Suicide Bomber Takes Out Three Government Ministers In Somalia

Chances are 99.9999% that this attack was conducted by al-Shabaab, which is the notorious arm of al Qaeda in Somalia - an attack that saw three major government ministers killed while they were attending a medical school graduation.

Fitting isn't it? Imagine a graduation ceremony where students have slaved away for years to take their doctors' degrees and tend to the sick and injured of one of the world's most poor countries....and on this day, al Qaeda's servants in Somalia blow up the event. That is terror, folks. That is also the definition of cowardice. I should also mention that the suicide bomber dressed himself up as a woman. Yeah, al Qaeda's a bunch of real macho warriors, aren't they?

Here's some of the story from The Long War Journal:

Three government ministers and two reporters are among 19 Somalis who were killed in a Shabaab suicide attack in the capital of Mogadishu.
The suicide bomber, who was disguised as a woman, detonated his vest in the midst of a graduation for Somali medical students from Banadir University. The ceremony was being held at the Shamo Hotel, one of a handful of locations still under government control in Mogadishu. [See video below for scenes from the attack].
The ministers of health, education, and higher education, along with two reporters from Shabelle and Al Arabia, nine medical students, and a well-known doctor were killed in the blast. Scores more were wounded, including the sports minister.

I rarely put up posts about Somalia as I consider it a complete lost cause but occasionally, it's a good reminder of the extent to which the islamists will resort.

These aren't humans. These are programmed messengers of Satan.

By the way, why don't all of you keep your eyes peeled for reactions across the world from muslim leaders and activists denouncing this attack. Please put into comments here all of the reactions of outrage you find from muslims in other countries - if we need more room in comments for all of the examples, I'll make more room.

Think we'll need it?

Suicide bomber kills 3 Somali ministers

Three government ministers and two reporters are among 19 Somalis who were killed in a Shabaab suicide attack in the capital of Mogadishu.
The suicide bomber, who was disguised as a woman, detonated his vest in the midst of a graduation for Somali medical students from Banadir University. The ceremony was being held at the Shamo Hotel, one of a handful of locations still under government control in Mogadishu. [See video below for scenes from the attack].
The ministers of health, education, and higher education, along with two reporters from Shabelle and Al Arabia, nine medical students, and a well-known doctor were killed in the blast. Scores more were wounded, including the sports minister.
Shabaab and its predecessor organization, the Islamic Courts, have conducted 19 suicide attacks since September 2006, when the first suicide attack was recorded in Somalia [see list below]. The latest three attacks have focused on senior leaders in the government and the African Union.
The last attack took place on Sept. 17, when suicide bombers penetrated security at an African Union base in Mogadishu and killed 21 people, including the deputy African Union commander and 16 other peacekeepers. One of the suicide bombers was later confirmed to be an American citizen recruited by Shabaab in Minneapolis. State Minister for Defense Sheikh Yusuf Mohammad Siad, who is better known as Indha'adde, sold intelligence to Shabaab that allowed the terror group to conduct the attack.
The June 18 suicide attack outside a hotel in Beletwein killed more than 35 people, including Somalia's security minister and a former ambassador.
Shabaab, al Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, has taken credit for the past attacks.
In late September, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader of Hizbul Islam, or the Party of Islam, called for more suicide attacks, during a sermon in the town of Elashabiyah just outside Mogadishu. Aweys has close links to al Qaeda and has been listed by the US Treasury Department as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Although Aweys and Hizbul Islam have been allied with Shabaab, the two groups have recently clashed over control of Kismayo and other towns in the South. The battles have resulted in the Shabaab takeover of much of southern Somalia. Some Hizbul Islam groups have defected to Shabaab, while some others have joined the government.
Both Shabaab and Hizbul Islam have been relentless in attacking African Union peacekeepers and Somali government forces stationed in the capital of Mogadishu. At present, the government and AMISOM control only a few enclaves in the city.
Outside of Mogadishu, the central government wields little control. Shabaab and Hizbul Islam currently control almost all of the southern and many of the central provinces of Lower Jubba, Middle Jubba, Lower Shabelle, Gedo, Bay, and Bakool.
The central Somali districts of Middle Shabelle, Hiran, and Galgadud are considered contested, with the government and allied Islamist groups in nominal control of some areas.
Not only do Shabaab and Hizbul Islam reject the African Union presence in Somalia, the groups also reject President Sharif and his faction of the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia - Djibouti for reconciling with the Somali government. From 2006 until early 2007, Sharif was the co-leader of the now-defunct Islamic Courts Union with Aweys.