Kenyan muslim leaders condemn church attacks

Kenyan muslim leaders condemn church attacks Written By:Margaret Kalekye,    Posted: Tue, Jul 03, 2012

Sunday's attacks took place during morning sermons at the churches in the Garissa town. Muslim leaders in Kenya have condemned the Garissa twin attacks on  two churches that left 17 people dead. In a statement on Tuesday, the leaders drawn from different Muslim organizations across the country said the attacks were carried out by terrorists refuting claims that there are religious tensions between Muslims and Christians in the area. The leaders condemned the twin attacks terming them as unacceptable and in contravention of the Islamic faith and teachings. "We would like to assure our Christian brothers and sisters that the perpetrators are terrorists who do not have the support of our bonafide citizens" read the statement. They added" Their evil intentions will not succeed amd should not be perceived as a religious conflict but an act of terrorists who may wish to stir religious conflict" The leaders are now calling for thorough investigations with a view to establishing the intention of the attackers their source and financiers . Sunday's attacks took place during morning sermons at the churches in the Garissa town. The first and most serious attack took place at the AIC. Gunmen shot two policemen outside one of the churches, and grenades were then thrown inside. As the panicked congregation rushed to escape, gunmen fired on them, police said. At least 10 people died. In the second - apparently co-ordinated - attack at a Catholic church, two grenades were thrown inside the church. One failed to go off, but police say three people were injured by the other one. Police are yet to report any arrests made. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission have termed the ongoing terror attacks in parts of the country as a major security threat, as the country gears up for election. Commissioners from the two bodies expressed their concern over the attacks terming them as a new burden to the security officers in the country. Kenya has suffered a spate of gun, grenade and bomb attacks since sending troops into southern Somalia last October to target Shabaab rebels fighting to overthrow the weak UN-backed government in the Horn of Africa state.