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CBS: U.S. Attacks Al Qaeda In Somalia
CBSNews ^ | 1/8/07

Posted on 01/08/2007 3:53:36 PM PST by Rose in RoseBear

Edited on 01/08/2007 4:00:49 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

(CBS/AP) A U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports exclusively.

The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, Martin reports. The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second, and sources say a lot of bodies were seen on the ground after the strike, but there is as yet, no confirmation of the identities.

The gunship flew from its base in Dijibouti down to the southern tip of Somalia, Martin reports, where the al Qaeda operatives had fled after being chased out of the capital of Mogadishu by Ethiopian troops backed by the United States.

Once they started moving, the al Qaeda operatives became easier to track, and the U.S. military started preparing for an air strike, using unmanned aerial drones to keep them under surveillance and moving the aircraft carrier Eisenhower out of the Persian Gulf toward Somalia. But when the order was given, the mission was assigned to the AC-130 gunship operated by the U.S. Special Operations command.

If the attack got the operatives it was aimed at, reports Martin, it would deal a major blow to al Qaeda in East Africa.

Meanwhile, a jungle hideout used by Islamic militants that is believed to be an al Qaeda base was on the verge of falling to Ethiopian and Somali troops, the defense minister said Monday.

While a lawmaker had earlier told The Associated Press that the base was captured, Somalia's Defense Minister Col. Barre "Hirale" Aden Shire said troops had yet to enter it and that limited skirmishes were still ongoing, though troops were poised to take the base.

Ethiopian soldiers, tanks and warplanes were involved in the two-day attack, a government military commander told the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Shire said there had been heavy fighting with high numbers of casualties.

"There are a lot of casualties from both sides," he said, declining to give details.

Residents in the coastal seaport of Kismayo, some 90 miles northeast of Ras Kamboni, said they saw wounded Ethiopian soldiers being loaded onto military helicopters for evacuation.

"I have seen about 50 injured Ethiopian troops being loaded onto a military chopper," said Farhiya Yusuf. She said 12 Ethiopian helicopters were stationed at the Kismayo airport.

Somali officials said the Islamic movement's main force is bottled up at Ras Kamboni, the southernmost tip of the country, cut off from escape at sea by patrolling U.S. warships and across the Kenyan border by the Kenyan military.

In Mogadishu, Somalia's president made his first visit to the capital since taking office in 2004. During the unannounced visit, President Abdullahi Yusuf was expected to meet with traditional Somali elders and stay at the former presidential palace that has been occupied by warlords for 15 years, government spokesman Abdirahman Dinari said.

U.S. officials warned after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that extremists with ties to al Qaeda operated a training camp at Ras Kamboni and that al Qaeda members are believed to have visited it.

Three al Qaeda suspects wanted in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa are believed to be leaders of the Islamic movement. The Islamists deny having any links to al Qaeda.

Somalia's government had struggled to survive since forming with backing from the United Nations two years ago, and was under attack by the Islamic militia when Ethiopia's military intervened on Dec. 24 and turned the tide.

But many in predominantly Muslim Somalia resent the presence of troops from neighboring Ethiopia, which has a large Christian population. The countries fought two brutal wars, the last in 1977.

On Sunday, gunmen attacked Ethiopian troops, witnesses said, sparking a firefight in the second straight day of violence in the capital, Mogadishu.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; bush; hallelujah; somalia; wot
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1 posted on 01/08/2007 3:53:37 PM PST by Rose in RoseBear
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To: Rose in RoseBear; jmc1969

the US launched this attack?


2 posted on 01/08/2007 3:54:16 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Rose in RoseBear

Hmmmm...any C4 or dead birds or natural gas odor involved with this?

What a day!


3 posted on 01/08/2007 3:55:02 PM PST by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: oceanview

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/08/world/main2335451.shtml


4 posted on 01/08/2007 3:55:28 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Rose in RoseBear
..,and she opens with CBS exclusive breaking news that the US has launched an AC-130 attack in Southern Somalia against the terrorists who took out the African embassies.

I do so hope that's true! Thanks for reporting this.

5 posted on 01/08/2007 3:55:30 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they captured or killed.)
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To: SE Mom

This has been a crazy day.


6 posted on 01/08/2007 3:55:48 PM PST by txhurl
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To: Rose in RoseBear
CBS is only reporting this because they think its unfair that we have such big bullets coming from an airplane. She wants Liberals to have documentation of how we turn terrorists into swiss cheese, instead of saving trees somewhere.
7 posted on 01/08/2007 3:56:01 PM PST by Pukin Dog (Sans Reproache)
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To: oceanview

I don't think anybody else has AC-130s.


8 posted on 01/08/2007 3:56:07 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
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To: Rose in RoseBear

If this is legitimate news, why smear it up with childish crap?


9 posted on 01/08/2007 3:56:31 PM PST by leadpenny
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To: Rose in RoseBear
It was a Miscommunication
10 posted on 01/08/2007 3:56:50 PM PST by cmsgop ( How do we know he's NOT Mel Torme?)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

this is true.


11 posted on 01/08/2007 3:56:54 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Rose in RoseBear
Hopefully those muzzies are getting a taste of this:

12 posted on 01/08/2007 3:57:48 PM PST by rottndog (While reading this tag, remember Tens of Thousands of Americans are risking their lives for you.)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

"The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, Martin reports. The AC-130 gunship is capable of firing thousands of rounds per second, and sources say a lot of bodies were seen on the ground after the strike, but there is as yet, no confirmation of the identities. "


13 posted on 01/08/2007 3:57:54 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Rose in RoseBear

I seriously doubt the Ethiopians have this kind of fire powein their air armada.LOL. I also suspect we have had black ops in this region for eons and the NY Slimes have not reported it!


14 posted on 01/08/2007 3:58:52 PM PST by lexington minuteman 1775
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To: SE Mom
What a day!

Especially for me ... the dead birds are just a couple-three miles down the road from where I sit.

in fact, only local dead bird reportage would lead me to watch Katie KuKoo --- that's why I was on KEYE-yiyiyi in the first place ...

15 posted on 01/08/2007 3:59:02 PM PST by Rose in RoseBear (HHD [... http://www.rbent.com/HHFuneralDonation.htm ...])
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To: Rose in RoseBear; Howlin; onyx; Mo1

Ping


16 posted on 01/08/2007 3:59:04 PM PST by sissyjane (Don't be stuck on stupid!)
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To: rottndog
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
17 posted on 01/08/2007 3:59:46 PM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)
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To: Rose in RoseBear

"Raining death".


18 posted on 01/08/2007 3:59:49 PM PST by TET1968 (SI MINOR PLUS EST ERGO NIHIL SUNT OMNIA)
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To: oceanview

Good. We need to put the fear of God into these bastards.


19 posted on 01/08/2007 4:00:29 PM PST by unkus
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To: mystery-ak
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
20 posted on 01/08/2007 4:01:31 PM PST by mystery-ak (My Son, My Soldier, My Hero........God Speed Jonathan......)
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