Somali Sports Officials Killed in Blast

The head of the Somalia Olympic Committee and the country’s head of soccer were killed in a bomb blast in Mogadishu, it was reported.
Somali Sports Officials Killed in Blast
4/4/2012
Updated:
4/4/2012

The head of the Somalia Olympic Committee and the country’s head of soccer were killed in a bomb blast in Mogadishu, it was reported.

Two other people were killed in the explosion, which took place at a sporting event in the capital, reported AFP. The perpetrator of the attack was a female suicide bomber.

“There are four dead, including the president of the Olympic committee and the president of the football federation,” Abdirahman Omar Osman, a spokesperson with the Somalia prime minister’s office, told AFP.

The al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesperson, told Sky TV, “We targeted the infidel ministers and legislators, and they were the casualties of today.”

Salah Jimale, a witness, said the attack took place “as musicians were singing and spectators were clapping for them,” reported Sky TV.

“Huge smoke made the whole scene go dark. People screamed and soldiers suddenly started opening fire at the gate. Some wounded people escaped and ran away,” Jimale added.