Kenya bans Somalia flights

2003-06-23 09:25

Nairobi - Kenya said on Sunday a "terrorism threat" has led it to ban flights indefinitely both to and from neighbouring Somalia.

"Kenya has closed its airspace to every aircraft coming from Somalia, or flying to that country," Kenya's Civil Aviation Air Navigation Services Director Henry Ochieng said.

"The airspace has been closed as a result of a terrorism threat," police spokesman Jesse Mituki said.

But Somali President Abdulkassim Salat Hassan denied there was any such threat and called on Kenya to reopen its airspace.

"There are no terrorist cells in Somalia, but our credibility is being dented by false accusations placed by some Somali warlords," said Salat, who heads the Transitional National Government (TNG).

The flight ban came a day after Kenyan police launched a massive anti-terrorism sweep in Nairobi, detaining at least 38 people for questioning on Saturday.

The United States embassy in the Kenyan capital also shut on Friday, a day after the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency warned of a possible, imminent terrorist attack in the country. It will remain closed at least through Tuesday, the embassy has said.

Kenya has in the past accused Somalia, which has been ruled by rival warlords since its dictator was overthrown in 1991, of being responsible for the infiltration of arms into the country.

The US administration has also accused the Horn of Africa country of being a safe haven for extremist groups.

Kenya has been under intense pressure from western states, which have issued advisories warning against travel to the east African country, to crack down on Islamic militancy.

The US embassy was destroyed in a 1998 car bomb attack that killed 213 people, including 12 US citizens.

Last November suicide bombers blew up an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, killing 18 people. Moments later two missiles narrowly missed downing an Israeli airliner with 260 tourists on board after it took off from Mombasa airport.

Somalia's President Salat urged Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki "to open the airspace for the well-being of the two nations, and if the idea is to fight international terrorism, the (Somali) Transitional National Government would spearhead that war," Salat said during a visit to Nairobi.

Salat urged his compatriots to assist Kenya on security issues and pledged his administration's commitment to work closely with Kenya.

He also lashed out at Ethiopia for giving weapons to Somali warlords and for spearheading the campaigns that his government was hosting terrorists.

"If we are all serious about fighting terrorism, we must all work for the establishment of a national government in Somalia," Salat said, adding that several places reported to be strongholds of extremists had been searched without turning up anything.

Somalia has not had a recognised government and has been ruled by clan warlords since dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in January 1991. - Sapa-AFP

- SAPA