Sunday, July 11, 2010

Somali Militants To Ugandans: Watch Football And You Die

A Somali Islamist militant movement has claimed responsibility for a trio of bombings that killed at least 74 people at two venues in the Ugandan capital where crowds had gathered to watch the World Cup final.

"And the best of men have promised and they have delivered," said an Arabic statement issued by Al-Shabaab's press office. "Blessed and exalted among men -- (taking) full responsibility ...We wage war against the 6,000 collaborators; they have received their response."  The 6,000 is an apparent reference to African Union peacekeepers in Somalia. Uganda contributes troops to the peacekeeping effort.

"We are behind the attack because we are at war with them," Al-Shabaab spokesman Ali Mohamoud Rage told reporters. "We had given warning to the Ugandans to refrain from their involvement in our country. We spoke to the leaders and we spoke to the people and they never listened to us."

"If you want to fight, why don't you attack soldiers or military installations instead of fighting innocent people watching football?" said Ugandan President Museveni, while on a visit to a rugby sports center where two of the blasts occurred.

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