2 Somalis killed for watching World Cup match

[GeneralHankerchief]

Article

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MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Radical Islamic militia fighters in central Somalia shot and killed two people at the screening of a banned World Cup soccer broadcast while dispersing the crowd of teenagers watching it, an independent radio station reported Wednesday.

The Islamic fighters, who have banned such entertainment, opened fire after the teenagers defied their orders to leave the cinema that was screening the Germany-Italy match, Shabelle Radio reported. It said the dead were a girl and the cinema owner.

Islamic fighters who wrested control of the Somali capital from warlords in June forbade movies and television entertainment in line with their strict interpretation of Islam. The Supreme Islamic Courts Council, originally called the Islamic Courts Union, has expanded its control to other parts of southern Somalia.

Its leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, has spent the past weeks in central Somalia recruiting fighters in his clan's native region.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since the warlords turned on each other, carving much of the country into armed camps ruled by violence and clan law. Islamic fundamentalists have stepped into the vacuum, projecting themselves as an alternative military and political power.

They set up a militia force to enforce their interpretation of Islam and formed a court system that helped desperate Somalis settle disputes.

Think it's time to do something about this? Personally, I think if you're killed for watching TV it's a good sign that you're not free.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I agree with you as to this being an indicator of the lack of freedom.

Doing something about it?....

It doesn't fit into the context of the war on terror if the Somali Islamo-fascists in question are operating purely within an "internal" context. Extra-national or inter-national terrorism is the best focus for the WOT, otherwise you are sticking your nose into a civil war, which is practically a guarantee that you will not truly resolve things and up your casualties to little gain (which is, or course, why we are trying to keep Iraq away from a full-on civil war; though a number of folks already think that hope is lost).

[GeneralHankerchief]

To me it's a clear sign that Islamo-facism is spreading. We've seen it happening in other places in non-Maghreb Africa; Darfur ring a bell? I'm worried that if we don't intervene (intervening could be anything, I don't necessarily mean send soldiers) that the entire continent could end up like this, even worse off than it is now.

[solypsist]

this sounds like an odd-ball situation. time and again it's been shown that even the most hardline muslim fanatics still find futbol almost sacred (which is why you never hear of suicide bombers at futbol games).
my prediction is that one islamo-fascism starts cutting into match times, popularity of this religion will plunge.

[Kralizec]

Even the Palestinians tried to enter the WC. What's up with those crazy Somalis?

[King Ragnar]

Post Removed due to request of mod.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Denying people the wonders of ZIZOU! is the worst form of terrorism imaginable!

We should invade at once and liberate these poor, poor people...

[doc_bean]

Article


Think it's time to do something about this? Personally, I think if you're killed for watching TV it's a good sign that you're not free.

Somalia : 246,201 sq mi
Iraq : 168,754 sq mi

It's too big, nothing we can do son

EDIT: Louis why aren't you drunk yet ??

[caravel]

The important thing to note is that this is not islam, it's moreso a bunch of nutters running a nasty little dictatorship on an islamic theme.

[whyidie]

The important thing to note is that this is not islam, it's moreso a bunch of nutters running a nasty little dictatorship on an islamic theme.

Yes, like Euro Disney.

[rory_20_uk]

Dafur gets ignored for weeks. Somalia gets ignored for even longer. Tw get shot in front of w TV watching the world cup - hey! That's newsworthy!!!

The only reason their deaths were pointed out to us as opposed to all the others is that it fits the football theme.

[Rodion Romanovich]

To me it's a clear sign that Islamo-facism is spreading. We've seen it happening in other places in non-Maghreb Africa; Darfur ring a bell? I'm worried that if we don't intervene (intervening could be anything, I don't necessarily mean send soldiers) that the entire continent could end up like this, even worse off than it is now.

On the contrary, if we don't do anything about it it's likely people will dislike getting their countries taken over by extremists, and they will actively ASK for help against the islamofascists. The islamo-fascism will over-extend and create it's own hatepropaganda against itself. Another way of affecting these things is to make sure that African countries that aren't following the laws of human rights etc. don't get development aid money via UN and other organizations. Finally send some moderate Muslim, Christian and Buddhist missionaries or something to the region - some of the people in the region seem to be going through a similar period of urge for religion that Europe and the Middle east have had historically from time to time so presenting competitors to fundamentalistic versions of Islam would likely be good. But intervening militarily and politically without being actively asked will only strengthen hatred towards the west and strengthen Islamofascism I'm afraid, even though the local people are likely to hate talibans and similar they hate war more, and as war always lead to civilian casualties it's an easy way for the extremists to project the hate against themselves against people who kill more people per hour than their oppression - although horrible - never does.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Can anybody else say "sniper"?