Either irish radio prizes suck or Somalia is crazy

danniemcq · 21-09-2011 8:16am #1

AK-47 first prize in Somali radio competition for children
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AN ISLAMIST-BACKED radio station in Somalia has awarded assault rifles and hand grenades to the winners of a children’s Koran recital competition.

Andalus radio, run by the al-Shabab rebel militia, said the first prize was an AK-47 and £450 (€517). The runner-up received an AK-47 and £320, while the child who came third received two F1 hand grenades and £250. The three children also received religious books.

Pictures of the senior Islamist leader and spokesman Sheikh Mukhtar Robow presenting the awards in Elasha Biyaha, about 20km from Mogadishu, were posted on a rebel-affiliated website.

Al-Shabab controls much of southern Somalia and is trying to overthrow the transitional government in Mogadishu. The group, designated a terrorist organisation by several western governments, has links to al-Qaeda and practises an extreme version of Islam.

In certain areas al-Shabab leaders have banned musical mobile phone ringtones, films, football broadcasts, dancing at weddings and even shop signs written in English or Somali rather than in Arabic. Punishments for infringements include double amputations and stonings. The rebels have also systematically recruited children under 15 to fight for them, according to Amnesty International.

The Koran recital contest has been running for three years and takes place after Ramadan. The two previous award ceremonies have occurred in Kismayo, an al-Shabab stronghold on the far southern coast. In 2009, prizes included hand grenades, anti-tank mines and an AK-47. The winners of that contest were between 17 and 20 years of age.

The precise ages of the winners of this year’s competition are not known. Radio Andalus takes it name from Andalusia in southern Spain, part of successive Islamic caliphates between the eighth and 15th centuries. – ( Guardian service)

TLDR version

somalian radio has given AK-47s and other weapons to children/young adults as prizes for koran recitals.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0921/1224304484210.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/world/africa/shabab-gives-unusual-prizes-for-somali-children-in-contest.html

Dravokivich · 21-09-2011 8:17am

Both are correct.

Remember "Risk it or Biscuit?"

Monty Burnz · 21-09-2011 8:25am

In this country, kids wouldn't be trusted with a bobble head Ray as it may have small parts they could swallow. Those Somalis are WHACK - to the MAX*.

*I'm trying to rescue this expression from extinction in the wild.