SPECIAL: Kids win AK-47, grenades from Islamic radio station

Islam may sometimes be peaceful, but not in al-Shabab controlled Somalia. A radio station has held a contest for children and awarded weapons as prizes. For the third year in a row.

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (Catholic Online) - The radio station, with strong ties to  al-Shabab, a close al Qaeda ally in the region, held a Koran recitation contest for children between the ages of 10 and 17. Winners were given AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and cash.

According to reports, first place was awarded an AK-47 and $700, second an AK-47 and $500, and third, two grenades and $400.  The children were also given religious textbooks.

The rebel group posted pictures of the children being given prizes on an affiliated website.

Al-Shabab is a militant Islamic organization that is currently rebelling against the government in Mogadishu. The central Somali government cannot control the rebels, and is barely able to control the capital city. It is relying on international military and humanitarian aid to remain in power and to feed and sustain the millions of people who are being affected by one of the worst famines in the region's history. 

Capitalizing on this weakness, the al-Shabab rebels are recruiting children in their efforts to overthrow the government and establish a militant Islamic state. The group's warlords routinely terrorize the people in regions which they dominate, even denying access to western aid officials, thus stopping shipments of life-saving food and medicine to the people they claim to support.

An al-Shabab spokesman at the awards ceremony told everyone in attendance that the group would continue handing out weapons and enlisting children to fight the war. He explained that the prizes are intended to show people that children should have the Koran in one hand and a weapon in the other, to defend Islam. Sources say this is the third year in a row the contest has been held and deadly weapons awarded to children. 

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