Somaliland President Egal Speaks on Mysterious Bomb Blast
This UNCLASSIFIED Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) report, filed from Abidjan on 25 January 1996 and later approved for release by the CIA in March 1997, transcribes a BBC World Service 'Focus on Africa' radio interview between reporter Timothy Ecott and Mohamed Egal, leader of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. Egal recounts reports from nomadic populations of mysterious explosions that occurred in December 1995 in the remote eastern region of Somaliland. A four-man commission (two doctors, a veterinary doctor, and a minister) reportedly found animals in a 'demented' state and people suffering skin rashes, boils, stomach ailments, and unusual symptoms. Witnesses described a silent, supersonic explosion accompanied by a bright light in the air but no prior noise. News agencies reportedly attributed the blasts to UFOs or rocket tests. Egal explicitly rejects 'fantastic claims,' instead suggesting a missile was fired and exploded over Somaliland, and appeals to the US, British, and French governments — who monitor the world via reconnaissance — as well as the BBC and Reuters for information and assistance, stating none had yet responded. The document was disseminated to numerous US military, intelligence, and diplomatic addressees.
Description
An FBIS Abidjan transcript of a BBC World Service 'Focus on Africa' interview in which self-declared Somaliland leader Mohamed Egal describes mysterious explosions in eastern Somaliland in December 1995, reports of demented livestock and human skin ailments, and speculation ranging from UFOs to missile or rocket tests.
Claims
Egal rejected UFO claims and suggested a missile was fired and exploded over Somaliland, deliberately or inadvertently.
85%Egal appealed to US, British, and French governments and to the BBC and Reuters for information and help, but none had responded.
80%News agencies attributed the blasts to causes ranging from UFOs to rocket tests.
75%Mysterious explosions occurred in December 1995 in the remote eastern region of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
70%News agencies attributed the blasts variously to UFOs or rocket tests.
70%Mysterious explosions occurred in remote eastern Somaliland in December 1995.
70%Egal believes a missile exploded over Somaliland rather than a UFO, and that Western powers monitoring the world know what happened.
70%A commission found animals in a 'demented' state and people with skin rashes, peeling skin, boils and stomach ailments after the event.
60%The explosion was reportedly silent on approach, implying a supersonic object.
60%A four-man commission found animals in the area in a 'demented' state and residents suffering skin rashes, boils, and stomach ailments.
55%Witnesses reported a supersonic, silent explosion accompanied by a bright light in the air.
55%
Events
Nov 30, 1995
Mysterious explosions in eastern Somaliland
Silent, supersonic explosions with bright airborne light reportedly occurred in the remote eastern region of Somaliland; livestock left demented and residents suffered skin rashes, boils, and stomach ailments.
Jan 24, 1996
BBC 'Focus on Africa' interview with Egal
Timothy Ecott interviews Somaliland leader Mohamed Egal about the explosions on BBC World Service at 1705 GMT.
Jan 24, 1996
FBIS transcript filed
FBIS Abidjan transcribes and disseminates the interview (DTG 252238Z JAN 96).
Feb 28, 1997
CIA approval for release
Document marked 'Approved for Release Date MAR 1997.'
Jan 24, 1996
BBC World Service interview with Egal
'Focus on Africa' interview aired 1705 GMT in which Egal discusses the blasts and rejects UFO claims, suggesting a missile.
Jan 24, 1996
FBIS transcript disseminated
FBIS Abidjan transcribed and transmitted the interview (DTG 252238Z JAN 96) to US intelligence/military recipients.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Organizations
Places
Extracted text (OCR)
UNCLASSIFIED PAGE:0009 INQUIRE=D0C33D ITEM NO=00563722 DTG - 252238Z JAN 96 FROM FM FBIS ABIDJAN IV TO TO RUCWAAA/FBIS RESTON VA RHDLCNE/CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2// RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI RHIUFAA/CDR JPOTFSWA//AOCP-POG/ANALYST// RUCLBBA/USCENTAF SHAW AFB SC//A2// RUCLBMA/330SS EGLIN AFB FL//OSN// RUCMACC/CDR PSYOPGP FT BRAGG NC//ASOF-POG-SB// RUCQAAA/USCINCCENT INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL RUCWAAA/FBIS RESTON VA//POLCH// RUDHNIS/DIRNAVCRIMINVSERV WASHINGTON DC RUDHSIC/CDRUSASOIC WASH DC//DIS// RUDMQAN/MARCORINTACT DET QUANTICO VA RUDPMAX/FAISA FT BRAGG NC RUDPWDC/DA AMHS WASHINGTON DC RUEABND/DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMIN HQ WASHINGTON DC//POL// RUEAIIS/STORAGE CENTER FBIS RESTON VA RUEALGX/DEFINTAGNCY WASH DC — RUEBFGA/VOA WASHINGTON DC RUEDADA/AFISA AMHS BOLLING AFB DC RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI RUETIAV/MPC FT GEO G MEADE MD RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOAM// RUFQBBA/US SURVEY SEC SHAPE BE RUWTAEA/NAIC WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OH//TAI// CONTROLS UNCLAS 8B WARNING: ATTN CIFM SERIAL: AB2501223896 BODY COUNTRY: SOMALIA SUBJ: SOMALILAND PRESIDENT EGAL SPEAKS ON MYSTERIOUS BOMB BLAST SOURCE: LONDON BBC WORLD SERVICE IN ENGLISH 1705 GMT 25 JAN 96 TEXT: FROM THE "FOCUS ON AFRICA" PROGRAM FBIS TRANSCRIBED TEXT THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THIS WEEK OF MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSIONS IN THE REMOTE EASTERN REGION OF THE SELF- DECLARED REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND. THEY APPARENTLY OCCURRED IN DECEMBER, BUT BECAUSE OF THE REMOTE NATURE OF THE AREA HAVE BEEN SLOW COMING TO LIGHT. THE BLASTS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO VARIOUS CAUSES FROM UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS, UFO’S, TO ROCKET TESTS. WELL, SOMALILAND LEADER, MOHAMED EGAL, HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THE UNCLASSIFIED Approved for Release > Date MAR 1997 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE: 0010 MATTER. ON THE LINE TO HARGESA, TIMOTHY ECOTT ASKED HIM WHAT HE THOUGHT HAD BEEN GOING ON. BEGIN RECORDING EGAL WE HAVE THESE MYSTERIOUS REPORTS FROM OUR NOMADIC POPULATION THERE, AND THEN, I SENT A FOUR-MAN COMMISSION, TWO DOCTORS, A VETERAN DOCTOR, AND ONE MINISTER, AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED TO US A REPORT, WHICH IS VERY, VERY ALARMING. THEY SAID THAT THEY WENT THERE ALMOST A FORTNIGHT AFTER THIS THING HAS TAKEN PLACE AND THEY FOUND MOST OF THE ANIMALS IN THE AREA ARE STILL IN A SORT OF A DEMENTED STAGE. THEY WERE NOT GRAZING, THEY WERE JUST STAMPEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE. ECOTT YOU SAID THE ANIMALS WERE DEMENTED. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE? EGAL SOME OF THEM, WHO WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE AREA, HAVE GOT SKIN RASHES, AND SOME OF THEM ARE HAVING VERY, VERY BIG PROBLEM. THEY ARE ALMOST (?SHEDDING THEIR OUTER SKIN), THERE ARE WORDS INDISTINCT BOILS ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND SOME OF THEM ARE HAVING STOMACH ACHES, YOU KNOW, AND VERY UNUSUAL MOTIONS -- STOMACH MOTION -- AND A LOT OF SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. WE ARE SENDING BACK SOME DOCTORS TO ACTUALLY EVALUATE THE HUMAN DAMAGE AND THE ANIMAL DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE. ECOTT DID ANYONE GET AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF WHAT THIS EXPLOSION MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY? EGAL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, THE STORIES THEY TELL IS THAT THEY HEARD NO NOISE. APPARENTLY WHATEVER EXPLODED WAS MOVING AT A SUPERSONIC SPEED, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PRIOR NOISE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, THEY JUST HEARD A VERY, VERY, VERY LOUD EXPLOSION WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE AND THE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHT OF THE EXPLOSION IN THE AIR. THE AREA IS SO BIG THAT THEY | DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY OR THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE THE WHOLE GROUND AND TRY AND PICK UP ANY DEBRIS THAT MIGHT HAVE FALLEN. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. ECOTT WHATEVER YOUR AUTHORITY IS CLAIMING THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN, SOME OF THE NEWS AGENCIES ARE TALKING ABOUT UFO'S. EGAL NO, NO, NO, NO, WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY CLAIMS OF THAT OR ANY FANTASTIC CLAIMS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW. WHAT WE THINK HAPPENED Is THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MISSILE FIRED FROM SOMEWHERE, WHICH HAS EXPLODED EITHER DELIBERATELY OVER OUR COUNTRY OR WHETHER IT HAS EXPLODED INADVERTENTLY, WE CAN’T TELL. SO, WHAT WE ARE ASKING NOW, PEOPLE LIKE THE ENGLISH, AND FRENCH, AND ESPECIALLY THE AMERICANS WHO MONITOR THE WORLD, THEY MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW. THEY DEFINITELY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, THEY ARE MONITORING THE WHOLE WORLD, RECONNAISSANCE 24 HOURS A DAY, YOU KNOW. AND THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. IF IT WAS SADDAM HUSAYN WHO FIRED THE MISSILE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE HEADLINES ALL OVER THE WORLD. BUT APPARENTLY WHOEVER FIRED THE MISSILE IS STILL IN THE GOOD BOOKS OF THOSE WHO KNOW, AND THEY DON’T WANT TO PUBLICIZE IT. BUT WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO US SO THAT AT LEAST WE WILL KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT. ECOTT IS ANYBODY OFFERING YOU HELP TO INVESTIGATE AND TO LOOK AFTER THE PEOPLE YOU SAY HAVE BEEN INJURED? EGAL WELL, WE HAVE SENT IT -- YES -- TO THE AMERICAN EMBASSY, YOU KNOW. WE HAVE SENT IT TO THE BRITISH EMBASSY, WE HAVE SENT IT UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE: 0011 TO THE FRENCH EMBASSY, AND WE HAVE SENT TO THE BBC, AND TO THE REUTERS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW. NOBODY HAS YET RESPONDED, BUT WE HAVE MADE THE APPEAL AND WE ARE STILL MAKING IT. END RECORDING THIS REPORT MAY CONTAIN COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. COPYING AND DISSEMINATION IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNERS. UNCLASSIFIED
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