Somali gov’t warns of suicide attacks at key installations; students protest suicide attack

Somali gov’t warns of suicide attack threat

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government warned Monday that militants are planning suicide attacks against key installations in Mogadishu, while hundreds of students marched in the streets to protest last week’s suicide bombing that killed 24.

Intelligence information gathered by Somali authorities showed that suicide bombers plan to target Mogadishu’s airport, seaport and the presidential palace, said police spokesman Abdullahi Hassan Barise.

Members of al-Shabab — a militant group with ties to al-Qaida — plan to disguise themselves as army generals and carry out the attacks, he said. Barise said officials don’t know of a timeframe for the planned attacks.

The warning comes four days after a suicide bomber attacked a university graduation ceremony in Mogadishu, killing 24 people, including three government ministers, medical students and doctors. The government blamed al-Shabab, which has denied responsibility.

The group of protesters — mainly students — took to the streets in the small area of Mogadishu that the transitional government controls, where some shouted slogans against al-Shabab. The protest took place near Benadir University, whose graduation ceremony was attacked last week.

Somalia has been ravaged by violence since warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, then turned on each other. A moderate Islamist was elected president in January amid hopes he could unite the country’s feuding factions, but the violence has continued.

Suicide bombings, unheard of in Somalia before 2007, have become increasingly frequent and the lawlessness has raised concerns that al-Qaida is trying to gain a foothold in the Horn of Africa. The anarchy has also allowed piracy to flourish off the country’s coast.