Somalia's Spy Chief and Deputy Chief of Staff in trouble over radio raid

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Director of National Intelligence Security Agency [NISA] Fahad Yasin has been dragged to the recent outright violation of media freedoms, in a move that would see him battle in court for the sake of clearance of his reputation.

A Mogadishu-based law firm; Heegan, has filed a lawsuit implicating the controversial and daring spy chief in the raid targeting independent media, Mustaqbal Media, which left a number of equipment destroyed besides having top officials arrested.

The station is one of few independent media stations in the Horn of Africa nation, whose attitude towards media freedoms has often been questioned, with Amnesty International ranking it as one of the countries where it's difficult to work as a journalist.

In a detailed lawsuit, Heegan law firm said it attained enough evidence to warrant prosecution of NISA boss Fahad Yasin, whose record towards journalists and opposition politicians has often been criticized. In fact, last year, a host of opposition politicians demanded his resignation.

Also in the mix is former Villa Somalia Director of Communication Abdinur Mohamed, who currently works as Deputy Chief of Staff in the presidency. Abdinur, along with Fahad Yasin, is accused of conspiring with security forces to order a raid at the station.

The station was victimized by a live broadcast of protests and a security forces clash in Mogadishu, which left four people dead. A section of SNA soldiers supporting the opposition had seized several parts of the capital city, forcing a counterattack from those loyal to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

Already, the mutineers have left the capital to their bases in Middle Shebelle and parts of Lower Shabelle where they are stationed. A committee picked by Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had recommended their evacuation from Mogadishu without victimization.

The two government operatives are yet to respond to the latest accusations over their conduct during the material day. But Yasin, a former Al-Jazeera journalist, is viewed as "Mr. Fix It" of outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, whose term expired on Feb 8.

During World Media Freedoms Day on May 3, Farmajo met a number of media owners and journalists in Villa Somalia where he pledged to find out the motive of the attack against Mustaqbal Media. But in Somalia, the judicial system is almost dysfunctional, a state that could jeopardize the case.

GAROWE ONLINE