Somali jihadists armed by Syria and Iran fought in Hizballah’s war against Israel. Iran is after Somali uranium

A United Nations 86-page report discloses that in mid-July, more than 720 combat-hardened fighters were personally selected by Aden Hashi Farah of the Somali Islamist front, some of whose leaders belong to al Qaeda, to fight in Lebanon in return for training and arms from Iran and Syria.
debkafile adds: This information was unknown to Israeli intelligence in the Lebanon war during which Israel blockaded Lebanon by sea, land and air.
At least 100 Somalis returned home by September accompanied by 5 Hizballah members, while others stayed in Lebanon for advanced training. Fighters were paid $2,000 for their services and $30,000 was awarded the families of those killed. Two Iranians are now in Dusa Mareb to discuss the exploration of uranium in exchange for arms for the Islamic Courts which has captured large parts of the country.
debkafile‘s military sources report that Israeli security is now seeking the route taken by the Somali fighters to Lebanon – possibly through Egyptian
Sinai and Gaza. Senior officials categorize the marriage of radical Iran, Syria- and Somali jihadis as a dangerous step that keeps pace with its nuclear aspirations. Tehran is using the same conventional warfare tactics against Israel as it employed to undermine US and British forces in Iraq to the detriment of the Bush administration.
Seen in obverse, the Iranian-Syrian-Hizballah penetration of Somalia closes another gap in the belt Iran-led radicals has tightened against Israel: the menacing Syrian-Hizballah presence in the north and northeast and Somalia, Sudan, Egyptian Sinai and the Gaza Strip in the south. The Palestinian Hamas, Jihad Islamic and Popular Resistance Committees have been proved with a logistic depth. But, taking the larger picture, Iran has posted a strategic threat to America’s interests in the Middle East and Horn of Africa, its sea lanes to the Persian Gulf and the rear of the US military presence in the Persian Gulf and Iraq.
Somalia is awash with weapons despite an arms embargo on the strife-torn country.
The three Iranian consignments last delivered to Somalia include a large quanity of land mines, 1000 machine guns, M-79 Katyusha rocket launchers and 45 anti-air missiles. On July 27, some 200 Somali fighters traveled to Syria for guerrilla training; Libya trained another 100 and forwarded a million dollars to cover their wages and Hizballah maintains in Somalia a military delegation for training the Islamic Courts fighters.
The UN report notes that among the eleven countries keeping Somalia supplied with arms, food, fuel and doctors, are American allies, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya and Djibouti.
Ethiopia, Uganda and Yemen are helping the transitional government based in Baidoa. A Security Council blockade on Somalia is recommended.