Mortar shells fired at US congressman in Somalia

[joeglow3]

Source: Yahoo

MOGADISHU (AFP) – US congressman Donald Payne came under mortar fire Monday as he was leaving in a plane from Mogadishu airport, but no one was injured in the attack, an African Union official told AFP.

"The plane of the congressman was leaving and the mortars started falling. There were no casualties, but the attack was aimed at the congressman. He flew out safely," the AU official told AFP on condition of anonymity.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090413/wl_africa_afp/somaliaunrestusdiplomacy_20090413135305

[msongs]

1. are they protesting the dumping of toxic fish killing congresspersons on their territory? nt

[tocqueville]

3. most likely it's retaliation...

for the killing of the pirates :

"The French and the Americans will regret starting this killing. We do not kill, but take only ransom. We shall do something to anyone we see as French or American from now," Hussein, a pirate, told Reuters by satellite phone.

"We shall revenge," said another pirate, Aden, in Eyl village, a pirate lair on Somalia's eastern coast. Some fear the U.S. and French operations may make the modern-day pirates more like their more fearsome forbearers. "The pirates will know from now that anything can happen. The French are doing this, the Americans are doing it. Things will be more violent from now on," said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers Assistance Programme. "This is a big wake-up to the pirates. It raises the stakes."

http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCr ... USLC343356

[Aristus]

10. "We do not kill, but take only ransom."

What horseshit. If they took the Captain hostage using a toothbrush, one could argue that they didn't deserve a bullet in the head. You use guns, and all bets are off, Jack Sparrow. Why don't you give up piracy and study for a real estate license? You are much more likely to live longer.

[Lasher]

2. No, it's because white europeans have depleted their fisheries.

They're the only ones who have ever fished in Somalia's coastal waters, you know.

[VeraAgnes]

4. Do you need a tissue ?

If not, your hijacking of the OP's discussion needs to stop.

[Lasher]

7. It was inevitable.

Thought I would get it over with before the pirate apologists showed up.

[ohio2007]

14. Last I saw it was "yellow" and "brown" asian that are exploiting that stretch of the Indian ocean

Meanwhile, French fisherman are protesting the EU's order to reduce cod fishing quotas taken from the Atlantic fisheries. The French "pirates" are blockading a couple of ports and holding strikes over the fish problems.

You know what ?
They should board some third world banana boats and take hostage$ . ;) lol

[snooper2]

9. your hijacking needs to stop

:rofl:

[dancingme]

12. ?

Bad day?

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Someone should tell these morans that Congressman payne is neither white nor European

[-..__...]

6. They were probably aiming for the US warships.

[bushmeister0]

8. Or it was one of ours aiming for OBL.

[joeglow3]

11. I guess some terrorist group has claimed responsibility. nfm

[ohio2007]

13. biting the hand that feeds them

French forces capture 11 pirates

snip

Pirates yesterday fired grenades and automatic weapons at an American freighter carrying food aid for Somalia but the ship managed to escape and was sailing to Kenya under US navy escort. The Liberty Sun's American crew was not injured but the vessel sustained some damage.

snip

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/15/pirates-mombasa-kenya-vessel


take take take.

Needless to say, the congressman didn't meet with "the head of state" or president of Somalia if that what you call him.

He probably would have been taken hostage imo.

[rcrush]

15. Are you scared yet?

This new boogeyman is not very impressive.