Ethiopia has been the target of international and local terrorism for quite sometime.  A quick glance at the history of the Horn of Africa in the 1990s should make this obvious.  Today, international terrorism is a clear and present danger to Ethiopia's national security.   Ethiopia's concern is not ideologically motivated.  The danger is real, concrete and palpable.  What is going on currently is a confrontation with international terrorism in which from the other side terrorists from 17 countries have been involved.  Ethiopia has the legitimate right to defend itself from this danger.

As this statement is being put out, this real and concrete struggle is being conducted against local and international terrorism in Somalia.  And it is still going on.  In the course of this confrontation, suspected international terrorists have been and are still being captured by the joint forces of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and Ethiopia.  Pursuant to a common understanding between Ethiopia and the TFG authorities some of those who have been captured have indeed been brought over to Ethiopia.  Their number is 41.

Almost all the states whose citizens are involved were notified in good time after the transfer to Ethiopia of the suspected terrorists.  The only exceptions are few individuals whose dual and multiple citizenship is under investigation.  Nothing has been done in secret.  All legal procedures are being followed, and the suspected terrorists have been allowed to appear before the relevant court of law, in this instance before the competent Military Court.  Twenty-nine of them have been slated to be released following the order of the Military Court to the military prosecutor for reasons of the detainees being non-essential or for having played only marginal role.  From among these, five have already been released.  These are from Tanzania, Sudan, Denmark, UAE and Sweden.  The rest of the remaining are also at the final stage of their release.  This would mean that there will be only 12 detainees left in Ethiopia.  These are awaiting their next appearance before the Court which will take place on April 13, 2007. 

Ethiopia, in fact, has tried to be as transparent and as non-secretive as possible in this matter.  All states who have approached Ethiopia claiming to possess expertise in these area have been allowed to render assistance in the investigation process.  But no expert from any country has been given the right or the opportunity to question the suspected terrorists without the presence of Ethiopian personnel.  As a result, Ethiopia can confirm that no detainee has been subjected to violation of his/her rights, to torture, to inhumane or to degrading treatment. 

The suspected terrorists have been subject to a process of investigation.  This has involved the separation of prisoners of war from those who are suspected of international terrorism.  Those found to have engaged in terrorism will be held accountable for their deeds in accordance with legal processes.  All this has been done meticulously and scrupulously in conformity with principles of humanitarian law.  Any claim to the contrary is pure fabrication and could be easily proven as such. 

This is being done while the war against international terrorism is still under way in Somalia.  Conditions in the real world are always murkier than the situation faced by those in an ivory tower.  And when those in the ivory tower seek to promote their own agenda under the cover of investigative journalism and the defense of human rights, the situation becomes destructive, even tragic.  A real and concrete struggle against international terrorism conducted in full compliance with the provisions of international humanitarian law, is made to look like a battle between protagonists, in which the terrorists become saintly and heroic and victims are derided.  This is not helpful in the fight against international terrorism.  It has to stop.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia     
           Ministry of Foreign Affairs

      April 9, 2007