Sudan arrests Somali Islamist leader while trying to escape to Eritrea

Sudan arrests Somali Islamist leader while trying to escape to Eritrea
Report from Sudan Tribune, Sunday, 14 March 2010:

March 13, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese security services arrested a Somali Islamist leader while he was attempting to cross border to Eritrea, a Somali outlet reported today from Mogadishu.

Muse Abdi Arale, the secretary for defence of Hizbul Islam group has been arrested in Sudan while trying to enter in Eritrea with money embezzled from the rebel group.

Sheikh Hassan Mahdi, a senior official from Hizbul Islam told Mareeg Online that the Sudanese police arrested Arale while he was trying to cross the eastern Sudan border and reach Eritrea.

Muse Arale embezzled the money from the group and travelled from Mogadishu by car to Kenya from where he entered south Sudan and then reached Khartoum secretly.

Led by Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys, Hizbul Islam is facing a leadership crisis inside since the defection of Sheikh Hassan Abdulahi Al-Turki, a notorious Islamist guerrilla leader to Al-Shebab early this year.

Last week, a senior insurgent leader from Hizbul Islam, Bare Ali Bar, has been shot to death in Mogadishu at Bakara market which is a stronghold of Al-Shebab rebels.

The gunmen shot the Hizbul Islam military leader several times in the head and escaped on foot. No one has yet claimed responsibility. But Somali say Bare was an outspoken critic to the Al-Shebab, a former ally of Hizbul Islam.

Formed by four groups to fight the UN backed government of President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Hizub Islam is witnessing power struggle and divisions since last year. (ST)

Further reading

Somalia. Senior official absconds money from Islamist group
From Mareeg Online, 26 February 2010:

MOGADISHU (Mareeg) - Hizbul Islam former secretary of defense Sheikh Muse Abdi Aralle has absconded money from the Islamist group, sources said on Friday.

Sheikh Muse Abdi Arale, an outspoken figure of the group has been seen in Khartoum and has reportedly changed his name.



Sheik Muse Abdi Arale ex militia leader (photo file)

The sources said he has taken 700 thousand US dollars from the rebel group and is currently in Khartoum while he has changed his name into Sheikh Isse.

Mr. Arale entered Sudan in illegal way as he couldn’t leave from Mogadishu airport where the Somali government controls.

The move came after the Islamist rebel man met threats coming from other militants. Mareeg Online

See Sudan Watch, 01 April 2009: Qatari PM says Al-Qaeda would be "happy to see Sudan become like Iraq" - Somali opposition leader quits Eritrea for Sudan - Somalia's hardline Islamist opposition leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys has quit self-imposed exile in Eritrea for neighbouring Sudan and may return to Mogadishu soon.