Although the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) some times also calling themselves Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) armed group have claimed responsibility for the Kamamboga bomb blast, Police has refused to agree until they get evidence and motive of the attackers.
On Saturday at around 9 pm a bomb packed with nails and shrapnel exploded at a popular street-side restaurant strip in Komamboga, Kawempe division a suburb on the northern outskirts of Kampala City. After the attack, ISIS or ISIL group came out in a statement posted in an affiliated Telegram channel and claimed that they were responsible for that attack.
In the message, the terrorist group said some of its members detonated an explosive device in a bar where “members and spies of the Crusader Ugandan government were gathering” in Kampala.
However, while addressing journalists on Monday at Police headquarters at Naguru, the Police spokesperson Fred Enanga revealed that since they have not arrested any of the suspects, and have no evidence, Police will not follow such claims of ISIS until its investigations link them to the claiming group.
He said, “We don’t want to rush into sentimental claims by these groups. Why does it come after almost 48 hours? We want to assure Ugandans that despite claims by ISIS, there is no evidence so far to prove or disprove such claims. No suspects arrested so far. We can’t determine the motivation of the attackers without getting suspects. We can only get into details after arresting some suspects. We continue to build on the leads we have. At this stage, we continue with our investigations but we can’t come to any conclusions now.”
Enanga’s comment on the ISIS claims is not far different from the Director of Counter Tourism Assistant Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba who also told journalists that Uganda Police has professionals who are carrying out investigations and it will be very unfair to rely on just mere claims by the terrorist group whose intention is to cause panic and fear in Ugandans.
“We don’t work with Islamic State. What they want is what they say. We cant come out with information before carrying out thorough investigations. Only investigations will tell us who did the act. We can’t say things when we have no evidence. Even if the ISIS says they attacked us, we will have to investigate to come out with an independent report and that’s where we shall depend on it.”
The Saturday Komamboga bomb attack is the second after 11 years since the first attack was held at Lugogo. However, all the two attacks Islamic militant extremist groups have claimed responsibility.
The first bomb attack on Uganda took place on 11th July 2010 where the blasts targeted football fans watching the 2010 World Cup final at a restaurant and a rugby club in Kampala. After the attack, Al-Shabab claimed responsibility since Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) was providing the largest number of troops to an African Union force fighting them in Somalia. Over 72 people lost their lives.
According to the British newspaper the Guardian Newspaper, the 2010 attack was the worst in East Africa region since the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, which brought al-Qeida into public consciousness for the first time.
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