United States Court of Appeals FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

No. 03-1135

Said H. Omar, Petitioner, v. John Ashcroft, Attorney General of the United States, Respondent.

Submitted: January 7, 2004

Filed: January 16, 2004

Before BYE, BOWMAN, and MELLOY, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

Somali native Said H. Omar petitions for review of an order of the Board of Immigration Appeals, which affirmed an Immigration JudgeÂ’s denial of OmarÂ’s application for asylum, withholding of removal, relief under the Convention Against Torture, and voluntary departure. After careful review of the record, we deny the petition, because the evidence does not compel reversal. See Navarijo-Barrios v. Ashcroft, 322 F.3d 561, 562 (8th Cir. 2003) (court is obligated to affirm unless asylum applicant shows that evidence not only supports reversal but compels it).

Among other things, we find that the Immigration Judge articulated specific, cogent reasons why he believed that Omar§ 208.16(c)(2) (2003); Francois v. INS, 283 F.3d 926, 932-33 (8th Cir. 2002).

Accordingly, we deny the petition.

Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals

[UNPUBLISHED]