Brit wanted to join al-Qaeda but wanted none 'of the violent stuff'

Somali police are holding Clive Dennis, 45, from London, on suspicion of entering the country illegally and plotting to join Islamic radicals waging a war to control the country according to a strict interpretation of Islam.

But during a press conference yesterday, during which he chain-smoked, the dreadlocked Mr Dennis said he had heard that al-Shabaab were "the best Muslims" and that he wanted to "hang-out" with them.

"I wanted to join them, not for any of the violent stuff, but just to relax there," he said.

"I agreed to join them, and I was trying to find the way. I didn't know that Mogadishu was not Kismayo, I thought that there would be a plane I could catch there directly."

Having been convicted of an unspecified but "minor" crime in Britain, Mr Dennis said he "can't get a normal life there in London", and that he could not find a job. (...)