Comments on: Why is Amir Mohamed Meshal in Ethiopia, and why isn’t the US State Department demanding his release?

By: josephat momanyi mobagi

josephat momanyi mobagi — Sat, 19 May 2007 17:43:39 +0000

As i had stated earier,it is quite absurd that Amir has not yet been granted his justice.Remember justice delayed is justice denied.

By: josephat momanyi mobagi

josephat momanyi mobagi — Tue, 15 May 2007 07:16:20 +0000

Amir should face justice to which he is entittled.

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:47:30 +0000

P.S. As of the latest article I can find regarding this issue, dated April 29, he is still in Ethiopia.

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:41:14 +0000

I have been researching this for a term paper, and nearly every source I read (American, British, African, etc.) admits that Somalia had significantly less turmoil and significantly more order with the Islamic Courts. These people haven’t had any semblence of a stable government in fifteen years, and this is their 14th attempt at a transitional government.

Meshal entered Somalia at the time when the Islamic Courts were in power, and it’s possible that he, like several others, had hope that maybe this would be an alternative solution. It may not be the American ideal of peace, but it *may* have been better than what they’ve had for the past 15 years. We’ll never know.

I think Meshal is simply a naive young man in the wrong place at the wrong time. His case as been investigated by all parties involved, and all claim to find him innocent. As such, it’s time for him to come home. If there’s a reason he’s still there, let’s hear about it.

By: Adriana Stuijt

Adriana Stuijt — Sun, 06 May 2007 12:09:30 +0000

One of the frequent claims made by pro-Sharia muslims is that Somalia had been much more ‘peaceful’ when under a muslim-government. The warnings by Somalian refugees such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali have taught us of late that there simply is no such thing as a peaceful society under any muslim government: there may be an outward appearance of “peace” but this actually is the “peace of suppression” the “peace of totalitarian rule”. For as long as fifty percent of its population — their women and girls — are being constantly brutalized and suppressed by such a society, there is no ‘peace” behind the closed doors.

The Muslim Brotherhood ‘s preachings have an increasing strangehold on this part of the world — including in Kenya — and these are among the most powerful arguments the Muslim Brotherhood and their adherents always use — namely that “societies are more peaceful and the poor are being taken care of” under muslim governments.

It’s a grotesquely false claim which unfortunately is being taken at face value by many people.

By: Adriana Stuijt

Adriana Stuijt — Sun, 06 May 2007 11:59:46 +0000

There are quite a few questions which should be asked, and which remain murky around this young man’s presence in Somalia. For instance, why would this young American muslim have even felt the need to flee from Somalia after the (pro-American) transitional government had been installed? Wasn’t he actually an American who would have had nothing to fear from a pro-American government unless he was running around with the wrong crowd?

And according to a Nairobi-based western journalist, Anthony Mitchell of the Associated Press, who now is among the missing from this weekend’s Kenya Air plane crash, his young American muslim ‘had been arrested in Kenya while resting beneath a tree with a group of men who had been armed with AK-47s.’

While being armed with AK-47s is not at all an unusual occurrance for men in most of southern Africa, the presence of a young American in their presence should also be raising a lot of questions.

By: bob-3

bob-3 — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:03:41 +0000

This guy needs to be tried. It is most likely that he was aiding and abetting terrorists in Somalia. Not only should he be tried in Ethiopia, but anyone who in the U.S. who financially supported his travels should also be investigated. The idea he was just casually ‘looking for a job’ in Somalia is laughable.

By: mat-new jersey

mat-new jersey — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:03:24 +0000

Lets be honest here!! Somalia has been a hotbed of lawlessness for the last 16 years. One thing people forget is the extent to which regional politics/ dynamics play a role. Everyone believes that this is the 3rd front of the war on terror and Meshal to be an innocent Victim. I believe otherwise.

It is true that the Ethiopian government used the current world politics to advance its agenda of getting rid of the islamic courts. But, here are the facts

1. Ethiopian separatist groups were operating out of somalia. ( infact some were being trained and armed by Ethiopia’s regional foe Eritrea)

2. The Islamic courts was extremely hostile to Ethiopia and declared Jihad against Ethiopia

3. Eritrea was involved in the arming of the islamic courts

so somalia became a proxy battleground for Eritrea and Ethiopia. In light of the above, and given somalia’s utter lawlessness and lack of a functionaing economy, what was meshal doing there. Looking for a job ?? I don’t think so!! trying to rebuild a nation?? I doubt it…If anything he was a young impressionable fellow who went to somalia not knowing the larger regional dynamics…Probably went to somalia under misguided assumptions and got involved in things that he should not have.

By: nasser osman

nasser osman — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:10:48 +0000

Dear fellow:
We are not accusing US of anything.
FBI has released the boy with no problem.
The boy has no link to trror or Alqaeda or anything like that.
the boy went to Egypt to get a job and he was fired and he went to Somalia to get a job and when the war errubt he fled the country to safe ground.
it is the simplest as that.
he is very simple neife kid and did not commit any crime whatsoever by any standard.
we want his immediate release.
he was not invove in any war with anyone and FBI knew that and found no evidence against him of any wrong doing.
he is US citzen worker get cought in fire by mistake and his release is a must.
Do not mind the high emmotion of his father.
his father is US citzen working for US army and his grand father was also working for US Army in WWII.
The whole family are American and good paying taxes citzens.
All we need is Amir release because he comit no crime against anyone.

By: Nora Meshal

Nora Meshal — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 06:29:03 +0000

What has America come to? Since when do we not protect are own citizens? This is a disgrace to American society. I beg of anyone who can reach out and help. Amir Meshal doesnot deserve this nor does his family. Nor should anyone in a thrid world country perdict the fate of an American citizen! America Please he is one of us lets not turn are backs on him!!! Bring him back home!