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Families of terror suspects protest

 

Publication date: Sunday, 24th August, 2008

By Vision Reporter and Agencies

MUSLIM clerics and families of the arrested South African terror suspects have claimed that they are being subjected to Islamaphobia and terror profiling.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) in South Africa told local newspapers that it believed Islamic cleric Mufti Hussain Bhayat and Haroon Saley detained in Kampala on terrorism allegations are being subjected to Islamaphobic profiling.

The MJC and the Media Review Network (MRN) want South Africa Intelligence Minister, Ronnie Kasrils, to intervene in the case of the men being handled by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force. The MRN, by the weekend, was also preparing to send its chairperson, Iqbal Jassat, to accompany Zahid Asmal of Channel Islam International to Uganda to assess the case.

The MRN and MJC said they were outraged “that Muslims of undeniable integrity and a track-record of poverty alleviation have been profiled as ‘terrorists’.

“This feeds into the orchestrated frenzy of 42that can only be detrimental to the harmonious relationship currently enjoyed by our people on the continent,” the organisations commented.

The two were arrested at Entebbe International Airport on Monday with two other Ugandans Muslims who had gone to the airport to receive them. Security declined to reveal the identity of the locals.Radio Islam in South Africa reports that Bhayat lives in Lenasia, and Saley is a resident of Azaadville.

Army spokesperson Maj. Paddy Ankunda said the two were suspected of being involved in terrorism activities and that they had not been tortured.
“We are stilling holding them. We have got useful leads and still compiling more information.”

Yousha Tayob, who spoke on behalf of the suspects’ families said they had received acknowledgement from Uganda that Bhayat and Saley are in custody, but didn’t know why. “We are trying to establish consular access and that will tell us everything we need to know,” Tayob said. “We have been given no official reason,” he said over the weekend.

This article can be found on-line at: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/646182
© Copyright 2000-2008 The New Vision. All rights reserved.

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Press statement no al qaeda link in robbery

The Media Review Network (MRN) welcomes the result of the probe by the Crime Intelligence Unit and the Organised Crime Unit of the South African Police Services (S.A.P.S) in which they deny any link between Al Qaeda and the robbery that took place at Velmore Hotel outside Erasmia, near Pretoria.

The MRN challenged the speculative nature of the article by Graeme Hosken and wrote to the Pretoria News about our concerns. We now feel vindicated that the S.A.P.S Crime Intelligence Unit as well as the Organised Crime Unit, after thorough investigation have refuted the contents of Graeme Hosken’s report.

National Police spokeswoman, Brigadier Sally De Beer said: “The S.A.P.S is satisfied that, contrary to certain media reports, a suspect involved in a shoot-out with police members during which a sergeant was wounded on 20 December 2010 near the Velmore Hotel, has no links with the group known as Al Qaeda.”

She further went on to say that: “Although the journalist could have picked up speculation on the scene of the crime, the S.A.P.S is of the opinion that it was irresponsible to make such wide-ranging claims, which has already attracted international attention, without any confirmation whatsoever.”

In view of the above, the Media Review Network demands an unequivocal apology from the Pretoria News and the reporter, Graeme Hosken, for the such reckless and negligent reporting which has also aroused negative international attention toward South Africa, by linking Al Qaeda to armed robberies here.

Ibrahim Vawda

Senior Researcher,

Media Review Network

Tell: 012 374 6987

E-mail: webmaster@mediareviewnet.com

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