Somali leader escapes suicide bomb

Four die in explosion at theatre triggered by woman in audience

NAIROBI/ MOGADISHU – Somalia’s prime minister narrowly escaped assassination Wednesday when a female suicide bomber carried out an attack at the country’s National Theatre, killing herself and the country’s two most senior sports officials.

The explosion happened as the prime minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, took to the podium at a ceremony in the capital, Mogadishu, to celebrate the first anniversary of the launch of a national satellite television station.

He and other senior officials from the Western-backed transitional government escaped unharmed or with only minor injuries, despite being the targets of an attack orchestrated by al-shabaab, Somalia’s jihadists linked to al-qaida.

However, four people watching from the 200-strong crowd were killed, including the heads of Somalia’s Olympic committee and its football federation, and a well-known female playwright.

There had been growing confidence in Mogadishu that the expulsion of al-shabaab from the capital last year had led to the beginning of a return to normal life.

Three weeks ago, the reopening of the National Theatre for its first performance after 20 years of war was a strong symbol of that change. But the building was turned into a scene of carnage Wednesday.

Sa’dia Mohamed Hassan was sitting three rows behind the suicide bomber, who was only three rows behind the prime minister.

“We suspected her because she came with no ID and no invitation, but at first she refused to allow the police to check her,” said Hassan, a television journalist. “When they pointed their guns at her, she lifted her long gown a bit, and nothing was seen, and the police allowed her to sit.”

As the prime minister stood to speak, the woman became “busy, looking down, her hands inside her gown” and then “she stood up one more time and exploded,” said Hassan.

An investigation has begun into how the woman evaded security checks, and why she was not properly searched.