Kiwatule mosque raid: Police release all terror suspects

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Emilian Photo by Godiver Asege

The Police has released all the 13 terrorist suspects that were arrested on Friday in its raid on Kiwatule-Ntinda mosque in Kampala.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Emilian Kayima told New Vision on Saturday that the eight Indians and five Ugandans were released after discovering they had no any crime.

"They were all released unconditionally because there was nothing related to any kind of crime. We had an interaction with the secretary for religious affairs at Uganda Muslim Supreme Council Sheikh Murshid Luwemba who showed us all their relevant papers and when we verified we found the Indians were officially invited to spread the Islamic faith," Kayima said.

Asked why they made the arrests before cross-checking, Kayima said: "The reason we didn't check these letters before they were arrested is that the community was a little scared and they raised a red flag. So our officers swung into action to arrest them."

Residents speak out

Some residents in Kiwatule told New Vision that the Police officers stormed Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq mosque at around 8:30pm during Isha (evening-time) prayer.

"They surrounded the mosque, arrested its leaders and the Indians," residents said.

The residents said over 16 Muslims were arrested, including the deputy imam of the mosque Sheikh Yunus Kabuye and Haj Badru Kakooza, one of the mosque leaders.

The incident came a few days after police raided Nakasero mosque in the early hours of Tuesday morning and arrested 18 people, recovered three ammunition magazines, two knives, 138 rounds of ammunition, 20 tapes, one bow as well as seven arrows.