ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says technically at war with Somali Islamists and ready to defend his Country

Ethiopia is "technically" at war with Somalia's Islamists after their declarations of jihad against Addis Ababa, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Tuesday (October 24). The Ethiopian leader, in an interview with Reuters, also for the first time put a rough figure -- "a few hundred at most" -- on the number of armed military trainers controversially sent over the border to help Somalia's isolated interim government. "The indications we have so far is that the jihadist elements within the Islamist movement are spoiling for a fight. They have been declaring a jihad against Ethiopia almost every other week. We believe they have been preparing to carry out a terrorist outrage and they are close to our border. So the indications are not encouraging but we have been patient so far and will continue to be patient until and unless they attack us we will continue to be patient. "Technically we are at war because they have declared war against us on a number of occasions but we are trying to avoid a shooting war to the maximum extent possible and therefore as it were we are looking the other way in spite of these declarations. They will have to force us to fight and I think that can come if they physically attack us." Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said. Despite that, Addis Ababa was showing restraint over the Somali crisis and would only intervene if Ethiopian territory was threatened, he said. Ethiopia views the Mogadishu-based Islamists, who took a swathe of south Somalia in June, as led by terrorists. The Islamists say Ethiopia wants to control them and has sent thousands of troops across the border to back President Abdullahi Yusuf's government in the town of Baidoa. Diplomats fear the Somali crisis could spark a regional war as Ethiopia's foe Eritrea, is accused of arming the Islamists. Meles said Ethiopians in Somalia were only giving "elementary military training" to Yusuf's fledgling security force in line with international support for his government. Meles said he knew nothing about two Ethiopians the Islamists say they have held as "spies" and may execute in Mogadishu. The Islamists said on Tuesday (October 24) they had captured an Ethiopian soldier when fighting militia loyal to Somali Defence Minister Abdikadir Adan Shire Barre Hiraale in the southwest at the week-end and would "parade him to members of the press". Meles said there were "credible reports" from his and other intelligence services that radicals within the Islamists were preparing attacks around the region. The Yusuf government is the 14th attempt to restore central government since warlords' 1991 ousting of a dictator prompted a slide into anarchy.

ITN Source | October 25, 2006

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