Now why would they want to expel these peace-loving religious teachers? Could it be that in Somaliland too some of the very people who have devoted their lives to the study of Islam have drastically, tragically misunderstood it so as to think it enjoins them to commit acts of violence? When will the world’s media awaken to the fact that this is not a tiny minority of extremists at all, but a global mainstream? When will the world’s governments do so? “Outsiders, Islamic clerics told to leave Somaliland,” from AFP, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
HARGEISA, Somalia (AFP) – Authorities in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland have warned outsiders, particularly Islamic clerics, without legitimate business there to leave immediately following the arrest of several alleged Al-Qaeda operatives.
In a crackdown ordered after the arrests of five suspected members of Osama bin Laden’s network during a shootout with police on Friday, Interior Minister Ishmail Aden said non-Somalilanders illegally in the region would be deported.
“I have instructed the (Islamic) clerics from neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia to leave the country if they do not have legal papers and are not genuine businessmen registered by relevant authorities,” Aden said.
“Those who have commercial interest here may stay as long as they respect the laws of the land but others must leave as soon as possible,” he told a news conference. “This is strictly a security issue.”
“The activities of outsiders and suspect (Somalilanders) will be scrutinized further for security purposes,” Aden said, adding police in the region had arrested a total of five alleged Al-Qaeda members on Friday.
On Friday, he said three suspected extremists, including “an internationally known” Afghan-trained Al-Qaeda leader, had been detained after police raids in the capital Hargeisa that followed tips from local residents….
“The threat of jihadi terrorism in and from Somalia is real,” the International Crisis Group said in a report that described the group as “a new, ruthless and independent network with links to Al-Qaeda.”