Nairobi, Kenya — Police in Uganda have arrested a suspected terrorist wanted for a series of bombings in parts of East Africa.
The suspect only identified as Hussein was arrested on Sunday and his details have already been shared with Kenyan authorities to confirm if he is wanted here.
Reports in the New Vision newspaper of Uganda said a deputy police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba confirmed the arrest and circulated two photographs of other terrorists wanted in Kenya.
A source at the Anti Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) has told Capital FM News they have not been able to match the details sent to them from Uganda with the ones they have.
Police had announced they were looking for a bearded man who left a bag in one of the stalls at Assanand's House which is believed to have contained a home-made bomb that went off, wounding 38 people, one of whom later died in hospital.
Police do not have the suspect's name and sources within the ATPU have said it may be difficult to get the suspect or link anyone directly to the blast unless there is tangible evidence.
A video recording obtained from a nearby building does not show clear images of people running out of the shop after the blast, making it difficult to pinpoint anyone as a perpetrator.
The photographs circulated in Uganda are those of Ahmed Khaled Andreas alias Martin Muller and Emrah Erdogan Alias Imraan AL-Kurdy who are also wanted by Kenyan Anti Terrorism police.
Kenya's Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe who released the photographs last week announced that they have credible information that the two men are dangerous because they have ties with Al Shabaab.
"We have evidence for sure that Erdogan is an Al Shabaab member, he is involved in any attacks which Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility," Kiraithe said when he released Erdogan's photograph last week.
He had earlier released Muller's photograph whom he equally described as a dangerous man.
Police have lately intensified patrols and intelligence gathering across the country, and particularly here in Nairobi following reports by IntelCenter, a private intelligence agency in the US which has warned of impending attacks by Al Shabaab who are now targeting skyscrapers.
The threats made public on Saturday warns of a major blast in the next two weeks, with a chilling warning "Kenyans will weep... Something big will happen."
Authorities in the Kenyan security forces have admitted the terror threat in the country is real but they have assured that adequate measures are in place to avert any planned terror attack.
"We are aware of the terror threats, but there should be no panic because we have intensified security measures across the country," Kiraithe said and urged the public to work closely with the police in providing vital information.
On Monday, police in Nairobi announced they were questioning seven men found filming the Wilson Airport.
Police at the Lang'ata station where the suspects were held briefly before being handed over to Anti Terrorism Police Unit detectives who said all of them were Kenyans.
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda are losing $2.8 billion each year through their use of tax incentives such as tax holidays for foreign businesses. Such tax incentives are promoting harmful tax competition in the region, and are anyway not needed to attract investments. Members of the EAC should cooperate to eliminate excessive tax incentives, ensure greater transparency for any that remain, and promote coordination within the East African Community (EAC) to prevent harmful tax competition.
http://www.actionaid.org/sites/files/actionaid/eac_report.pdf
