7 Oct 2013

Raids show US determination in war on terror: Kerry

6:48 am on 7 October 2013

American secretary of state John Kerry says the weekend special forces raids on Libya and Somalia demonstrate his country's determination to hunt down those responsible for acts of terrorism.

Navy commandos attacked a house in southern Somalia, allegedly used by an al-Shabaab leader linked to the recent attack on the Westgate mall in Kenya.

Reuters reports that hours later, in the Libyan capital Tripoli, commandos seized an al-Qaeda leader, Anas al-Liby, who is wanted in connection with the attacks on the American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya 15 years ago.

Speaking from the APEC meeting in Bali, Mr Kerry said the United States would not relent in its war on terror.

Mr Kerry said America's view towards terrorists was that "they can run, but they can't hide."

The BBC reports that while the United States wants to pivot its strategic and economic focus away towards Asia, it is hard to pull away from "unfinished business".

The American government had offered a $US5 million reward for Anas al-Liby who was indicted for his alleged role in the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people.

A second raid, on the Somali town of Barawe, failed to capture a leader of the al-Shabaab group who was the raid's target.

The officials said a US Navy Seals team had targeted the man after approaching a villa in the southern town of Barawe by sea.

The raid was said to have been prompted by last month's attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Kenya, in which at least 67 people were killed during a four-day siege. Many more were injured after militants stormed the mall on 21 September.