Ethiopia says holding 41 terrorism suspects

April 9, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia said on Monday it was holding 41 prisoners of 17 nationalities arrested in Somalia and suspected of terrorism.

“Today, international terrorism is a clear and present danger to Ethiopia’s national security,” a foreign ministry statement said.

Almost all states whose citizens were arrested had been notified “in good time” after the transfer to Ethiopia, it said.

The exceptions were “a few individuals” whose dual or multiple citizenship was being investigated.

The suspects had appeared before Ethiopia’s military court which had ruled that 29 were to be released because they played “only a marginal role”.

Five, from Tanzania, Sudan, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates and from Sweden, had already been let go.

The New York-based group Human Rights Watch has accused Ethiopia of running a covert program detaining foreign Islamists, with support from Kenya, the United States and Somalia’s transitional government.

(AFP)