Qaeda festive threat: Uganda on alert

2010-12-20 15:48

Kampala - Uganda's police chief warned Monday of "strong indications" that al-Qaeda-linked militants wanted to attack during the Christmas period and said security forces would issue an alert for vigilance.

The threats came from Islamist groups including the al-Shabaab and Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Inspector General Kale Kayihura told AFP.

"Terror threats from al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab and ADF are the main threats as we go for the festive season and there are strong indications they want to attack," he said.

"We are going to issue security alert so that people are aware of these threats as they go for festivities."

Uganda in July suffered East Africa's worst attacks in 12 years when suicide bombers struck two Kampala bars, killing 76 people. The attack was claimed by Somalia's al-Qaeda-inspired Shabaab rebels.

Kayihura said authorities had received intelligence over possible attacks and Uganda was working with neighbouring countries to avert them.

"As police, we have engaged our colleagues in Kenya and other countries but the (solution) to these threats is people's vigilance but we are going to come out with an elaborate strategy on this," he said.

In the previous most deadly attacks, more than 200 people were killed in August 1998 when al-Qaeda operatives bombarded American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

The ADF is a Muslim rebel group that claimed to fight for equal rights for Muslims in Uganda but was driven out of the country in 2001 and has since been based in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

- AFP