President Ablaye Wade yesterday issued a stern statement expressing dismay at news reports about the arms trafficking charge leveled against Yaya Jammeh by non other that the Iranian authorities themselves. Najad Aleaddin Burujerdi, the head of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament was quoted as saying that "The arms shipment was indeed intended to Gambia." Burujerdi continued by stating that" An Iranian company has an agreement to sell arms to the Gambia a few years ago" and that "the container was then meant to be sent to The Gambia under international law."
This statement is a direct indictment of Yaya Jammeh's government and thus the accusatory finger being pointed at Jammeh result in the immediate despatch of the Senegalese Foreign Minister to Nigeria for discuss this serious issue with the Nigerian authorities.
According to reports, the Iranian government of Ahmadej is trying to distance themselves from the trafficking charge by blaming individual Iranian private citizens and their accomplices, some of whom have taken refuge in the Iranian Embassy in Abuja, as the culprits. Iran has pledged to keep Senegal informed of any development. Of course, nothing will re-assure the Senegalese authorities that their security is not being threatened by this cache of arms and ammunition comprising of deadly surface-to-air missiles, home-made type 105 mm Katoucher rockets, other offensive weapons including grenades and hundreds of AK-47s.
Senegal is now worried that some of these weapons have found their way into MFDC rebel hands since Yaya Jammeh seized power 16 years ago. It is an open secret that a faction of the MFDC has its rear base in the western portion of the Gambia near the home village of Jammeh where the consignment of deadly weapons were headed until intercepted by Nigerian customs office after being tipped off by security agents in Tehran.
Pre-emptive measures by Senegal has not been ruled out according to a source close to the Senegalese presidency.
A. Koroma
This statement is a direct indictment of Yaya Jammeh's government and thus the accusatory finger being pointed at Jammeh result in the immediate despatch of the Senegalese Foreign Minister to Nigeria for discuss this serious issue with the Nigerian authorities.
According to reports, the Iranian government of Ahmadej is trying to distance themselves from the trafficking charge by blaming individual Iranian private citizens and their accomplices, some of whom have taken refuge in the Iranian Embassy in Abuja, as the culprits. Iran has pledged to keep Senegal informed of any development. Of course, nothing will re-assure the Senegalese authorities that their security is not being threatened by this cache of arms and ammunition comprising of deadly surface-to-air missiles, home-made type 105 mm Katoucher rockets, other offensive weapons including grenades and hundreds of AK-47s.
Senegal is now worried that some of these weapons have found their way into MFDC rebel hands since Yaya Jammeh seized power 16 years ago. It is an open secret that a faction of the MFDC has its rear base in the western portion of the Gambia near the home village of Jammeh where the consignment of deadly weapons were headed until intercepted by Nigerian customs office after being tipped off by security agents in Tehran.
Pre-emptive measures by Senegal has not been ruled out according to a source close to the Senegalese presidency.
A. Koroma
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Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
http://www.toyinfalola.com/
www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa
http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs
http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
http://www.toyinfalola.com/
www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa
http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs
http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
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