Sunday, November 4, 2012

AP killed in Garissa church attack



Written By:KBC reporters,    Posted: Sun, Nov 04, 2012
One of the grenade victims outside the Garissa provincial hospital theatre (PHOTO/Muimi Kithendu)
An administration police officer died and 13 people injured in a grenade attack on a church in Garissa on Sunday morning.  
The officer who serves as a pastor of the Utawala interdenominational church, that is inside an anti shifta AP camp died while undergoing treatment at the Garissa Provincial Hospital.
Three of the injured in critical condition were airlifted to Nairobi by the Kenya Red Cross for treatment. They are admitted to the Kenya National hospital.
Suspected Al-Shabaab militants hurled a grenade on the roof of the church that had about 30 worshippers. 
Witnesses also reported hearing gunshots during the attack that occurred at about 10 am.
According to Beth Mwathi a fifteen year old standard seven girl, her mother Elizabeth Mulinge was leading the congregation in prayers when the attack took place. 
"My mother was praying when I heard a loud bang. Everybody lied down and after a few seconds i stood up only to find some of the worshippers bleeding profusely and writhing in pain  including my mother," said the visibly terrified teenager as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Garissa police boss George Losku who was among the first officers to arrive at the scene said police were following crucial leads adding that a suspicous vehicle had been seen at the scene minutes before the blast.
A massive security operation is underway in the town as police hunt down the attackers.
"It is very early to say the attack was executed by al shabaab militants, however we cannot rule out their involvement. We are appealing  to members of the public to give us information that could lead to the arrest of the assailants behind these spontaneous attacks that have rocked Garissa town,"said Losku.
Criminal elements
Meanwhile, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has strongly condemned the grenade attack.
Mr. Musyoka said it was disheartening that places of worship were being targeted by the few criminal elements with the intent of harming innocent faithful warning that days of such criminal elements are numbered.
" I am optimistic that these are the last kicks of those criminal elements like Alshabab terrorizing wananchi in Garissa among other areas,'' said Mr. Musyoka.
Speaking in Isiolo the VP told the church and worshippers to be more vigilant while in places of worship so as to identify the criminal elements amidst them.
"Although it is God who can protect our nation and restore peace in Somalia, it is advisable that we become more vigilant in places of worship to avert such incidences," said Mr. Musyoka.
The Vice President urged Christians to help the Government in the war against acts of lawlessness.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. In September, a grenade attack on a church in Nairobi by suspected sympathisers of Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab rebels killed a nine-year-old boy.
In July, attacks on two churches in Garissa killed 17.

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