South Africa envoy visits terror suspects

Publication date: Monday, 25th August, 2008

By Henry Mukasa

THE South African High Commissioner to Uganda, Chiliza Thanduyise, yesterday visited the two South Africans who were arrested in connection with terrorism.

“We have been given access. They are fine,” Chiliza told The New Vision yesterday.

He added that the commission had not yet been officially given the reason why Islamic clerics, Mufti Hussain Bhayat, 57 and Haroon Saley, 50, were arrested.
Bhayat and Saley were arrested by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force at Entebbe International Airport last Monday.

The families of the suspects and Muslim clerics last week claimed they were being subjected to Islamaphobia and terror profiling (unfounded hatred for Muslims).

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and the Media Review Network (MRA) in South Africa said they were outraged “that Muslims of undeniable integrity” had been arrested.

“This feeds into the orchestrated frenzy of Islamaphobia that can only be detrimental to the harmonious relationship currently enjoyed by our people on the continent,” the organisations stated.

However, the UPDF spokesperson, Maj. Paddy Ankunda, dismissed the 42allegations as the concerned organisations.

“They are just trying to borrow from xenophobia,” Ankunda responded.
“Why them? There must be a reason why we arrested them. If they are innocent, they will be released.”

Ankunda added that the South Africa High Commissioner had written to the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding an explanation on why their nationals had been arrested.

He pointed out that the army had no problem with the suspects getting consular services, adding that the investigations were going on.

“We are making progress in our investigations and we have got useful leads,” Ankunda stated yesterday.

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The aspiration of the Media Review Network is to dispel the myths and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims and to foster bridges of understanding among the diverse people of our country. The Media Review Network believes that Muslim perspectives on issues impacting on South Africans are a prerequisite to a better appreciation of Islam.