IRIN interview with interim President Abdiqassim Salad Hassan

Somalia is one of the countries the US has singled out as a place where terrorist groups or individuals are known to have operated. Moves to freeze the assets of known extremist groups by the US this week included the organisation Al-Ittihad, which has a presence in the region, and aims to establish a hardline Islamic state in Somalia. Reports that Islamic extremist groups were successfully taking advantage of the chaos and lack of state controls in Somalia came after the collapse of the former government of Muhammad Siyad Barre in 1991 - including groups linked to Osama bin Laden, now the prime suspect in the attacks in the US on 11 September. Trials this year in the US of those involved in the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania also included accusations that an international terrorist network in the region was linked to the killings of American soldiers in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in 1993. Somalia now has an internationally recognised authority in Mogadishu - the Transitional National Government (TNG) - but this still has little influence outside the capital. In a telephone interview from Mogadishu, interim President Abdiqassim Salad Hassan spoke to IRIN about the situation in Somalia and the government's position on terrorism. QUESTION: What do you make of the fact that Somalia has been placed on the list of countries by the US as among those known to have terrorist organisations operating? ANSWER: I don't know of such a list, but one has to understand the recent history of our country, which was for the last 10 years without government. I don't know whether that list was created for that period, but right now we are not having terrorists in this country. We are against terrorism and terrorists. It is very easy for our detractors to portray Somalia as a playground for terrorists. I think that, first of all, the Somali people generally speaking are peace-loving people, and are very moderate people - they don't like extremism, or the acts of extremists. Secondly, this government is totally opposed to any form of terrorism, any form of destabilisation in neighbouring countries, or other countries in the world. Third, I think it is in the minds of Somalis that it is an unbelievable tragedy what happened in the United States, and we all express our solidarity with the American people... because we understand that what happened in the United States is not only directed against Americans, but is directed against all the international community and the civilised world. We are part of that world; that's why we want to join hands to combat terrorism. Q: At what level have you spoken with the US government regarding the recent attacks in New York, and the possible consequences for Somalia? A: I have sent a letter of condolences on behalf of the Somali people and the government and parliament for the barbaric act of terrorism that took place in New York and Washington. We have been expressing our solidarity with the American people and our shock... I have received a letter of thanks from the American government, and expressions of appreciation for the letter of condolence. Q: Before you were elected, US intelligence had made it clear to Somali leaders that there were concerns about active, internationally funded cells in southern Somalia. Have those concerns been put to you at any time? A: No, we haven't talked directly to US intelligence about this, but we know that in southern Somalia right now we don't have such terrorist cells. Maybe individuals. And in any case, my government is ready to cooperate with the international community, with the US, to eradicate all kinds of terrorists from this region, along with the other governments of this region - Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti. Q: Does your security and intelligence have the capacity to keep tabs on extremist groups or individuals active in Somalia? A: Well, we have only been established for one year. Of course, everything is at the beginning - we don't have all the necessary implements for information-gathering and so on. On the other hand, we know what is happening in our country, and we are willing to cooperate with the international community, in the world and in the region, to combat terrorism in this area. Q: What sort of cooperation do you mean - does it require a US role? A: Yes, well of course the training of police and security officers, the gathering of data is important - there are many fields in which we can cooperate together. Q: Does your government have a working definition of "terrorism" and "extremism" - for example, how do you define Al-Ittihad? A: Our definition of terrorism is same definition as [that of] the international community. Terrorists are those people who are engaged in acts of destruction and killing of innocent people wherever they are, and anyone engaged in that activity should be dealt with and should be eradicated. Q: Do responsible authorities in Somalia think that extremists with international links were behind attacks on Americans in 1993 in Mogadishu? A: In 1993 - well, I think many books and interviews and reports have been written about that, and everybody knows, or the people concerned do - that is the Americans - they know what was happening. I have expressed regret for the killings of elements of the UN forces in Somalia, Americans and others. I expressed regret before the body of the United Nations during the Millennium Summit at the General Assembly. It was unfortunate. We are overcoming that period of chaos now. Q: But do you think internationally linked extremists were involved? A: I have no such knowledge. I think that it was mainly due to the Mogadishu-based warlords' activity. I think this is what people think here. I don't think there was any such international linkage. Q: Much has been made of the so-called "Somali syndrome" - it was a symbol of American military action abroad that failed. Can you see any parallels between what happened then and what might happen in Afghanistan? A: There are no parallels, as I understand it. On the other hand, I think that what happened to Somalia is known to everybody - the disappearance of the state institutions, the chaos, the warlords... We deeply regret the loss of Somali life, and lives from the international community in Somalia. I think that for those who lost their lives, it would be a good monument for them and for the international community and the United States to be present in Somalia. There is need for the international community to cooperate with the Transitional National Government for the betterment of the Somalis, and for security and stability in this region - and for the fight against terrorism. Q: Do you think this new turn in world events is going to impact negatively on Somalia, and make it even more difficult to get assistance? A: Yes, it has made it difficult for the international community, and for the United States in particular. Nevertheless, I think now that we have a government in place it is the duty of the international community to work with us for the best interests of the people of this region, and also for the interests of the world community at large. Q: The just-completed evacuation of UN international staff comes at a particularly bad time, with concerns about the long term effects of drought in the south. How serious do you think the humanitarian situation is? A: The humanitarian situation is very bad. We don't have rains; it has been a very long dry season here. We are really very worried about the pull-out of the international agencies from Somalia.