So why does al Shabaab keep insisting they received weapons from Eritrea? AP
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday threatened sanctions against Eritrea for aiding a Somali extremist group she says is trying to launch worldwide terrorist attacks from Somalia.
But Eritrea's information minister, Ali Abdu, said Friday that the claims are "totally untrue."
United States, Britain, France and Mexico are leading the charge to impose UN sanctions on Eritrea for it's support for al Qaida linked al Shabaab. However, China is not very enthusiastic about imposing sanctions on Eritrea since it has economic interests in the region.
This all started after President Obama's inauguration, which al Shabaab threatened to attack with suicide bombers. The US quietly threatened to attack Eriteria, over its support for al Shabaab, if the attack had occured.
Reuters
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - Eritrea has only a short time to stop undermining security in Somalia or face possible U.N. sanctions, Washington's ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Wednesday.Even al Shabaab admitted to receiving arms from Eritrea.
Rice told a congressional committee the United States was "deeply concerned and very frustrated" with Eritrea's behavior in Somalia, including arming and funding Islamist insurgents
"It is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate it, and nor will other members of the Security Council," she told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.[...]
Somalia's government and others have accused Eritrea of supplying arms to insurgents in breach of a U.N. embargo that allows such shipments only to the government.
"The United States is particularly concerned about the financial, military, logistical and political support that the government of Eritrea is offering to al-Shabab and other extremists in Somalia,"
If the UN actually implements sanctions against Eritrea they'll be just as ineffective as the sanctions against North Korea and Iran. At least the UN is waking up to the fact that Eritrea is providing support to al Qaida linked al Shabaab. Voice of America
The U.N. Security Council said it will consider implementing sanctions against Eritrea and other spoilers to the Somali peace process. The council's decision Thursday followed an appeal from the African Union for the council to take action against those undermining the peace process in the Horn of Africa country.[...]Related Posts:
But noting recent attacks on the government, civilians and African Union peacekeepers, the Security Council said it would consider the African Union's call for the council to enforce sanctions against parties undermining the peace process.
Several council members, including U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, pointed a finger at Eritrea, which stands accused of supporting extremists in Somalia.
This isn't the first mention of an Eritrea - al Shabaab link. An assassination plot, by al Shabaab, to kill President Obama on inauguration day had been supported by Eritrea. The US threatened Eritrea with war if the plot were successful.
President Obama's top official, Jonnie Carson, had expressed concern over the arms link between al Shabaab and Eritrea.
Al Shabaab is just confirming what we already knew. Reuters via Jihad Watch
"Eritrea supports us and Ethiopia is our enemy -- we once helped both countries but Ethiopia did not reward us," Aweys, dressed in a dark suit, told Reuters in an interview.[...]Will we see any muslims rioting over al Shabaab's supposed "misunderstanding" and "offensive" behavior towards islam?
"There may be two or three Arabs who were moved by Islam to fight alongside us. But there is no large number of foreign Mujahideen in Mogadishu. We and the Arabs are all Muslims -- so we are Arabs," he said.
"We are not fighting for positions, but for Islam. It is agreed upon within Islam that Christians and those they support are the same -- so war is incumbent upon us, like prayer."
"Somalia has no government we recognise," said Aweys. "We should not be deceived by Westerners like Sharif."
This is interesting. Back in April, it was reported that a successful al Shabaab plot to assassinate President Obama would bring the wrath of the US on Eritrea because of its support for the terrorist group. It looks as though the Obama administration is still worried about Eritrea's support for the al Qaida linked group. BBC
The US says it is seriously concerned by reports Eritrea is supplying arms to foreign fighters and Islamic hardliners fighting government forces in Somalia.Lets not forget Minnesota, Canada, and Britain.
"This as a disturbing development," President Barack Obama's top official on Africa, Jonnie Carson, told the BBC.[...]
"We're extremely worried about the reports."
"There seem to be fairly serious and creditable reports that al Shabaab does have, amongst its fighters, a number of individuals of South Asian [he means Pakistan] and Chechen origin," said Mr Carson.
Mr Carson also expressed concern about flights from Eritrea were carrying weapons and ammunition to Somalia to supply al-Shabaab.
"There have been numerous reports that the government of Eritrea has, in fact, been supplying weapons and munitions to al-Shabaab.
"These are reports that we do find credible," he said.
