World Cup ban protest claims 2
05/07/2006 11:44  - (SA)  

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Sharia courts ban WCup Sharia courts ban WCup

Mogadishu - At least two people were killed after Islamic gunmen opened fire on scores of young demonstrators protesting a ban on World Cup viewing at a cinema in central Somalia, said witnesses on Wednesday.

The shootings occurred late on Tuesday after soccer fans - barred by Islamists from watching the semi-final match between Germany and Italy - complained noisily at the prohibition.

The witnesses said militia loyal to Somalia's increasingly powerful Sharia courts fired first into the air to break up the crowd watching the game on satellite television at the cinema in central Galgadud region.

Cinema owner killed

One witness said: "They closed the hall and forced viewers to go home, but this angered everybody and prompted a demonstration."

Witnesses said the gunmen later opened fire on the crowd to quell the protest in Galgadud's Dhusomareb district, killing cinema owner Mohamed Hirsi Dhore and a young girl identified as Sahro Indhoweyne.

Another witness said: "They said they will not allow any cinema to operate."

Islamists who seized Mogadishu and several provincial towns last month from the United States-backed warlords had begun enforcing strict Sharia law in parts of areas under their control, including bans on cinemas and television.

World Cup broadcasts, in particular, had drawn their ire with clerics arguing that some elements, notably advertisements for alcoholic beverages, were evil.

Aweys 'setting up new Sharia courts'

At least two people were killed in the capital last month during a protest similar to Tuesday's one in Galgadud, where the Islamists' hardline supreme leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, was now setting up new Sharia courts.

After the killings, the Islamists partially repealed the ban in Mogadishu and had allowed residents in some areas of the city to watch the World Cup.

The Islamic courts first began to close down cinema halls showing Hollywood and Bollywood films last year as their influence expanded, arguing that the presentations contravened their strict interpretation of Islam.

Somalia had lacked a functioning central authority since the country was plunged into anarchy with the 1991 ouster of strongman Mohamed Siad Barre.

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