|
Nairobi, January 16, 2010 – A demonstration called to
protest the arrest of controversial Jamaican Muslim cleric Sheikh
Abdullah al-Faisal has been broken up by police.
The pro-Faisal demo, called by the Muslim Human Rights Forum, started
peacefully at the Jamia Mosque in Nairobi's Banda Street.
Youths waving placards castigating the government's move to arrest the
cleric, who is on an international terror watchlist, and his botched
deportation took to the streets after their Friday prayers.
However, the demonstration soon turned ugly as a confrontation between
the youths and police ensued.
Police fired teargas canisters to disperse the youth, who in turn pelted
the officers with stones. A huge pall of smoke engulfed Banda Street as
the two groups engaged in a cat-and -mouse chase.
Three youths were injured in the melee and were rushed to hospital by
ambulance.
A contingent of the General Service Unit was called in to offer
reinforcement as the back and forth battle intensified.
At one, the GSU stormed the Mosque to flush out the youths, who had
sought refuge inside.
The cleric, who was seized on New Year’s Eve in Mombasa, was being held
at the Industrial Area remand station as the government plotted his next
destination.
He had been deported to The Gambia on last week, but was returned on
Sunday morning.
Source: Daily Nation, Friday, January 15, 2010
|
|
