Terrorists planning to strike churches, US warns Uganda
An injured person being evacuated after two explosions hit two buses in Nairobi on Sunday. The US governmnet has warned Uganda of impending attacks.
PHOTO BY AFP
What you need to know:
Alert. An alert by the US Embassy to its citizens in Uganda indicates that places of worship, especially those frequented by expatriates, are the key targets.
Kampala.
Terrorists are planning to hit Kampala this month or in June, an alert by the US Embassy to its citizens in Uganda indicates.
The alert, which was issued yesterday, says places of worship, especially those frequented by expatriates, are the key targets.
“The threat information indicates a group of attackers may be preparing to strike places of worship in Kampala, particularly churches, including some that may be frequented by expatriates, in May or June,” reads the alert, posted on the embassy website.
The message also advises American citizens to keep away from places of worship for at least two months. Churches have been the target of attacks by terrorists in Kenya and Nigeria in the recent past.
Mr Daniel Travis, the US embassy public affairs officer, said the terror threat is real and they have an obligation to inform their citizens.
The alert comes a day after this newspaper reported a new raft of measures for buses crossing Uganda’s borders and tourists, announced by the police in wake of terrorist attacks in Kenya. Terrorists last Sunday planted bombs on two buses in Nairobi, killing two people.
Meanwhile, the police have announced the arrest of a suspect thought to have been working with a Muslim cleric it detained last week.
Dr Ismail Kalule was arrested last week from his home in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb, where he was reportedly in possession of literature on how to manufacture bombs.
Mr Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, on Tuesday said the new suspect was associated with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
“The person in custody has been driving ADF rebels into Uganda. These rebels were left with no areas to run to after they were attacked by the Congolese forces. Right now, the ADF rebels are slowly coming back to Uganda,” Mr Enanga said.
Police on Monday night also carried out an operation, arresting 86 people at Arua Park. “We got intelligence information of wrong elements linked to Nairobi attacks hanging around Arua Park. Police swung into action rounding-up 86 suspects,” Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango told the Daily Monitor on Tuesday.
