Arrested Somali minister linked to terrorism.
Wandegeya bars, hotels targets, says Police.
Security agencies say they have uncovered a plot by unnamed terrorists to wreak havoc in the country, especially in areas surrounding the capital, Kampala. Subsequently, Police last week issued a terror alert instructing proprietors of hotels, restaurants and markets to take extra precautionary security measures.
The alert was followed this week by the dramatic arrest of Somalia’s junior minister of Defence in Kampala.
Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siad, a former Islamist warlord known as Inda’ade, was held while visiting family members in the city. Army Spokesman, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye, said the Somali minister had come “for unclear reasons and we took an interest in him”.
He also confirmed to The Observer on Wednesday that the Somali minister was linked to the terror threat.“We are holding him in a residential place. He came in when we were on the watch. We had information that a Somali insurgent was coming,” he said.He however, said that when it became clear who the man was, he was set free. Uganda provides the bulk of troops serving in the African Union Mission to Somalia and for some time now Islamists have targeted these soldiers who are perceived as enemies of Islam.There have been heightened fears that the Islamists would target Uganda as well. The Observer has seen a letter signed by Lawrence Kibiswa on behalf of the Wandegeya Division Police Commander, warning government ministries and proprietors of bars, restaurants, hotels, lodges, petrol stations, markets, education institutions and places of worship in Wandegeya of a possible terror attack on their premises.“The popular areas of attack include but are not limited to popular social areas, entertainment areas, worshipping points, shopping centres, transport terminals (parks), markets and fuel depots and stations,” reads the two-page letter dated October 2, 2009.He told managers of these places to look out for suspicious people, objects and report them to Police. “Treat [this matter] as urgent and important,” he wrote...more..http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5450:new-terror-threat&catid=78:topstories&Itemid=59
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