Somalia: Trouble in Islam-o-paradise

Islamic Courts Chief confirms split with al Shabaab

The former executive head of Somalia's Union of Islamic Courts, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has declared that a group of militants associated with the al-Shabaab guerrillas have withdrawn from his organization.

Sheikh Sharif, who now lives in Eritrea, told the Voice of America's Somali-language service during a Thursday that "part of al-Shabaab" withdrew from the Islamic Courts.

Good. Divide and conquer.