MSNBC: Strike Against Puntland Terror
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:42 pm
Cadde Muse must be strong on terror.
Navy ship fires at al-Qaida suspects in Somalia
Destroyer USS Chafee targets suspect in 1998 Africa embassy bombings
Image: Fazul Abdullah Mohammed
FBI via Getty Images FILE
Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, a suspected terrorist wanted in connection with the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Nairobi, is shown in a photo released by the FBI on Oct. 10, 2001, in Washington.
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The war on terror
Learn about attacks, arrests and other major incidents in global terrorism since 1993. Click "Launch" to view.
NBC World Blog
NBC News correspondents and producers around the globe share their insight on news events.
By Jim Miklaszewski
Chief Pentagon correspondent
NBC News
Updated: 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
Jim Miklaszewski
Chief Pentagon correspondent
• Profile
WASHINGTON - The destroyer USS Chafee fired her deck guns at two or three suspected "high-value terrorist targets" in the Puntland area along the northern coast of Somalia on Saturday, U.S. officials told NBC News. The three suspects are accused of taking part in the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
According to the officials, the U.S. had "actionable intelligence” gathered by U.S. Special Operations Forces and local tribal leaders that the suspects were in the area.
Out of fear that the suspects would leave the area, the decision was made to order the strike from the Chafee, which fired 20 five-inch rounds from her deck guns.
Story continues below ?advertisement
The Chafee was the U.S. military's closest asset, the officials said. Airstrikes would have come too late.
There has been no battle damage assessment to determine if any of the suspects were killed or wounded in the attack, the officials told NBC News.
One of the suspects, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, had also been targeted in December in airstrikes by U.S. AC-130 gunships in Somalia.
He is the leader of the East Africa cell of al-Qaida and is believed to be the mastermind of the al-Qaida attacks in 1998 on U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, that killed more than 200 people.
Click for related content
Target of U.S. strike wanted for multiple attacks
He was also the author of the 2002 attacks on an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, and the attempted shoot-down of an Israeli charter plane that same day.
He is also known as Harun Fazul. He is on the FBI's most wanted list. There is a $5 million reward.
Navy ship fires at al-Qaida suspects in Somalia
Destroyer USS Chafee targets suspect in 1998 Africa embassy bombings
Image: Fazul Abdullah Mohammed
FBI via Getty Images FILE
Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, a suspected terrorist wanted in connection with the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Nairobi, is shown in a photo released by the FBI on Oct. 10, 2001, in Washington.
View related photos
Related Stories
| What's this?
Ethiopia says holding 41 terror suspects
Most Popular
• Most Viewed • Top Rated • Most E-mailed
TB patient: ‘I hope they forgive me’
Deadly spider’s venom may yield super virility
Google hits streets, raises privacy concerns
Tropical storm on first day of hurricane season
A colossal cat comes with a princely price tag
Most viewed on MSNBC.com
Ethiopian Troops Kill 5 Somali Civilians
Sunni Revolt Against al-Qaida Spreads
U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq at 3,478
Abbas, Olmert to Try to Mend Cease-Fire
Iran Promises to Discuss Nuke Activities
Most viewed on MSNBC.com
Deadly spider’s venom may yield super virility
A colossal cat comes with a princely price tag
‘Monster Pig’ was huge — just not wild
Bin Laden, Still Haunting Bush
Google hits streets, raises privacy concerns
Most viewed on MSNBC.com
Interactive
The war on terror
Learn about attacks, arrests and other major incidents in global terrorism since 1993. Click "Launch" to view.
NBC World Blog
NBC News correspondents and producers around the globe share their insight on news events.
By Jim Miklaszewski
Chief Pentagon correspondent
NBC News
Updated: 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
Jim Miklaszewski
Chief Pentagon correspondent
• Profile
WASHINGTON - The destroyer USS Chafee fired her deck guns at two or three suspected "high-value terrorist targets" in the Puntland area along the northern coast of Somalia on Saturday, U.S. officials told NBC News. The three suspects are accused of taking part in the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
According to the officials, the U.S. had "actionable intelligence” gathered by U.S. Special Operations Forces and local tribal leaders that the suspects were in the area.
Out of fear that the suspects would leave the area, the decision was made to order the strike from the Chafee, which fired 20 five-inch rounds from her deck guns.
Story continues below ?advertisement
The Chafee was the U.S. military's closest asset, the officials said. Airstrikes would have come too late.
There has been no battle damage assessment to determine if any of the suspects were killed or wounded in the attack, the officials told NBC News.
One of the suspects, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, had also been targeted in December in airstrikes by U.S. AC-130 gunships in Somalia.
He is the leader of the East Africa cell of al-Qaida and is believed to be the mastermind of the al-Qaida attacks in 1998 on U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, that killed more than 200 people.
Click for related content
Target of U.S. strike wanted for multiple attacks
He was also the author of the 2002 attacks on an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, and the attempted shoot-down of an Israeli charter plane that same day.
He is also known as Harun Fazul. He is on the FBI's most wanted list. There is a $5 million reward.