August 9, 2011: A UN investigation into recent terrorist plots against AU (African Union) leaders has revealed that Eritrea was providing support for Islamic terror groups via Eritrean embassies. In particular, UN investigators found evidence of Eritrean support for an aborted terror attack on an AU summit meeting in Ethiopia this past January.

Eritrea is run by a paranoid dictator who has obtained support from Iran against all his real or imagined enemies. This has made Eritrea a base area for Islamic terror groups throughout the region. Eritrea, which supports anyone opposed to Ethiopia, has, for example, financed a move of Somali Ethiopian rebels (from the border province of Ogaden) into Somaliland. But local militias halted and surrounded most of the invaders. Captured rebels admitted the Eritrean connection, as did captured material (currency and documents).

This Eritrean support for terrorism has been going on for most of the decade, and has been known, or suspected, for some time. Two years ago, the UN felt there was sufficient evidence to impose sanctions. But these have not slowed down Eritrea much. But at least now everyone knows, and there’s little doubt about what’s going on there. Eritrea, of course, denies everything.