Eritrea says arrests or kills suspects behind bomb
By Jonah Fisher
NAIROBI, June 4 (Reuters) – Eritrean authorities have killed or arrested “mercenaries” suspected of planting a bomb that killed five people and wounded 88 last week, a government official said on Friday.
The bomb exploded under a bus in the centre of the western town of Barentu as people took part in celebrations to commemorate 11 years of official independence from Ethiopia.
“Mercenaries responsible for the terrorist attacks in Barentu and other areas have been killed or arrested by security forces,” acting Minister of Information Ali Abdu Ahmed was quoted as saying on a state-owned Web site.
Ahmed said he would provide further details about the individual suspects soon but he accused Eritrea’s neighbours Ethiopia and Sudan of being behind the attack.
A statement that appeared on an Eritrean opposition Web site, however, claimed responsibility for the bomb in the name of the Eritrean National Alliance (ENA), an umbrella group of outlawed opposition parties based in Addis Ababa.
“The attack in Barentu was carried out neither by Ethiopia nor the Sudan,” said the statement, apparently from one of the group’s leaders, Osman Abubaker.
“Internal opposition cells within the Eritrean defence forces with close links to leaders of the opposition and especially to this organisation took the action.”
The ENA, formed in October 2002, announced in May 2003 its intention to attack strategic targets such as television and radio centres in Eritrea, where no opposition parties or private newspapers are allowed.
ENA officials were not immediately available for comment.
Africa’s youngest nation is burdened by a war-ravaged economy and recurrent drought. After a promising post-independence period, the last five years have been dominated by war with Ethiopia and increasing internal repression.
Eritrea says it foiled a number of other attacks planned around independence day on May 24.