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American Morning

U.S. Action in Somalia Looks More Likely

Aired January 17, 2002 - 09:33   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The United States is taking a close look at Somalia, the scene of a U.S military embarrassment about a decade ago. Military action there is beginning to look more likely.

CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is on the ground in Mogadishu. She joins us now.

Good morning, Christiane.

In your earlier report, you made reference to Somalia as a collapsed state. Exactly who is in charge these days?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in any different part of Somalia, it's any different entity, really. As you know, this country is divided into cessationist republics in the north and the east. And also, there is a government that who controls most of the capital, Mogadishu. And then there's a whole host of factional leader who control the southern areas. So it is broken up into fiefdoms, and that's what makes the job of sorting out how to deal with the potential for engaging Somalia so difficult for the United States. There is no obvious partner to talk to.

To that end, as we've been reporting, the United States has been sending officials over the last six weeks, in fact, since December, to Somalia, to talk to various power center and decide how to best proceed in fight against terrorism.

The United States before that had already closed down one of the biggest Somali bank, a remittance, and also a telecommunications company, and a big employer here, suspecting it of links to terrorist funding. The bank, of course, denied it. There's been a huge jobless rate here because of that in those intervening months.

The United States is really sifting its option, and here in Somalia, the warlords and various different tribal and factional leaders are trying doing to do their best to curry favor with the United States, each one saying that they can best help the United States in its investigation against any kind of terrorism -- Paula.

ZAHN: You also have reported the local government said it wants to help the United States hunt for al Qaeda. How do they plan to do that?

AMANPOUR: Well, it's a very good question. So far, they say they've opened an anti-terrorist task force. Basically, it amounts, according to the police chief here, to having arrested over the last few months a total of 12 people. But the investigation is continuing into those 12 people, most of them Arabs. But they feel they have nothing on them yet. Many of them are simply here as illegal immigrants, if you like. They have come in from various different countries and basically looked for a place to live, rather than any evidence turning up of any terrorist links with them.

It's very difficult for what they call themselves: a transitional national government who are attempting to increase their power base, but at the moment control, really, most of the capital, and then not all of that.

ZAHN: Christiane, we are going to leave it there for this hour. Thanks for that update. We look forward to hearing more from you over the next couple of days.

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