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CNN Live Saturday

U.S. Takes Closer Look at Somalia as Possible Target in War on Terror

Aired January 19, 2002 - 18:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. says it is taking a closer look at Somalia and its hunt for terrorists. Somalia's president says his small, impoverished country needs Washington's help, not its threats. CNN's Jeff Koinange has more on why Somalia finds itself in U.S. crosshairs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Somalia's militiamen attend Friday prayers in the capital, Mogadishu. Here, prayer mats replace armored vehicles, and the Koran replaces the Kalashnikov. Somalis are traditionally liberal Muslims, and although practices like Shariat law, the Islamic legal code of conduct, are prevalent in most parts of the country, it's hard to find Muslim radicals and extremist groups here, as in many other parts of the Muslim world. The reason for this, some say, could be more social than religious.

"Somalis associate themselves first to their clan, and then with their religion," he says. "And despite the fact that Islam is practiced by 90 percent of the population, it's simply a religion of convenience rather than one of circumstance."

It's this clan association which is credited with a bit of civil war that's lasted over a decade, but it's also in this lawless divided land that Islam could become a unifying factor, and fundamentalism an alternative to chaos.

The U.S. says al Qaeda may have operated here under the name al- Ittihad. Somalis admit the presence of al-Ittihad, but deny its links to al Qaeda. Whatever the case, people here tell us that members of al-Ittihad have simply disappeared back into their clans.

What does exist, and everyone will freely admit, is Al Islah, a Somali word meaning "peace" and an organization established at the start of the civil war to provide basic social services for Muslims, everything from free health care to education. Funding now comes principally from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.

Many Somalis believe the goal of Al Islah is the creation of an Islamic state similar to al-Ittihad's aim, but Al Islah members say their principle goal is national reconciliation and promotion of education and democracy. DR. IBRAHIM DISUKI, AL ISLAH: Al Islah is a peaceful organization. That is the main difference between Al Islah and probably other organizations who have a militaristic or a violence attitude.

KOINANGE: Somalia has the potential of becoming a breeding ground for terrorism. With no central government and no end to the daily misery for the average Somali, a vacuum is growing, which could be exploited by extremists and fundamentalist groups promising a better life.

DISUKI: If there is concern in the United States, in Western nations, against potentiality that some terrorist groups can exploit the difficult situation in Somalia, I think the best way to face that is to help the Somalis to reestablish its government -- its central government.

KOINANGE: If the U.S. does decide that Somalia is the next place in the war against terror, many here will be suspicious of America's motives. At this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in downtown Mogadishu, war-worried Somalis say they're growing tired of the U.S. using their country as an excuse to wage its next phase of the war against terror. They feel they are being unfairly singled out as an excuse to avenge the deaths of U.S. servicemen killed here nine years ago.

"Today, Somalia is not considered part of the world," he says. "The Americans want to retaliate for what happened here in 1993 when the bodies of their soldiers were dragged through these streets. If they want to bombard a country, let them. What can we do? We are helpless against the Americans. But if they do it, it'll be at their own peril."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are being attacked by the USA without any reason, without any special reason. Our religion says it's to defend ourselves, and our people is the Muslims. But there is no reason of attacking and there's no counts (ph) and there's no special groups -- extremist groups in our country. We have rights to defend ourselves and our people.

KOINANGE: But the Somalis would rather see the Americans here as friends. They say they need America and the outside world to help rebuild their nation, or else Somalia will eventually become the next Afghanistan.

(on camera): The last time fundamentalists succeeded in Somalia was in 1993, which led to the eventual withdrawal of the international community. Nine years later, the country is more fragmented and even more impoverished, but what's clear is that unless Somalia receives help from the outside world, someone will step in, possibly giving extremists a chance to take a foothold here.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Mogadishu.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: And more now on the situation in Somalia, I am joined by a former National Security Council official and noted scholar of African studies, Ernest Wilson III, director of the Center for International Development and Conflict Management. Thanks a lot for coming in.

ERNEST WILSON, DIRECTOR, CIDCM: It's good to be here.

MESERVE: As we heard in Jeff's piece, there's some disagreement about whether or not al Qaeda is active in Somalia. What can you tell us?

WILSON: I think that there is some evidence of activity. It's likely that some of the forces from Afghanistan left that area and moved toward Somalia, but these are probably relatively few and far between. But there is evidence that in 1993, some al Qaeda elements helped local people in Somalia to plan the bombing that occurred, the terrible tragedy in Africa -- in East Africa, especially the bombings of the embassy in Nairobi and in Dar as Salaam.

MESERVE: It doesn't sound like you would gauge their presence to be a significant one.

WILSON: Not at this point -- not at this point. I don't -- I think the United States government is trying to remain prudent, but there is a danger in overreacting and assume that there's too much going on in that small, war-torn country.

MESERVE: What should the U.S. do about the situation in Somalia?

WILSON: I think that there's several concrete things that can be done. One is to continue Air Force surveillance across the coast. There are thousands of miles of coast in that country, and we should do that.

Secondly, we should keep up our intelligence links to the country. Thirdly, to make sure that we have on-the-ground presence there, that our diplomatic efforts really understand what's happening in the country. And then fourthly, we can't overreact. There's a -- there's a danger as this administration moves toward phase two, away from the battle in Afghanistan toward the Philippines or Yemen or Somalia, but we have to do that prudently.

MESERVE: So you're saying no military action in Somalia.

WILSON: I think that's exactly right.

MESERVE: Why? What would the consequences be?

WILSON: Well, I think that the consequences now would be mounting opposition to the United States on the part of the local population, and it is quite apparent that the on-the-ground situation doesn't yet warrant military intervention.

MESERVE: So much for your advice -- thanks so much for coming in. Ernest Wilson ...

WILSON: Glad to be here. MESERVE: ... so glad you could join us here today.

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