MOGADISHU – An Al Shabaab-linked 12-year-old boy carrying explosives has been arrested by security forces of the Somali government in a security crackdown in conflict-ridden Mogadishu, an official said Wednesday.
Adan Fidow Barre, the director of explosives prevention for the Somali National Security Agency (NSA) said the boy, Jabril Mohamed Ali, was intercepted while carrying an explosive device and cellphones that the director said were intended to detonate the device.
“The explosive device was aimed at harming the officials of the government and civilian people in Mogadishu and this was plotted by the extremist Al Qaeda-inspired group al Shabaab,”Barre said at a news conference.
“It was an attempt of suicide attack by al Shabaab using this very young Somali boy as equipment to conduct their devil and vindictive act, but fortunately Somali security managed to thwart the attack and save the life of the youngster,” he explained.
The director stated the arrest of Ali and the seizure of the explosive device came with the help of government soldiers who had defected from Al Shabaab.
The boy told reporters that he was sent by Al Shabaab to kill government officials or soldiers by committing suicide.
“I have been in Elasha Biyaha neighborhood (18 kilometers south of Mogadishu) where my family live in. I don’t know more what Al Shabaab loaded on me...,”Ali lamented.
On Aug. 6, Al Shabaab, which has declared its allegiance to al Qaeda, abandoned most of Mogadishu districts in what it called a tactical move, but vowed to continue its war against the transitional government and African Union peacekeepers in the capital. It’s sourced AHN.
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