Aweys Osman YusufMogadishu 15, May.07 ( Sh.M.Network) The leader of the routed Union of Islamic Courts Executive council, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, said he has no relations with United States government.
The leader of the routed Union of Islamic Courts Executive council Sheikh Sharif,
He was reacting to remarks made by US assistant secretary of State for African affairs, Jendayi Frazer, who spoke two days earlier about Sheik Sharif’s relations with US in an interview by VOA’s Somali service.
Frazer pointed out in her interview that Sheik Ahmed faked his being a moderate Islamist and was provided with whatever he wanted after he was seized by Kenyan authorities.
Speaking with Al-jazeera’s Arabic TV, Ahmed indicated that he only asked Yemeni government to convince Kenya to open its border for him as he was trying to enter Kenya while fleeing Somalia fighting between Islamists and Ethiopian forces backing the transitional government.
‘I have met US envoy to Kenya (Michael Ranneberger) to convince him to speak with the Ethiopian government over pulling its troops out of Somalia,” he said, denying that he made any other contacts or deals with the American government.
He said it was pointless that Frazer’s remarks showed that the US gave him a cell phone which he contacted with his relatives back home after the Islamic Courts lost to the battle with the government troops and allied Ethiopian forces. “It’s ridiculous that a top US official should speak like that. I had money a mobile phone which I could contact with my people in Somalia,” he said.
He said he was only assisted by Kenya. “The Kenyan government made no impediments on my getting in touch with Somalia and it paid for anything I demanded,” he said.
Ahmed who is in Asmara, Eritrean capital, was still opposing the interim government and the Ethiopian troops present in the country.
The leader of the routed Union of Islamic Courts Executive council Sheikh Sharif,
He was reacting to remarks made by US assistant secretary of State for African affairs, Jendayi Frazer, who spoke two days earlier about Sheik Sharif’s relations with US in an interview by VOA’s Somali service.
Frazer pointed out in her interview that Sheik Ahmed faked his being a moderate Islamist and was provided with whatever he wanted after he was seized by Kenyan authorities.
Speaking with Al-jazeera’s Arabic TV, Ahmed indicated that he only asked Yemeni government to convince Kenya to open its border for him as he was trying to enter Kenya while fleeing Somalia fighting between Islamists and Ethiopian forces backing the transitional government.
‘I have met US envoy to Kenya (Michael Ranneberger) to convince him to speak with the Ethiopian government over pulling its troops out of Somalia,” he said, denying that he made any other contacts or deals with the American government.
He said it was pointless that Frazer’s remarks showed that the US gave him a cell phone which he contacted with his relatives back home after the Islamic Courts lost to the battle with the government troops and allied Ethiopian forces. “It’s ridiculous that a top US official should speak like that. I had money a mobile phone which I could contact with my people in Somalia,” he said.
He said he was only assisted by Kenya. “The Kenyan government made no impediments on my getting in touch with Somalia and it paid for anything I demanded,” he said.
Ahmed who is in Asmara, Eritrean capital, was still opposing the interim government and the Ethiopian troops present in the country.
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