Ugandan police assure Somali community of security after bomb blasts

Ugandan police has assured the Somali community in Uganda of security following fear that they may face retaliatory attacks after a Somali militant group claimed responsibility of the bomb attacks here that killed 76 people.Andrew Sorowen, Commander Kampala Metropolitan Police told Xinhua by telephone on Wednesday that those attempting to attack the Somali community will be arrested and prosecuted before courts of law."I want to assure the community here to stay calm, the police is ready to protect them. If anybody disturbs them, they should report to police or local councils," he said.Sorowen's comments follow reports that some people have already started attacking the Somalis in revenge for three bomb attacks on football fans at two entertainment centers watching the World Cup finals on Sunday night. Another bomb at a discotheque did not go off.According to police, some local businessmen in downtown Kampala on Tuesday hurled insults at a Somali man.The Al Shabaab, a militant group with links to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attacks saying they were in retaliation for Uganda sending peacekeepers to Somalia to support the country's government.Uganda's Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura on Tuesday told journalists the nationality of the attackers should not be over emphasized. He noted that "the attack is prompting to international terrorists. Al Shabaab is linked with ADF. ADF is composed of Ugandans. Al Shabaab and ADF are linked to Al Qaeda.""So let's not draw so much on Somalis. This is not a question of nationality. This is a question of evil doers, who, by the way, also kill Somalis. You see what's happening in Somali, in Mogadishu," said Kayihura.On Tuesday, the national flag was flying at half mast in the public and government institutions as the country started one week national mourning declared by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Monday.The blasts occurred a week before the African Union summit is to be hosted here, which would bring together most African leaders and senior officials, raising concerns on the security during the meeting. Source: Xinhua