying in Mogadishu.

Gurhan's comments were echoed by Asmara based leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys -- who denies US charges that he has links to the al-Qaeda and is opposed to Ahmed's new government.

Aweys further said that only Somalis should decide on their future.

In addition, Information Minister, Farahan Ali Mohamoud, said that bin Laden should concentrate on his own survival.

"We know that bin Laden has his own problems in the mountainous area of Tora Bora where he is in hiding, so he has no place making such statements at a time when Somalia is keen on emerging from 21 years of violence," a Press TV correspondent quoted the information minister as saying.

In an audiotape message posted on a website on Thursday, bin Laden called on the people of Somalia to overthrow Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, saying he has "changed and turned back on his heels ... to partner up with the infidel."

Source: PressTV

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