Monday, July 12, 2010

Uganda bomb blasts kill 64

Somali militant group may be involved, police say

At least 64 people, including one American aid worker, were killed in Kampala on Sunday when a series of explosions tore through venues where people had gathered to watch the final match of the World Cup.
The first blast hit the Ethiopian Village restaurant around 10:55 p.m. local time, Ugandan government spokesman Fred Opolot said. Two more blasts tore through a crowded rugby club about 20 minutes later, he said.
Opolot said officials have found signs that suggest two suicide bombers may be responsible for the explosions, though officials cautioned it is too soon to say exactly who was behind the attacks.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni toured the blast sites Monday and said that the terrorists behind the bombings should fight soldiers, not "people who are just enjoying themselves."
"We shall go for them wherever they are coming from," Museveni said. "We will look for them and get them as we always do."
Ugandan army spokesman Felix Kulayigye said it was too early to speculate about any military response to the attacks, which wounded as many as 70 people.
Invisible Children, a San Diego, California-based aid group that helps child soldiers, identified the dead American as one of its workers, Nate Henn.

Al-Shabab may be involved

Kampala's police chief said he believed Somalia's most feared militant group, al-Shabab, could be responsible for the attack.
Al-Shabab is known to have links with al-Qaeda, and it counts militant veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan conflicts among its ranks. Simultaneous attacks are also one of al-Qaeda's hallmarks. The U.S. State Department has designated al-Shabab a terrorist organization.
In Mogadishu, Somalia, Sheik Yusuf Sheik Issa, an al-Shabab commander, told The Associated Press early Monday that he was happy with the attacks in Uganda. Issa refused to confirm or deny that al-Shabab was responsible for the bombings.
"Uganda is one of our enemies. Whatever makes them cry, makes us happy. May Allah's anger be upon those who are against us," Sheik said.
In addition to Uganda's troops in Mogadishu, Uganda also hosts Somali soldiers trained in U.S. and European-backed programs.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said the U.S. was prepared to provide any necessary assistance to the Ugandan government.
U.S. President Barack Obama was "deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks," Vietor said.

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