Somali militia bans snack as anti-Islamic

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MOGADISHU, Somalia, July 26 (UPI) -- The Somali Muslim extremist militia al-Shabaab has banned triangular pastries as Christian symbols, residents of the famine-wracked country said Tuesday.

Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper, quoting residents of Mogadishu and a nearby town, reports that al-Shabaab trucks with loudspeakers announced the ban on samosas, pastries stuffed with minced meats and vegetables. The witnesses speculated their three-cornered shape suggested the Trinity.

The militants already have outlawed watching sports on TV and playing music on the radio.

Mohamed Omar Geddi, a member of the Somali Parliament, accused al-Shabaab Tuesday of blocking desperately needed humanitarian aid from the country, where the United Nations has declared a famine.

Geddi said international aid is available but is being prevented from getting through, the Shabelle Media Network reported.