[JURIST] The Somalia transitional government [official website] offered amnesty Tuesday to the former Islamic extremist group that controlled the capital of Mogadishu [JURIST report] last year. The declaration was announced hours after an assassination attempt [Reuters report] against presidential spokesman Hussein Mohamed Mahamud "Hubsired." The government announced that the move was intended to foster a sense of good will before its scheduled July 15 reconciliation talks with the Islamic Courts Party [BBC profile]. It has not yet been announced how many prisoners will be pardoned.

In January, the transitional government began imposing martial law [JURIST report] over areas under the government's control, two weeks after martial law was approved by parliament [JURIST report]. Somalia has suffered through an internal civil war and several failed peace talks since the collapse of civilian government in 1991. Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Ghedi [BBC profile] has survived three assassination attempts in recent months. AP has more.