20110101
Monitor

Security operatives in the eastern town of Busia have arrested three suspected Somalis believed to be linked to the al-shabaab terrorist group who were reportedly attempting to sneak into the country.

The three suspects were on Wednesday intercepted at the border entry of Busia aboard an Akamba bus on their way from Nairobi to Kampala.

Sources told Saturday Monitor that the police got information about these people aboard the bus that they were allegedly travelling to Kampala to plant bombs following the terrorist group's persistent threats to attack Uganda and Burundi for failure by the two countries to withdraw their forces in Somalia.

Two of the suspects had passports in Arabic. The other, a Uganda woman, possessed two passports, including one of Sweden.

The eastern police spokesperson, Ms Diana Nandaula, said after the police received this information from an anonymous source, the bus was stopped at the border post for checking only to discover the trio was on board.

"All the passengers aboard the bus were asked to produce their personal identification papers, but the Somalis did not look bothered. Upon checking them, the police became suspicious about these people," Ms Nandaula said. "We had to take them out for further interrogation."

The eastern region police commander, Mr Philip Acaye, confirmed to Saturday Monitor confirmed the arrests and said they had been transferred to Kampala for further interrogations.

"The police handed over the suspects to the crime intelligence in Kampala to ascertain their motive as to why they were travelling to Uganda under different names. As of now, this is the information we can divulge to the media and more than that, kindly check with the higher officials," Mr Acaye said on Thursday.

The arrests come barely two weeks after the Somali terrorist group opposed to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia reportedly attacked a Kampala-bound bus, injuring more than 26 passengers, who were traveling from Kenya.

In July, at least 74 people died and scores injured in two bomb blasts in Kampala. They were watching the World Cup final at Kyadondo Rugby Club in Lugogo and Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kansanga.