The United States is not looking for an excuse to invade Somalia, but is alert to signs that terror groups may find a haven in its political instability, Secretary of State Colin Powell has said. Powell told the House of Representatives International Relations Committee on Wednesday that Washington was carefully watching the Horn of Africa for signs of increased activity by terror groups.
He also praised Sudan for working against terror groups based in Khartoum but pledged to hold the government to account until all terrorist activity had been eradicated from the country.
Somalia, site of an ill-fated US intervention in 1993, is a high priority for US intelligence services tracking the activity of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network since it was routed in Afghanistan "We are not looking for a way, or an opportunity or an excuse to invade, we are watching to see whether or not terrorist organisations are finding the destabilised situation in Somalia as fertile ground to undertake new activities or to find a safe haven," Powell said.
"We will continue to watch that, take action as appropriate, but we are not looking for a new excuse with which to enter Somalia with the armed forces in the United States."
"We are just watching very carefully off the Horn of Africa to see where these terrorist organisations might be going."
Sudan, which has been accused by the US in the past of hosting terrorist groups won qualified praise from Powell.
Bureau Report