Protesters wave placards bearing the image of controversial Jamican preacher Abullah al-Faisal. PHOTO/HEZRON NJOROGE
by Sammy Chiboi and Kibiwott Koross
A protest to demand the release of a detained foreign preacher on Friday left one person dead.
Muslim leaders claimed four people died.
Scores of others suffered injuries when the demonstration turned violent in the streets of Nairobi. The demonstrators were demanding the release of radical Jamaican preacher Abdulla al-Faisal.
Police watched
What started out as a clash between riot police and Muslim youths outside Jamia mosque, ended up being a fight between the Muslims and other groups who confronted the demonstrators, as police looked on.
In Mombasa, angry Muslim leaders led another protest over continued incarceration of the cleric, and called for resignation of Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang’.
Among the injured in Nairobi was a General Service Unit officer who was allegedly shot on the shoulder by protesters, who are said to have had two pistols.
The government has in the past week attempted to deport Mr al-Faisal, who was stripped of his British citizenship after serving a jail term for his links to terrorist groups.
He was subsequently deported to his home country of Jamaica, where he is banned from preaching.
He was arrested while leaving a Mombasa mosque, after he sneaked into the country from Tanzania through Lunga Lunga border post.
Deportation
Government efforts to deport him have failed because no country wants him to set foot on their territory, denying him transit visas, and yet there are no direct flights from Kenya to Jamaica.
From 2pm, downtown Nairobi was turned into a battle field pitting Muslim faithful and police, who had banned the demonstration.
The faithful, mainly youths, attempted to march to force the government to release al-Faisal who is in custody awaiting deportation.
Muslim human rights activists have since obtained a court order compelling the government to produce the preacher in court on Thursday next week.
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