Muslims storm Police Headquarters over Leader’s arrest

KAMPALA
A group of Muslims stormed Police Headquarters in Naguru on Tuesday demanding the release of their leader and other members of their mosque who were arrested by the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Police.

The group of over 30 Muslims from Ntinda Mosque a Kampala suburb also demanded that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kale Kayihura reprimands Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander Andrew Felix Kawesi on issues surrounding the mosque.

Police arrested Sheikh Ismael Kalule at his home in Kiwatule and three others on Wednesday last week over allegations that he was in possession of two boxes of literature with instructions on how to make home-made explosives.

Sheikh Kalule was among the suspects arrested in connection with the twin bomb blasts in July 2010 but he was released after the DPP dropped charges against him. Kalule and his colleagues are still held at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka.

Police chief of operations, Grace Turyagumanawe met with the group and tried to calm them down but they stuck to the demand of meeting with the IGP.

“The reason they arrested our colleagues is not because they are terrorists but because of the issues of Ntinda Mosque. We have come here to see the IGP to tell us where we can report Afande Kawesi,” said Zulaika Kamara one of the aggrieved Muslims.

It took over 10 minutes to calm the Muslims down to listen Mr Kaweesi who came later to address them. He advised the group not to make uninformed demands and said that he was also not briefed about the operation that led to the arrest of Dr Kalule.

“For two days I did not have any knowledge of the arrest of the four people but what I know is the arrest of Dr Kalule is not in any way related to the issues surrounding the mosque.”

By press time, Kaweesi was still discussing with the Muslims However they were unable to meet the IGP who was holed up in a meeting the whole day