Otafiire denies linking Islam to terrorism
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire has dismissed claims that the government is only targeting Muslims in acts of terrorism.
Gen. Otafiire said this while meeting with Muslim leaders and locals in Luwero, over terrorism related activities.
The meeting was organised to sensitise Muslim leaders allied to the Kibuli faction in Greater Luwero on countering terrorism, radicalism, extremism, and to promote social-economic transformation.
During the meeting,Alhajji Abdul Nadduli, the former Deputy Chairperson of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), complained that arresting and linking Muslims to terrorism creates a bad image for the religion.
He also asked that security personnel first consult local leaders and conduct thorough investigations before arresting Muslims over terrorism.
Also, Hajji Musa Kakande, the Chairperson of the Greater Luwero Muslim district, told the Minister that non-Muslim terrorism suspects in other countries have not been stereo -typed based on their religion as it is in Uganda.
Kakande was concerned that several Muslims have been arrested and their individual acts linked to their religion.
However, Otafiire denied that the government was linking Islam to terrorism.
Otafire denies linking Islam to terrorism
Otafiire said that security personnel won’t arrest non-Muslims without any case for the sake of balancing the suspects linked to terrorism.
“Being Muslim doesn’t mean you are a terrorist, and you should be coerced into doing terrorism activities because you are Muslim. And as for security operatives, they dont go to communities arresting and targeting only Muslims, It is law breakers we target. So are Besigye, Bobi Wine or Erias Lukwago Muslims? But we arrest them because they are law breakers.” he explained.
Several Imams and Muslims have been arrested from Luwero district since this year began for their alleged links to terror-related activities.
The most recent incident occurred when joint police and military team raided a hill at Kireku village in Luwero district in June this year and forcefully disbanded a group of 70 Muslim converts claiming that they were being radicalised.
In the same month, security raided the home of Umar Kabonge Ajobe, a resident of Kikubajinja zone in Luwero town claiming that he was using it to assemble bombs to terrorize Kampala city. Ajobe and two others who were arrested for their alleged links to the rebel Allied Democratic Forces are still locked up in an unknown facility.
