** Uh-Oh, Another Jihadist “Cause Celebre” Moment…
The UN ought to be chiming in any minute…
The Al Qaeda operatives were wanted for the bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
This March 2002 US Air Force (USAF) handout photo shows an Air Force AC-130 gunship on a training exercise. The US military launched an air strike against members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network in Somalia, but it is unclear whether the operation was a success, US media said.(AFP/USAF-HO/File)
This is the first military mission in eastern Africa since the Mogadishu battles in 1994.
Reuters reports on the mission today:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. gunship conducted a strike against two suspected al Qaeda operatives in southern Somalia, but it was not known whether the mission was successful, CBS News reported on Monday.
The U.S. Air Force plane, operated by the Special Operations Command, flew from its base in Djibouti to the southern tip of Somalia, where the al Qaeda suspects were believed to have fled from the capital Mogadishu, the U.S. network reported.
A Pentagon spokesman said he had no information on the report.
The al Qaeda operatives, who were not named, included a suspect in the car bomb attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, the report said.
Allahpundit has more on the US attacks.
** The Jawa Report suggests that there may be an even bigger prize in the Somalian jungle!
The AC 130 flew from its base in Djibouti for the attack. (Air Attack)
The interim president of Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf, rejected the US today… he said he will not be bringing moderate Islamists into his weak transitional government. Today was the first time in 40 years that the president set foot into the Somalian capital.
Kenya and Ethiopia are contributing intelligence to the US on this front in the War on Terror. Dick Morris on FOX News says the War on Terror has now gone full circle.
Pajamas Media thinks they know they kmow who the US was after.
FBI Most Wanted Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was the target. Fazul Abdullah Mohammed’s terrorist cell has previously attempted to use surface-to-air missiles to shoot down an Israeli passenger aircraft departing Mombasa for Tel Aviv. There were casualties reporteed from the strikes but no reports yet on if Americans hit their target.
Austin Bay is following the story.
Mudville Gazette explains the situation on the ground.
Mary Katharine Ham filling in at Michelle Malkin has a roundup on the action.
Ace– Jamil Hussein is reporting from the ground.
Blue Crab Boulevard has a primer on the AC-130.
Seven Stripes reminds us that:
“The only reaction from President Bill Clinton at the time was that he was “deeply troubled” by the attacks which claimed the lives of 257 innocent people and injured over 5000, according to the State Department website.”
MacsMind– Payback is better late than never.
STACLU is also reporting.
The NewsBuckit has a list of possible targeted Al Qaeda operatives.
