The autonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia had been bombed by US warships. Kenyan air forces struck the breakaway region on January 20, 2007., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Garowe Online (Garowe)
Somalia: Puntland Court Sentences Al Shabaab Chief Godane and 11 Others to Death
27 FEBRUARY 2013
Bossaso — Twelve people charged with the murder of Sheikh Ahmed Haji Abdirahman including Al Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane, were sentenced to death after a court found them guilty in Bossaso on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.
Puntland's North Eastern regional Military Courts Judge, Abdifatah Haji Adan, sentenced the 12 people including Al Shabaab Chief Ahmed Abdi Godane to death by firing squad.
Only 6 of the 12 were captured while the other 6 people are being actively pursued. The 6 people including 1 female had their hearing at a military court where they were found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad. According to Puntland law, all terrorism cases are held at military courts.
Some of the convicted Al Shabaab members.
The 6 people were caught 14 months ago, however a 6 month investigation was carried out. Following that, the Puntland government formed an independent investigative committee to assess the information retrieved from the investigation by Puntland authorities. Some of the 6 detained people admitted their participation in Sheikh Abdirahman's assassination on video, which immediately went viral.
Sheikh Abdirahman a prominent Somali Islamic scholar, professor and doctor was shot and killed as he was leaving a mosque near his home in Bossaso on December 5, 2011. The killing sparked an international outcry from scholars, intellectuals and Somalis as a whole, against Al Shabaab.
The 12 people all played different roles in the killing of Sheikh Abdirahman from aiding and abetting to financing and organizing, some of the 6 captured convicts admitted working in the terrorist assassination unit.
The convicted persons will have a month to appeal the verdict before an execution date is scheduled.
The deceased Sheikh Abdirahman's friend and colleague Sheikh Abdiqadir Nur Farah - who spoke out against Al Shabaab after Sheikh Abdirahman was killed - was recently killed in Garowe while praying at a mosque.
The brutal assassination resulted in an uproar from Somalis and non Somalis abroad and in Somalia condemning Al Shabaab. On Sunday, citizens in Garowe held a massive demonstration against Al Shabaab that was attended by Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, Vice President Abdisamad Ali Shire, scholars and community leaders.
President Farole went on the record at the rally accusing Godane of arranging the killings of Sheikh Abdiqadir and others in Puntland.
The Puntland authorities stated that they captured 50 perpetrators including foreign fighters that are linked to the assassination of Sheikh Abdiqadir, adding that they will be brought to justice by trial.
Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 at 01:07 am
Somalia: Puntland accused Somali Federal Government Violation of Constitution
PRESS RELEASE 26 February 2013
The Federal Government (FG) of Somalia is violating the country’s Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC), which the elected leaders were sworn to uphold. The FG has actively interfered with the formation of emerging Federated States, such as Jubaland in southern Somalia, directly contradicting the principles and provisions of the PFC and abandoning the aspirations of the Somali people, who hope for responsible and accountable governance that paves the way for peace, stability and development, and promotes justice, political cohesion, outreach and national reconciliation.
Instead of focusing on principal priorities, the FG has adventured illegitimately on resource exploitation by hiring foreign advisers to build the ‘Somalia Petroleum Company’ and actively pursue oil companies – former concession holders as well as new companies – to renegotiate old concession or sign new Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) to areas that are not under FG’s control. This is contrary to the PFC and the FG should refrain from such broker activities until all Federated States are formed, so the Somali people have a role in the fundamental decisions of their future.
This unilateral move is a dangerous ploy that threatens to unravel political cohesion and potentially imperil stabilization progress in Somalia. The FG is advised to invest its time and energy on repairing and rebuilding the disintegrated Federal Republic, instead of attempting to sell what little remains of Somalia. The PFC clearly defines power belongs to the people, as represented by the Federated States, and defers political power distribution, revenue sharing, and natural resources management, until the Federated States of Somalia is completed and a negotiated settlement is reached between the Federal Government and the Federated States. Until such time, Puntland State shall retain and exercise powers endowed in the Puntland Constitution.
Puntland calls on the FG to adhere to the country’s Federal Constitution, to support the formation of the remaining Federated States, to speed up establishment of the Upper House of Federal Parliament, to promote national reconciliation and justice, and to shun unreasonable maneuvers that trigger political crises in Somalia.
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