Jihad intensifies in Somalia*

As violence continues unabated in Somalia, a land mine blast killed a district commissioner and wounded a top security official in that war-torn country's capital of Mogadishu on Saturday.

Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed, a district commissioner in Mogadishu, and the city's deputy security chief, were traveling near the Aden Ade International Airport when their vehicle hit a landmine, according to a press release obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.

After the explosion, Somali security officers ordered residents of the neighborhood to evacuate. The Somali terrorist group Al-Shabbab claimed responsibility for the land mine blast.

"The Somali violence is occurring on land and sea, and the terror group -- linked to al-Qaeda -- appears to be gaining strength," said one intelligence analyst.

Pirates have trolled the coast of Somalia for several years now, leading to warships from 16 nations patrolling the area in an attempt to deter hijacks. Unfortunately, according to a government terrorism report obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the sea gangs are now searching for victim ships farther from the African coast.

The pirate gangs and their backers within war-torn Somalia have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms so far. Last April, Somali pirates hijacked a US flag ship. These Somali priates also attacked a cruise ship off the coast of Somalia.

REIGN OF TERROR CONTINUES

The failed assassination attempt on the prime minister of Somalia, as well as the attempt to hijack a luxury American cruise ship, has intensified apprehension and fear that the shaky Somalian government is losing to al-Shabbab, a major supporter of these marauding sea gangs.

Three people were mortally wounded in a terrorist attack on the Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi,while he was visiting the capital of Mogadishu. He survived the deadly encounter which entailed an explosion set off near his convoy, according to security experts. Mr Gedi was merely visiting since his government was in quasi-exile in Jowhar.

The danger in the Somali capital is so great that the transitional government must avoid setting up their headquarters there.

Since 2003, Somalia has witnessed the growth of a brutal network of Jihad with strong ties to Al-Qaeda. In fact, when the US forces faced a bloody battle in 1995 during what became known as the Black Hawk Down incident, it was Al-Qaeda terrorists joining with a local warlord who killed and wounded US special operations soldiers.

Somalia has been without a functioning national government for 15 years, when they received their independence from Italy. The transitional parliament created in 2004, failed to end the devastating anarchy. The impoverished people who live in the ruined capital of Mogadishu have witnessed Al-Qaeda operatives, jihadi extremists, Ethiopian security services and Western-backed counterterrorism agents engaged in a bloody war that few support and even fewer understand.

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Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a columnist for The Examiner (examiner.com) and New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he's a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.

National Association Of Chiefs Of Police He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.com. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.

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