Terrorists want to hit Uganda, police warn

Miracle Center Cathedral lead Pastor Robert Kayanja (maroonish red shirt) interacts with security people after bomb disposal experts detonated an explosive that targeted believers at his church in Kampala on September 3, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA 

New Content Item (7)

By  DAVID VOSH AJUNA

What you need to know:

  • Police are looking for 3 more bombs in the hands of apparent terrorists on a mission to hit Uganda. 
  • A suspected suicide bomber sought to conceal the identity of a bomb by smearing it with food-like powder as terrorists targeted churches on Sunday. 

Police have detained 28-year-old Ibrahim Kintu as a suspected suicide bomber after bomb disposal experts found a deadly explosive placed near a mega born-again church belonging to Pastor Robert Kayanja in Kampala on Sunday.

“Our technology confirmed that there was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the bag,” said Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango.

Mid-morning Sunday, the bombsite was placed under police cordon- and the explosive controllably detonated.

Related

“We’re now trying to analyze what was in the IED. It was in a food flask, and they had used nails, a detonator, a battery of a motorcycle which was the charger and a phone which was supposed to be the switch,” Onyango explained.   

A member of the police bomb disposal experts prepares to detonate an explosive that targeted believers at Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala on September 3, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA 

Terror suspect Kintu, who allegedly wanted to blow himself up, sought to conceal the identity of a bomb by smearing it with food-like powder as terrorists targeted churches in Uganda’s capital on Sunday, according to police.

“They had put powder which if you’re checking, you’d think it was rice or posho and then easily allow him to enter with it. We’re still trying to look for the sim card which might have gotten lost during the controlled detonation,” Onyango explained.

Onyango revealed that “security agencies have been picking intelligence that there are terrorists who are still interested in hitting us” with the latest attempt on Sunday.  

“We got information that one terrorist had already been sent to carry out a mission. We had also put our intelligences in other places of worship but we picked this one which was more active. Police followed him and he was arrested,” he noted.

Police say Kintu is helping Ugandan authorities to locate at least three more explosives in the hands of apparent terrorists on a mission to harm worshippers.

“We interacted with him and he said they had sent them with four (bombs). He is in our custody, facing charges related to terrorism,” Onyango told journalists on Sunday.

A general view of people, mostly devotees of Miracle Center Cathedral, gather near a bombsite around the church on September 3, 2023 in Kampala. Sunday praer services were held at the church amidst a bomb-scare. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA

Early July 2023, the United Kingdom (UK) warned that terrorists were very likely to try to carry out attacks in Uganda in an updated travel advisory.

“It is not something we are used to but this is not a hoax. The bomb would have brought down the whole church. If there was no vigilance today, we would probably be mourning. I appeal to Ugandans to be vigilant,” Pastor Kayanja urged masses on Sunday from his Miracle Centre Cathedral in Rubaga.

More pictures: 

A member of the police bomb disposal experts prepares to detonate an explosive that targeted believers at Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala on September 3, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA 

Security officials are seen at a bombsite a few metres away from the Miracle Center Cathedral where a suspected suicide bomber aimed at church-goers in Kampala on September 3, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA 

A security official instructs a member of the Force's bomb disposal experts preparing to detonate an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala on September 3, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA

Recent terror incidents in Uganda

  • June 16, 2023: Over 40 killed in attack on Lhubiriha Secondary School in Mpondwe, Kasese District
  • November 16, 2021:  Four killed, over two dozens injured in twin blasts near Parliament (Kampala). 
  • October 25, 2021: One killed in terror attack targeting 52 passengers on Swift Safari Bus traveling to Ishaka District. 
  • October 23, 2021: One killed, many injured in terror attack using improvised devices on a restaurant in Komamboga (Kampala).

In the headlines