64 die in bomb attacks in Uganda during World Cup
KAMPALA, Uganda – In simultaneous bombings bearing the hallmarks of international terrorists, two explosions ripped through crowds watching the World Cup final in two places in Uganda’s capital late Sunday, killing 64 people, police said. Americans were among the casualties.
The deadliest attack occurred at a rugby club as people watched the game between Spain and the Netherlands on a large-screen TV outdoors. The second blast took place at an Ethiopian restaurant, where at least three Americans were wounded.
Kampala’s police chief said he believed Somalia’s most feared militant group, al-Shabab, could be responsible for the attack. Al-Shabab is known to have links with al-Qaida, and it counts militant veterans from the Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan conflicts among its ranks.
A head and legs were found at the rugby club, suggesting a suicide bomber may have been to blame, an AP reporter at the scene said.
At least three Americans — part of a church group from Pennsylvania — were wounded at the Ethiopian restaurant. One was Kris Sledge, 18, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
“I remember blacking out, hearing people screaming and running,” Sledge said from the hospital. His right leg was wrapped and he had burns on his face. “I love the place here but I’m wondering why this happened and who did this … At this point we’re just glad to be alive.”
At the scenes of the two blasts, blood and pieces of flesh littered the floor among overturned chairs.
Police Chief Kale Kaihura originally said at least 30 people had been killed, though the toll could be higher.
Later, a senior police official at the scene said that 64 people had been killed, 49 from the rugby club and 15 at the Ethiopian restaurant. The official said he could not be identified.
Kaihura said he suspected al-Shabab, that country’s most feared militant group. Its fighters, including two recruited from the Somali communities in the United States, have carried out multiple suicide bombings in Somalia. If Kaihura’s suspicions that al-Shabab was responsible for the Uganda bombings prove true, it would be the first time the group has carried out attacks outside of Somalia.
In Mogadishu, Sheik Yusuf Sheik Issa, an al-Shabab commander, told The Associated Press early Monday that he was happy with the attacks in Uganda. Issa refused to confirm or deny that al-Shabab was responsible for the bombings.
“Uganda is one of our enemies. Whatever makes them cry, makes us happy. May Allah’s anger be upon those who are against us,” Sheik said.
___
Associated Press reporters Mohamed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu, Somalia, and Godfrey Olukya in Kampala, contributed to this report. Straziuso reported from Nairobi, Kenya.
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka turns to Indian and Russian companies to manage Chinese-funded Airport April 26, 2024
- Sri Lanka’s state revenue surges to record Rs. 834 Billion in first quarter 2024 April 26, 2024
- Army soldier killed, 9 injured in Mankulam cab-lorry collision April 26, 2024
- Electricity trade unions to take legal action against Sri Lanka Electricity Bill April 26, 2024
- Gotabaya Rajapaksa refutes Cardinal Ranjith’s allegations on Easter Sunday Attacks April 25, 2024
How can Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Loving, the Most Benevolent, and the Most Just be on the side of satanic terrorists who are bent on murder and wanton destruction?
Somalian Terrorists al-Shabab are alleged to have committed this heinous crime through two suicide bombers. Who introduced the suicde bomb? It was the satanic Tamil LTTE, with the support of Indira Ghandi and later the support of the imperial West through Norway. Today, use of suicide bomb as a cheap and powerful weapon in the arsenal of the terrorists have spread throughout terrorists groups in the world.
The war today is not between countries but by sovereign nations with terrorism. Through her stupidity, Hilary Clinton, pronounced that there are good terrorists and bad terrorists. She said not all terrorists can be put in the same basket. For her bad terrorists are those who make war on USA, Britain and EU. While good terrorists are those who do not do so. She classified the good terrorists as “Freedom Fighters”. How stupid and misguided! In her books the LTTE were the good guys. The bad guys were HE Mahinda Rajapksa, Defence Scretary and certain Sri Lankan Army Officers for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, in the final days of the War of Liberation of SL and its people from the evil clutches of LTTE. These allegations were made because SL was not subservient to US and British imperialism. SL is therefore now being punished through economic sanctions imposed by the imperial West, not sanctioned by the UN. UNGA and UNSC have already voted by a big majority that SL has no case to answer of the US and British allegations. The actual war criminals are USA and Britain. They have gone scot-free. Ban Ki-Moon, the most corrupt UNSG, is used by the imperial West to punish illegally, without the sanction of UNGA and UNSC, Sri Lanka for having totally vanquished the LTTE, the darling of the US and British imperialists.
Ban Ki-Moon should go. He is totally corrupt and playing dirty. The Freeworld has not a shred of faith in him.