Three Ugandans held in Mozambique over terrorism
Police in Mozambique are holding three Ugandans suspected to be connected to an "Islamic terror" group.
According to a highly-placed police source, the suspects were arrested in Mocimboa da Praia District in Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique in January this year.
The Mozambican government reportedly communicated to President Yoweri Museveni about the arrest of three Ugandans through the External Security Organisation (ESO).
"The three Ugandans are part of the membership of the Usafi Mosque, which was raided three weeks ago. ESO is coordinating with Mozambique on the matter," the source said.
The source said that one of the suspects disappeared from his home in Mutundwe, a Kampala suburb together with his two children on December 29, 2017.
His mother, Afusa Namujuzi said in an earlier interview that her son left together with his 12-year- old daughter and her 13-year-old sibling.
The family discovered later that Ssenono abandoned the children at Usafi Mosque and disappeared without any trace.
"I filed a missing person's case at Mutundwe Police Station. I was sent me to Old Kampala Police Station and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) but didn't get any help," Ms Namujuzi said.
The identities of the remaining suspects are unknown as both the Mozambican Police and security officials in Uganda are tight-lipped about the operation, which they describe as classified.
The Deputy Government Spokesperson, Col Shaban Bantariza declined to comment on the matter and referred this reporter to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Ms Margaret Kafeero, the Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said she hadn't been briefed on the matter.
"I have not been briefed on that but you know if it is a classified operation then it's possible for security services that side [in Mozambique] to work with ESO without telling us," she said.
The Director General of the ESO, Mr Joseph Okello Ocwet couldn't be reached for comment since he failed to pick repeated telephone calls.
Information obtained from different online publications indicates that Mozambique police have been running operations against Islamic Fundamentalists since October 2017 when one of their police stations was attacked.
More than 98 people have been arrested and several guns recovered. Some of the suspects were allegedly found using mosques as their training grounds.
In April 2018, media outlets in Mozambique published stories detailing how ISIS fighters had infiltrated the northern part of the country and made their way to the port of Nacala.
