Monday, July 19, 2010

Church disowns bishop arrested with explosives

Written By:Hallyghan Agade/Margaret Kalekye , Posted: Sun, Jul 18, 2010

Controversy surrounds the status of a man said to be a pastor who police arrested Saturday for being in possession of explosives.

The church where he was reported to have been a pastor has disowned him saying he is not one of them. It has turned out that he is a nominated councilor in Githunguri.

Pastor John Kamau of Vission Church and his accomplice, Samuel Chege Gitau, were were intercepted in Runda estate as they drove in a Four Wheel Drive car towards Githunguri where it is suspected they wanted to use the explosive.

Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said they seized the two in Nairobi on Saturday afternoon after being tipped off.

The bomb had been made from ammonium nitrate, which weighed more than one kilogramme. There were also detonators.

"Police officers ... intercepted two persons in possession of materials capable of making (an) improvised explosive device," he said in a statement late on Saturday

The two are being by detectives from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU).

The arrests were made just a month after, grenade attacks at a rally organised by church leaders opposed to a new constitution killed at least six people and injured dozens

Kiraithe said they were investigating the duo's motives and establishing if they had other accomplices.

The hunt for more suspects got under way. Meanwhile High Education Minister William Ruto hailed the police for making the arrests. Ruto was speaking at a No rally in Mombasa.

Security was tightened at the Tononoka grounds where the rally attended by various church leaders was held.

There were reports that bomb experts were at the venue.

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