| Somaliland police arrest mosque preacher 4 Apr 4, 2009 - 3:06:25 PM |
HARGEISA, Apr 4 (Garowe Online) - Authorities in Somaliland arrested a mosque leader on Friday night.
Sheikh Abdullahi Mohamud "Tusbah-weyne" was detained at 10pm local time in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, relatives said.
It is not clear why Sheikh Abdullahi Tusbah-weyne was arrested, but he is the imam (preacher) of the main mosque in Hargeisa's Ahmed Dhagah district.
Relatives of the detained sheikh said they believe he was arrested due to a Friday sermon, whereby he spoke at length about strengthening the peace and commented on the ongoing political crisis in Somaliland.
Unconfirmed reports said Somaliland government officials who prayed at that mosque on Friday were "unsatisfied" with Sheikh Abdullahi Tusbah-weyne's comments on the political crisis.
He is currently being held at the central police station in Hargeisa, according to relatives.
Mosques in Hargeisa have spent recent days preaching about peace in light of the ongoing political crisis, which has deeply divided the breakaway region.
Somaliland President Dahir Riyale is under growing pressure after opposition leader Ahmed Silanyo threatened not to recognize Riyale's government after April 6, 2009.
Last week, Somaliland's upper house of parliament, the House of Guurti, voted to give President Riyale's administration a six-month extension period and delay the presidential election for a second time until Oct. 2009.
The move angered opposition parties Kulmiye and UCID, while damaging Somaliland's democratic ambitions.
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