"We shocked when we heard the arbitrary closure of the independent websites and leaving the websites that Al-Shabaab uses as a tool to radicalize youth at the same time," said Abdullahi Jama Kobaweyne, a member of the Somali Federal Parliament.

Companies told  Somali authorities that they can block independent websites but not the Al-Shabaab owned websites. 

Abdirizak Omar, Minister for Security and head of the Somali Intelligence Abdirahman Tuuryare contributed a  directive ordering the closure of  a list of sites including Waagacusub Media, Kacaan.com, Raadraac.net and Curubo.com to the company that provides internet services.

Dahir Alasow, investigative journalist and founder of the Waagacusub Media has expressed concerns about the tactics used by the Somali government to stifle media freedom, citing arbitrary closure of  websites which investigated and exposed high-profile corruption scandals, gang-rapes, and human rights abuses, and acts as well as physical assaults against critical journalists.

"The main target was blocking the Waagacusub Media because a company that finances Al-Shabaab paid enough money for closing the site", Mr Alasow said, without elaborating. 

Waagacusub Media was the first site that accurately reported the terrorist attack on the Somali jet ,Daallo Airlines and presented a video footage which aired on CNN. The report was eventually read in front of the Federal parliament by the intelligence agency. 

Somalia's Chief Justice Aideed ilko Hanaf  called it "an act of injustice and authoritarianism" for the closure of the independent websites without legal procedures ."

"We did not receive any complaint in regard of the websites", he added.   

Meanwhile,  deputy Attorney General Dr Mukhtar Nur in his part said "The shutdown of the websites is unfair and careless act,"

However, the closure of the independent websites comes only few weeks after the federal President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud ordered to be closed Waagacusub Media.

By Ahmed Abdi