From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sun Jul 19 2009 - 10:35:07 EDT
Somalia: French hostages surrendered 'to avert bloodshed': Aweys
18 Jul 18, 2009 - 9:41:03 PM
MOGADISHU, Somalia July 18 (Garowe Online) - A senior insurgent leader
in Somalia has said that his group 'surrendered' two kidnapped French
security advisers over to Al Shabaab hardliners to avoid war among the
insurgents, Radio Garowe reports.
Sheikh Hassan Dahri Aweys, chief of the Hizbul Islam rebels, told
international press on Saturday that Hizbul Islam is no longer
responsible for the safety of the French hostages.
"The responsibility has been taken away from us," Sheikh Aweys told
London-based Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, noting that he ordered
Hizbul Islam fighters to give both kidnapped Frenchmen over to Al
Shabaab guerrillas.
Sheikh Aweys justified his decision, saying that he wanted to "avert
bloodshed" among Somali insurgents fighting to topple the country's
Western-backed interim government.
Separately, some reports said Sheikh Aweys is expected to travel to
Egypt as part of efforts by Egyptian and Arab League officials to
mediate between Sheikh Aweys and his former ally, current Somali
President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.
Meanwhile, Al Shabaab commanders have declared that the two French
hostages will be tried under Islamic law, or Shari'ah. Al Shabaab
hardliners have rejected peace talks with the Somali government and have
vowed to continue the insurgency until they topple the U.N.-recognized
interim government of Somalia.
In 2007, the U.S. government placed Al Shabaab on its exclusive list of
terrorist organizations.
Source: Garowe Online
http://www.garowe.com/
<http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/uploads/2/shsharifaweys_7.jpg>
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