Insight with Hussein Aideed - Somalia at the Crossroads

20/07/2007 - Once an enthusiastic backer of the Ethiopian presence in Somalia and American attacks on the Islamic Courts fighters, Somali Deputy Prime Minister talks to Juliana Rufus about the reasons he split from the current government to form an alliance with the Islamic Courts in Eritrea.

Former warlord, Hussein Aideed cuts a controversial figure.

He is the son of the late General Mohamed Farah Aideed, who US forces vainly tried to capture in 1993 after he helped remove President Siad Barre from power.

Amid preparations for the peace talks which are scheduled to take place this week, Hussein Aideed talks about his reasons for not participating.

Moderated by Juliana Rufus - Al Jazeera current affairs reporter. Rufus has worked as a consultant to the UN Security Council investigating illegal arms trade into Somalia.