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FACTBOX-Key facts on hunted al Qaeda militants in Somalia
07 Apr 2007 14:54:14 GMT
Source: Reuters
April 7 (Reuters) - The top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer, visited Somalia on Saturday and said Washington believes the following six al Qaeda operatives or associates are still in the Horn of Africa nation:

FAZUL ABDULLAH MOHAMMED: On U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's most wanted list of terrorists with $5 million reward for his capture. U.S. indicted him for alleged role in 1998 Kenya, Tanzania embassy bombings, which killed 240 people. Born in Comoros, believed 32-34 years old. Master of disguise, forgery and bomb-making. Carries numerous passports, speaks five languages. Also on U.N.'s al Qaeda and Taliban sanctions list.

ABU TALHA AL-SUDANI: Sudanese explosives expert, Al-Sudani is suspected by Western intelligence to lead east Africa's al Qaeda cell. Reported to have first visited Somalia in 1993 -- when the United States was there on doomed peacekeeping mission and suffered the Black Hawk Down incident. May have been trained by Hezbollah in 1993. United States says he orchestrated the 2002 bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya that killed 15. Ordered Gouled Hassan Dourad, one of 14 detainees held at secret prisons then sent to Guantanamo Bay last year, in 2003 to scout out U.S. counter-terrorism base in Djibouti for possible attack.

SALEH ALI SALEH NABHAN: FBI wants the 27-year-old Kenyan for questioning in 2002 hotel bombing, and simultaneous but botched missile attack on Israeli airliner leaving Mombassa airport. Believed to have owned truck that bombed hotel and to have hidden in Somalia with the help of Al-Itihaad Al-Islaami, or alumni of the militant group operating under a different name.

SHEIKH HASSAN DAHIR AWEYS: In his late 60s or early 70s, is among 189 people or entities the United States "linked to terrorism" after Sept. 11, freezing their assets. On U.N. list of al Qaeda associates. Former Somali prison service colonel, involved with militant Somali Islamists. Most recently was leader of Somali Islamic Courts Council (SICC) ousted from power in December. Before that, headed Al-Itihaad Al-Islaami's military wing until Ethiopia destroyed it. U.N. arms report says he has run training camps since 2005. Denies al Qaeda links.

ADAN HASHI AYRO: Head of SICC's feared military wing, the Shabaab. Reportedly trained in assassination and insurgency in Afghanistan. Linked to murders of four aid workers in Somaliland and more than a dozen Somalis with western links. United States says has al Qaeda links via mentor Aweys. Reportedly gave al Qaeda members including al-Sudani housing, security and weapons in Mogadishu. U.S. military believes he was injured in air raid in January in south Somalia, aimed at killing al Qaeda suspects hiding among Islamists corned by Somali-Ethiopian offensive.

SHEIKH HASSAN TURKI: Intelligence sources say he leads the Somali wing of al-Takfir wal-Hijra -- international Islamist group linked to extremist violence. Took senior SICC role after participation in Al-Itihaad. Intelligence agencies believe he has long run militant training camp in Ras Kamboni, at Somalia's southern tip near Kenya, where fleeing Islamists hid in January.

(Sources: International Crisis Group, Globalsecurity.org, U.S. Director of National Intelligence press release, U.S. court records, FBI and Interpol websites, Reuters reporting)

(Writing and reporting by Bryson Hull in Nairobi with additional reporting by Mark Trevelyan in London)


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Last updated:Sat Apr 7 14:54:25 2007