Mombasa Muslim Association chairman Shaahid Sheikh was on Thursday attacked by radical Muslim youths at the troubled Sakina mosque in Mombasa's Majengo area.
Shaahid, a trustee of the mosque, was assaulted after Maghrib prayers. He was rushed to hospital seriously injured.
Worshippers at Sakina said Shaahid had delivered a message opposing
the wave of radicalisation and the forceful takeover of mosques by
youths preaching "jihad sermons".
Shaahid had called media houses for a press conference
to be held after the evening prayer at the mosque. Mombasa CID boss
Nyaga Gachugi said the matter has been reported at Makupa police station
and is being investigated.
“The youths were angered by the sheikh’s statement and attacked him
as he left the mosque. But he was rescued and whisked away,” he said.
Anti-Terrorism Police Unit
officers are profiling six key leaders alleged to be behind the recent
upsurge in radicalisation in Mombasa and Kisauni mosques.
On Monday, a radical youth from Majengo, 34-year-old Jamal Salim
Mwangi, turned himself in to police after he claimed ATPU officers were
trailing him.
Police confirmed that Salim was under police surveillance for
allegedly recruiting youths to fight alongside Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked
al Shabaab.
The radical youths have ousted chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya Sheikh Mohammed Idris and organising secretary Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa from Sakina mosque.
The youths have attempted to forcefully eject imams at Umar Ibn al
Khattab mosque in Kisauni, and Liwatoni and other mosques associated
with the CIPK .
A section of Muslim leaders said the disgruntled youths feel the
current Muslim leaders lack legitimacy and do not represent them.
Reliable police sources indicate that Muslim youths are trained
militants linked to slain cleric Sheikh Aboud Rogo. The attack at Sakina
mosque came a day after a madrassa teacher was gunned down in Diani,
Kwale.
So far, three people have been killed by gunmen in the similar
circumstances in the span of a month. Salim Mwasalim, 60, was shot dead
by unknown attackers at around 8pm on Christmas Day at Mwamanga area on
his way home from mosque.
Police said he was stopped by three armed people riding a motorcycle before they shot him from behind.
Msambweni police boss Jack Ekakoro said the assailants left for an
unknown destination while the victim was rushed to Msambweni District
Hospital.
Mwasalim was then referred to Coast General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.
The OCPD said the incident could not have been a normal robbery since nothing stolen from the victim.
Msambweni District Criminal Investigation Officer Mwenda Ethiaba
said the assailants shot the deceased at a close range from behind.
“We have not arrested any suspect so far but we are doing our best,”
the DCIO said. Before Mwasalim died he managed to speak to his son
Salim Mwabata about his ordeal.
Mwabata said his father had just visited a friend when one of the
three gangsters shot him. He said his father had tried to run away after
he sensed danger.
Mwabata said his father was a peasant farmer who once worked at Bixa Company in Tiwi.
“It appears to be an emerging crime in the tourist town of Diani
where a gang on the loose is killing people anyhow and stealing nothing
from their targets,” Ethiaba said.
The DCIO put all criminals in the area on notice and asked them to
surrender to police before they are caught. “We have started
investigations and we want members of public to help us with
information,” he appealed.
Mwasalim's killing took place a week after Hamadi Boga, a community
health worker, was gunned down by unknown people at Kona ya Musa area in
Diani.
Earlier, Hassan Mwayuyu, who was said to be wanted for terrorism, was
killed in Tiwi while travelling from Likoni to Ukunda. Muslim clerics
have blamed the killings on the ATPU, claiming it targets specific
people in the area.
Police have dismissed the claims. The CIPK South Coast branch chair,
Sheikh Amir Banda, said there is a hidden agenda in the killings.
“Those killed are strong Muslim followers. We want an explanation
because the issue is becoming more serious than we thought,” he said.
Locals remain worried as no one knows where the gang will hit next.
However, police insist they have security measures in place.
- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-148518/radical-muslim-youth-attack-mombasa-sheikh#sthash.kV8VXRRH.dpuf