Ethiopia Police Arrest 16 Terrorist Murder Suspects

Ethiopian police said on Monday they have arrested 16 people in connection with last year’s killing of 65 Ethiopian and nine Chinese oil workers at a petroleum exploration site in Abule in the eastern region of the country known as Ogaden.

The police said the arrested people are members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Al-Ithad group, which Ethiopia says is a “terrorist group”.

ONLF claims it is fighting for the independence of the Somali Ogaden region from Ethiopia while Al-Ithad supports ONLF militarily.

Al-Ithad has been responsible for a number of explosions in Ethiopian towns including Addis Ababa and other major towns, hotels and recreation centers during the past two years.

In the May 2007 grenade attack in Jijiga six people were killed and dozens injured.

Police said the 16 people were arrested in Addis Ababa and Jijiga in the past few days with the collaboration of the residents of the towns.

Source African Press Agency

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