Press Release

The Somali Transitional National Government hereby states that the report published in the Website by the Horn Africa Newsline on the 28th of September 2001 with the title of Al-Itihaad Link: Banks-to-Terror Conglomerate Faces US Wrath mentioning that the Al-Itihaad provides support to the President of the Somali TNG is completely baseless and an unfounded rumor.

The President of the Somali Transitional National Government, Dr. Abdikassim Salad Hassan has sent a letter of Condolence to the President of the United States, Mr. George Bush where he also mentioned his grief and sadness over the terrorist attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon in New York and Washington.

President Abdulkassin also stated in his letter to the US President that the Somali TNG is in full support of the fight against the terrorists and the readiness of the Somali TNG to provide any form a support to the US government in the fight against terror.

Therefore, the Somali TNG is once more declaring that it has NO form of relationship with Usama Bin Laden neither with the Al-Itihaad nor with any terrorist group and such rumors and reports are scattered by individuals having enmity against the Somali people and specially for the Somali TNG which was democratically elected by its people following 10 years of anarchy and civil war.

The Spokesman of the Presidency
Abdurahman Diinari