Addis Ababa — Ethiopian authorities have downplayed the 'reliable terrorist attack risk' at the forthcoming African Union (AU) summit later this week in Addis Ababa, notified by western countries.
Ethiopia's Foreign ministry's spokesperson Ambassador Dina Muftui told the Nation that the country was aware of the risk but it was not beyond the control of the government.
"It is not such imminent and Ethiopian security have contained possible threats and its security forces are working to ensure safety. There is a threat and we are aware of it but it's a bit exaggerated by western countries," Amb. Dina said.
He added, "Our region is always prone to terrorist attack and it's not such a surprise for such kind of alert"
Several western governments have warned their citizens in Ethiopia of credible threats of terrorist bomb attacks during the AU summit.
Australia's Foreign ministry issued a serious security alert for Ethiopia on its website. Other western embassies in Addis Ababa including United States and Britain have also sent out a warning.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, UN chief Ban-Ki Moon and more than 30 African head of states are expected to attend the summit in Addis Ababa this week.
Ethiopia has blamed its arch-foe Eritrea for a move to discredit Ethiopia's ability to host the summit.
A week ago, Ethiopian security forces arrested seven individuals who are allegedly trained in Eritrea and a member of Ethiopian rebels in Ogaden (Somali) region of Eastern Ethiopia.
The Somali extremist group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for twin suicide bomb attacks in the Ugandan capital, Kampala last July, weeks before the city hosted the last AU summit.
More than 70 people were killed in the blasts, which struck two public viewing centres during the World Cup soccer finals.
Ethiopian government has installed tight security all over the city in Addis Ababa, including public places surrounding of the city.
Comments Post a comment
AS YOU CAN SEE TIMRS ARE CHANGEING WEVE WITNESSED A REVOLUTION IN TUNISIA WERE WITNESSING A REVOLUTION IN EGYPT ALL RADICAL GROUPS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHATS TRANSPIRING IN AFRICA;TO UPSET THE APPLE CART NOW WOULD BE A PLUS FOR THE WEST WHO DOES NOT WANT TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN AFRICA .AFRICA NEEDS TO UNITE THEIR IS NO QUESTION.IF THESE ISMAMIST REVOLUTIONARIES CANT SEE THAT A STRONG AND POWERFUL CONTINENT IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD .THIS IS CHANGE BROTHERS GET ON BOARD TRY A NEW WAY WE AS A PEOPLE A UNITED AFRICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT ALLOW PEPPETS TO GUIDE AFRICA IN ANY FORM THATS IMPOSSIBLE THIS REVOLUTION IS SELF WILL WE WANT AFRICANS TO MANGE AFRICA .AFRICANS AND ONLY AFRICANS MAKEING ALL DESICIONS THAT AFFECT THE CONTINENT EW WANT ACONSTITUTION THAT IN PART HAS ACOHESIVE MANDATE THAT THE ENTIRE CONTINENT IS A SIGANTUERE TO.THIS HAS TO BE VISIONARY CHANGE .THE WEST WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROP UP DICTATORS WHILE ALL ITS IN HABITAANT LIVE IN MISERY AND DEGREDATION. IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CONTINENT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE TO KILL EACH OTHER TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE POLITICAL AFFILIATION,THATS TOTALLY UN ACCEPTABLE.THE PEOPLE NEED TRONG AFRICAN UNION WHER ALL THE MILITYARY IS INTEGRATED WITH AFRICAN GENRAL SCREATING A HIARCHY CHIEFS OF STAFF VOTED ON BY MERIT BY YOUR PEERS.THIS SHOULD HAVE ITS LOYALTY STRICTLY TO THE DEFENSE AND PROTECTION OF THE ENTIRE CONTINENT.THIS WILL IN SURE THAT NO MEMBERSTATE CAN USE THE MILITARY FOR DICTATORSHIP PURPOSSES. ATRONG FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE TOTAL ENSHRINEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE.WHATS NEEDED IS ACONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT GURANTEES ALL AFRICAS FRE AND INDEPENT THINKING.IF ANY ONE NOTICES FREE DUMB IS NOT INCLUDE IN THIS VOCABULARY; FREEWIZE ,WISE NESS WIS DUMB NEVR,THIS IS VERY ATYTAINABLE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME; THESE OBJECTIVES HAVE TI BE ACHIEVED TO GUARANTEE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE CONTUNNENT HAVE THESE GOD GIVEN RIGHTS.WE NEED NOT BE JUDGE BY A PEOPLE WHO AHS CONTRLLED OUR DESTINY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND IT HAS BEEN A COMPLETE FAILURE AFRICANS HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED COMPLETELY THE MAJORITY OF AFRICANS LIVE IN SLUMS AN ABJECT POVERTY THERE IS VAS UNEMPLOYMENT.THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERINGBEYOND SCOPE FROM ALL THINGS INFERIOR; THIS CONTINENT IS IN DENIAL THIS NOW IS THE TIME TO DISCHARGE YOURSELVES FROM AN UNSRCRUPULOUS ,RECKLES AGENDAS THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT ITS PEOPLE ALL TO BENEFIT WESTERN ECOMIST.FIRST OF ALL WITH AFRICAS UNITED MARKETS AND COMMODITTIES THE FINANCIAL IM BALANCE WOULD ACTUALLY PROPELL THE CONTINENT TO SUPER POWER STATUS FINANCIALLY.AGAIN YOU CAN IMPLEMENT GREENTECHNOLOGY CREATE INTERAFRICAN TRADE WICH WOULD SPEARHEAD FAST DEVELOPMENT HUGE AMMOUNTS OF JOBSON THE CONTINENT FOR ALL AFRICANS.ONE VOICE IN WORLD POLITICS AND MOSTLY BE A CHAMPION OF TRUE CIVILITY MORALLITY AN HUMANITY.LET US HELP,THE WORLD HEAL ITS QUITE CLEAR THAT WEDTERN PHILOSOPHY IS CORRUPT THEYRE MILITARISTIC THEYRE RASCIST THEYRE SEGREGATIONIS THEYRE BIAS AND UNGODLYWHY I SAY THAT THEY SPEAK WIT FORK TONGUE.LIAR COMES TO MIND/THEIR SUPERIOR AGRESSIVE MENTALITY CANT BE ACCEPTED.THIS BLOODTHIRSTINESS HOW CANIT GO ON.WHEN PEOPLE DEMONSTRATE AND CRY OUT FOR FREEWISE THEY SAY ITS CHAOS.LOK IN EGYPT AT THE BRUTALITY OF YOUR COLLEAGUE SAT SOMETHING.AFRICA NEEDSSELF IDEPENDETS ;THERE IS WAR RAGEING ALL OVER THE PLANET ALL FOR THESE CORRUPT IDEALS THESE BEHAVIOURS MUST CEASE.IF YOU BE COME REVOLUTIONARY THEY WILL SPONSOR THESE TERRORIST THIS THE PROBLEM OF THESE DISPICABLE DECEIVERS STAND FIRM IF THESE AFRICANS CAN STAND FIRM IN ADVERSITY WHILE THE WEST WHO HAS CONSPIRED FOR DECADES TO DESTABLE THE CONTINENT IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS RISE AND AWAKEN.DONT GIVE IN TO TYRANNY. AFRICA NEEDS GREAT AN DYNAMIC VISIONARY MANS THIS SUMMIT IS A CROSS ROADS IN AFRICAN HISTORY POWER TO THE PEOPLE.ANOTHER AGENDA SEEK UNITY DISTANCE YOURSELVE FROM THHE ICC AND THE UN THE INTENT FOR THIS ORGANISATION WHOSE CONCERPT WAS HAILE SELSSIE I IS IN NO MEANS THE PATH OF HIS LEGACY. HE SUGGESTED THIS LEAGUE OF NATIONS TO PRVENT TYRANY FASCISM DICTATORSHIPS AND UNIVERSAL SUFFERING HE DECREED THAT ALL MAN ARE EQUAL AND NO MAN HAS ANY RIGHT TO SUBJUGATE ANY MAN. ITS ALSO TIME TO REDINE BORDERS ITS TIME FOR EGYPT TO COME HOME TO AFRICA PROPPER ASLONG AS THE WST CONTINUES TO CALL IT MIDDLEEAST STATE AND ARAB WORLD THESE ARE PROPAGANDA STAEMENTS CODE WORDS USED TO KEEP AFRICA DEVIDED.EGYPT HAS BEEN A HAS ALWAYS RECOG NISED AFRICAN HERITAGE ALONG WITH ITS COMMONALITY WITH ARABIC BUT HERE ARE NUMEROUS LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN AFRICA INCLUDEING ENLISH AND THIS CERTAINLY IS NOT THE ENGLISH WORLD. LETS MOVE FORWARD FOR AFRICAN PROGRESS UNITY IS NOT A QUESTION FEDRAL AND STATE ELEC TIONS HAS TO BECOME A PRORITY FOR THIS GREAT AFRICAN CONTINENT GOD PROTECT AND GIVE YOU VISION INSPIRATION AND WISENESS AFRICA FORWARD AND NEVERLOOK BACK