Muhyadin Ahmed Roble, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
A Ugandan court has charged three Kenyan men with the murder of 76 people killed in deadly blast attacks mid July in the capital Kampala. Mohamed Adan Abdow, 25, Hussein Hassan Agad, 27, and Idris Magondu, 42, were charged for three counts of terrorism and 10 of attempted murder.
The men who appeared in court on Friday in a Kampala court did not speak during their trial and will remain in custody until their next trial on 27 August.
Hussein Hassan Agad was identified as a preacher of Islam while Magondu was identified as an employee of a trading company in Nairobi, Kenya.
The men were arrested on 12 July, a day after two serious attacks hit Ethiopia village restaurant and rugby club in Kampala where football fans were watching the final game of the world cup.
Chief Magistrate Deo Sejjemba said the accused were not allowed to enter a plea because the court does not have jurisdiction over the crime of terrorism. Ugandan police said other 10 suspects are still under investigation.
Al-Qaeda linked group of Al-Shabaab in Somalia, which claimed responsibilities for the July 11 attacks, said it was avenging the killing of civilians by the African Union peacekeepers. The group threatened more attacks against Uganda and Burundi for their forces in Mogadishu.
Both countries said that they will not withdraw their troops despite Islamist threats.
Uganda was the first country to commit peacekeeping troops for the African Union’s mission in Somalia.
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