By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Police have released 24 people detained for investigations related to links with terrorism.
The 24 were among a large number of suspects netted in various parts of the country during four days of coordinated police operations that were geared towards flushing out people suspected of terrorism links.
According to the minister of interior Hon Mohamed Duur Arale innocent citizens should not be worried about being arrests for the security personnel conducting the swop have specific targets known or suspected to be involved in one way or another with terrorism in some neighbouring countries.
Citizens who have been worried about the intense police operations that saw a large number of people arrested, had raised fears claiming that the security personnel were effecting the arrest randomly and blindly.
While calming the jittered citizens at a press conference held at the interior ministry headquarters with the police commissioner Gen Iman Fadal in attendance, Hon Duur also informed that of the suspects detained “a large number has been released after investigations proved their innocence”
“Those still in custody shall either be released if found innocent or charged in a court of law if investigations prove their guilt” said Hon Duur
Since the UK insecurity alert and travel ban for Somaliland Security agencies in all regions have been in a state of heightened alert intended to deter intended incursions into the country by members of the militant group Al-shabaab from Somalia.
As a result of this extra vigilance 10 known terrorist seeking safe havens in the country’s eastern region of Sool that borders the tribal enclave of Puntland are currently helping police in Hargeisa with investigations following their arrest and subsequent transfer to the capital city by Las Anod based police.
The Al-shabaab Islamists are in disarray following their dislodging by AMISOM troops from most areas they controlled in Somalia thus the heightened security alerts by not only Somaliland but all East African countries through prompting by respective intelligence agencies which believe the militants are intent on creating mayhem in these countries.
