From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Mon Jul 12 2010 - 11:44:44 EDT
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/07/12/uganda.bombings/?fbid=u5F9CZI5VOS
Somali
militants claim responsibility for Uganda bombings
By *the CNN Wire Staff*
July 12, 2010 -- Updated 1533 GMT (2333 HKT)
By *the CNN Wire Staff*
*STORY HIGHLIGHTS*
- *NEW:* Statement from Al-Shabaab militants takes "full responsibility"
for bombings
- Somali Islamist leader says Uganda attacks retribution over "massacres"
against Somalis
- Death toll at 74
- Group: American killed was working with students
*(CNN)* -- A Somali Islamist militant group, Al-Shabaab, issued a direct
claim of responsibility Monday for three bombings in Uganda that left at
least 74 people dead.
"The best of men have promised and they have delivered," said the statement
obtained by CNN. "Blessed and exalted among men -- taking full
responsibility."
An Al-Shabaab leader said in a separate website posting Monday that Uganda
would be targeted for retribution over the "massacres" perpetrated against
Somalis.
"My message to the Ugandan and Burundian nations is that you will be the
target for our retribution to the massacres perpetrated against the Somali
men, women and children in Mogadishu by your forces," said an Arabic
statement from Sheikh Abu Al Zubeir, identified as "the Emir of Al-Shabaab
in Somalia." The statement was posted on an al Qaeda-affiliated website
which previously has carried statements and videos from Al-Shabaab.
The website set up a page Monday to "receive congratulations" on
Al-Shabaab's behalf for the "blessed operations" in Uganda.
The three explosions ripped through two venues where crowds were watching
the World Cup final match on Sunday.
At least 71 people were hospitalized, police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba
said.
"If you want to fight, why don't you attack soldiers or military
installations instead of fighting innocent people watching football?" said
President Yoweri Museveni, who on Monday visited a rugby sports center where
two of the blasts occurred Sunday.
The casualties included one American death, the U.S. Embassy said. The
American killed was Nate Henn, according to an organization that works with
children in Uganda.
In a post on its website, the organization -- Invisible Children -- said
Henn was in the country working with Ugandan students. CNN could not
independently verify the information.
"Nate was not a glory-seeker and never sought the spotlight. He asked not to
be made a hero of," the post said. "But the life he lived inspires
reflection and imitation."
At least six other Americans were injured.
Suspicion had centered on Somali Islamist groups shortly after the incident.
Islamic militants battling Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government had
previously threatened attacks on Uganda and Burundi, which contribute troops
to an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
"Our first suspicion is that this could be the work of terrorists from
Somalia because of our forces in that country," said a senior Ugandan
government official. "There is an investigation going on, our security
agencies are analyzing the situation on the ground, but our first suspicion
is Al-Shabaab. We've had this suspicion all along."
Mike Hammer, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said
President Barack Obama is "deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting
from these deplorable and cowardly attacks." He said the United States is
ready to provide assistance to Ugandan officials.
The blasts hit in the capital, Kampala, within 50 minutes of each other. The
first one struck an Ethiopian restaurant in a neighborhood dotted with bars
and popular among expatriates; two others exploded at the rugby center.
The Ugandan government official confirmed there were three bombs. The second
one at the rugby club was the most severe, said the official, who was not
authorized to speak to the media because of the sensitivity of the
situation.
"We wish to condemn the criminality of these attacks," Museveni said. "From
a casual look at the scene, I'm confident police will be able to reconstruct
the crime scene ... We shall go after them because we know where they come
from."
The bombings, he said, show "criminality, and terrorism has always been
hovering over us."
In a government statement, Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed also blamed
Al-Shabaab, saying he "condemns in the strongest terms the despicable
terrorist acts that killed over 60 people in Kampala."
Ahmed said "the fact that the victims were enjoying the World Cup reveals
the evil and ugly nature of the perpetrators and the need to uproot from
(the) region those who do not value the sanctity of human life," the
statement said.
"The president also denounces the fringe Al-Shabaab terrorist groups (who)
rejoice of the carnage and stated that Somalia mourns with the brotherly
people of Uganda."
Stone Atwine was watching the game at the rugby center when the blast
occurred.
"It happened toward the 90th minute of the game ... this loud explosion," he
said. "We didn't know what was happening, we were running around, scampering
for safety. I saw dead guys still seated in their chairs with blood."
Atwine said a second explosion struck the venue seconds later, knocking out
power.
"At that point, we ran off. My friends and I ran into the car and drove
off."
Relatives flocked to hospitals and mortuaries to look for loved ones Monday.
"I was watching the game with my brother at the rugby center," said Ian
Lule, who was among a group gathered at a city hospital. "The blast left him
unconscious. I don't know how he is."
In the capital, crowds huddled around newspapers, talking in hushed tones.
"Everyone is shocked, everyone is talking about it," said Mark Keith
Muhumuza, who was watching the game at a stadium near the rubgy center
explosion. "We were in panic mode at the stadium because we thought we would
be attacked next."
Muhumuza said when the game ended, he went to the rugby center. "People were
wailing, some were trying to find their relatives, others were trying to run
away from the scene."
"You can never stop attacks in the world," said FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
"During the World Cup, the world should have been touched by the emotions of
football. I'm very sad and I was very touched.
"Can you link this to the World Cup? I don't know," Blatter said. "It was
when the World Cup was on TV, but it's not for us to investigate a link. But
being linked or not to football, we as human beings condemn the attacks ...
I deplore what has happened and look forward to the good that football can
bring to our world."
The sites of the bombings remained cordoned off as authorities intensified
security in the east African nation. Police and military forces patrolled
the capital.
"We have more security forces, and are asking everyone to be cautious,"
Nabakooba said. "We are also asking people to avoid large crowds, but the
most important thing is to be cautious."
Some of the injured at the restaurant included six members of an American
church mission working with a local congregation, according to the Rev.
Kathleen Kind, pastor of Christ Community United Methodist Church in
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
All the church members were accounted for and families had been contacted,
Kind said. Their injuries ranged from broken bones and flesh wounds to
temporary blindness and hearing problems, she said.
Nabakooba called the bombings "definite acts of terrorism."
The African Union summit is scheduled to be held in Kampala next week.
CNN's Faith Karimi and journalists Samson Ntale and Nima Elbagir contributed
to this report.
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