Somali murder linked to "international terror": PM

BAIDOA, Somalia, July 29 (Reuters) The killers of a Somali minister had links with foreign terrorism networks seeking to foment chaos in the violence-plagued Horn of Africa nation, Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said today.

''Abdallah Deerow Isaq was killed by criminals linked to international terrorism,'' Gedi told reporters of the assassination of the constitution and federalism minister by gunmen outside a mosque after Friday prayers.

''It's unfortunate that some countries who we thought were our friends have united to destroy the transitional federal government.

Such countries include Libya, Egypt, Iran and Eritrea who together are fuelling terrorism in Somalia.'' At a news conference in Baidoa, the provincial seat of Somalia's interim government, Gedi gave no further details or evidence of his allegations of terrorism links.

But he appealed for international aid to rid Somalia and the Horn of Africa of extremists.

Although some of the suspects in yesterday's killing have been caught, others are still at large after fleeing to neighbouring regions within Somalia, Gedi said. ''The government will not tire of defending its citizens,'' he added.

REUTERS LL KN1641