Morogoro Regional Police Commander Leonard Paul displays explosive devices found in the possession of terror suspects at Kidatu, Kilombero district, Morogoro on April 15, 2015. Photo Credit: K-VIS Blogspot.
Police in Tanzania have disrupted an impending terrorist attack which was to be launched by Muslims from a base in a Suni Mosque at Nyandero village in the Kidatu ward, Kilombero district, Morogoro region.
The Morogoro Regional Police Commander Leonard Paul, told journalists in Morogoro on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 that 10 people have been arrested after they were found with 30 explosive devices, black flags with the inscription ’one god’, fuse detonators, swords, screwdrivers, masks, military uniforms, hacksaws, pipe wrenches, note books and various books—including receipt books. The police also found five rounds of ammunition for a sub-machine gun and one bullet for a Mark IV gun.
One suspect, Hamad Makwendo, was shot in the leg when he tried to run but was burned alive by villagers who came to help the police. The police officer who set out to pursue the suspect, Cpl. Nasoro with force number F3323, was seriously hurt during the attempt to arrest the fleeing terror suspect. The terror suspect pulled out his sword and hacked the police officer on the neck, inflicting a serious injury.
The unidentified terror suspects. Photo Credit: K-VIS Blogspot.
At this point another police officer who was following the hot pursuit, Cpl. Chomola with Force Number E9245, draw his gun and shot the suspect in the leg. The villagers who had arrived at the scene then set the suspect alight and burned him to death, the Regional Police Commander said, adding that the injured police officer was rushed to a nearby hospital.
The target area for the terror attack has not been identified, but police say information for the planned terror attack was leaked to them by civilians who got suspicious of people they did not know. The terror suspects are apparently alien in the Morogoro area. The dead suspect has been identified as the host of the aliens.
Bloomberg News quoted the Tanzania Police Commissioner of Operations Paul Chagonja, as saying all those arrested were Tanzanian nationals. The Bloomberg report casts doubt on a Reuters news report which linked the Kilombero arrests to the Somali Jihadi group Al Shaabab.
The Tanzania Police Force Spokesperson Advera Senso did not provide information to clarify the contradiction when TZ Business News contacted her for comment on identities of the suspects: “I do not have any information for public consumption at the moment,” Senso told this Website when questions were sent to her. “I will provide the information to you when I get it.”
Describing events that led to the arrest at the press conference on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, the Morogoro Regional Police Commander said the police force received actionable information from citizens concerning suspicious activities by some people. Following the tip off, police set up a trap at 9.30 pm on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 which led to the arrest.
Concerning the officer who got injured, commander Paul said Cpl. Nasoro (F.3323) was hacked by a sword when he tried to arrest the now diseased Hamad Makwendo. Police were informed that the suspects were using two motorcycle cars (Bajaji). As the surveillance progressed, the police met one Bajaji with only one passenger in it—the driver.
Police stopped the motorcycle car. At this point Hamad Makwendo, the driver, jumped out of the car and started to run, Commander Paul said. Cpl. Nasoro went after him in a chase on foot. When the police officer got close, the suspect stopped, he pulled out a sword and hacked the police officer on the neck inflicting a serious cut.
Cpl Chomola (F9245), another police officer who was following his colleague on the hot pursuit, fired a shot which hit the suspect on the leg. When the suspect fell to the ground, civilians arrived at the scene and burned the suspect to death, Paul said.
It was a difficult task, the Regional Police Commadner said. The number of police officers was increased in the area to intensify the search for the other suspects. Police received information the rest of the suspects were hiding inside a Suni mosque located in the Kidatu area.
At the mosque, with the help of local governments officials and the mosque leadership , police asked all people inside the mosque to come out in order to identify people suspected to be linked to criminal activities. All the believers were asked to come out of the mosque, each holding their bags. The police then conducted a search in the bags. It was at this point that ten people were found in possession of the various items usable in criminal activity.
Items found in the bags included 30 explosive devices, a black flag with the inscriptions ‘one god’, wires, fuse detonators, swords, screwdrivers, masks, military uniforms, hacksaws, pipe wrenches, notebooks, various kinds of books including receipt books.
The killed suspect was found in passion of five rounds of ammunition for a Sub-Machine Gun (SMG), one bullet for the Mark IV gun and two fuse detonators in a small military bag.
The Morogoro Regional Police Commander said the injured police officer bled heavily but was rushed to a hospital at the Kilombero sugar factory, but his condition was stable. On Tuesday, plans were also underway to move the officer to the Morogoro regional hospital.
Read Our Earlier Story Here: http://www.tzbusinessnews.com/poor-border-controls-alleged-corruption-among-reasons-for-rise-of-terrorism-in-tanzania/.
