al Qaeda connected Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, the leader of the radical Islamic Courts in Somalia is “prepared to talk peace” as talks between the ICU and the Transitional Government. The ICU has suspended “all trade and public transportation during prayer times.” The autonomous region of Puntland is beginning to arrest ICU friendly Islamist clerics. Africa is viewed by many experts as the “next big battleground” against al Qaeda, and Washington is considering creating an African command structure. An unnamed intelligence source indicates the ICU and the Algerian GSPC are enemies number 1 and 2, respectively.
