20100120
africanews

At least seven people were killed after Kenyan police clashed with protesters demanding the release of a Jamaican-born Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal last Friday.
al-Faisal
The police blocked the protesters who gathered in Nairobi after that day’s prayer and fired tear gas as the demonstrators replied with a stone.

They were alleged to have waved the flags of the Islamist group of Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Internal Security Minister George Saitoti said at a press conference on Saturday that Somali Islamist group of Al-Shabaab took part in the demonstration but the group has denied it.

AfricaNews reporter Muhyadin Ahmed Roble met with Kenya's Deputy Speaker of Parliament Farah Moalin Mohamed and picked his thoughts about the event:

Farah Moalim: It came to us as a shock the presence of some extremist elements in the country. They are now forming a radical terrorist element across the world to propagate Islam by forcing their selfish ideology which is very bad.

AfricaNews: Did you believe some Somali Islamists live in Kenya?

Farah Moalim: It is possible; it is possible that some of those radicals like Al-shabaab might be with us here.

AfricaNews: Did the police use excessive power?

Farah Moalim: I think the whole situation was not very well managed. The police should have exercised some amount of restraint but they clamped on the group as soon as they had a call about the incident.

Their actions have resulted in injuring some innocent Muslims. They should have acted on intelligence.

AfricaNews: How will it affect the Somali community in Kenya?

The Kenya-Somali community are living here with a legal status and Parliament is seriously going to deal with the situation. The government would take action against the radical groups towards the national interest.