Security agencies have said they are not targeting anyone because of their religious beliefs in the ongoing operations targeting funders and collaborators of Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorist group.
“We want to reiterate that the arrested persons are not targeted for their beliefs, ideology, religion, ethnicity and any other attachment because it would make us appear biased. The public should know that we are only targeting individuals and groups that have engaged or conspired to engage or have facilitated acts of terrorism and other violent crimes against Ugandans,” Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said on Monday.
He was addressing the weekly police press conference.
The comments were in response to complaints, especially from members of the Muslim community who accused security of targeting their members in the ongoing operations against suspected ADF terrorists, their recruiters, funders and collaborators.
Following the several arrests and those killed by security during the operations, many especially in the Muslim faith accused security of witch-hunt, saying it was wrong to tag terrorism to their religion.
Enanga further noted that security operations are intelligence led and all people targeted have a link to ADF rebel group.
He said that a total of 106 suspects have been arrested over the recent attacks adding that all the suspects are in one way or the other connected to terrorism financing, collaboration of mobilization of Ugandans to join ADF.
“In all operations we have conducted, we have been very discriminate, intelligence led and we have not randomly arrested persons. We shall continue with our discriminate operations to ensure that we only target those persons highly connected to threats against Ugandans and country at large,” Enanga said.
“Despite your belief, ideology, religion or title, once you breach the safety of Ugandans, definitely we shall pursue you to ensure you are brought to justice.”
The police spokesperson however rallied Ugandans to reject acts of terrorism by being vigilant and reporting to security any suspected persons and objects.
“No security measures, however advanced they are, can assure 100% protection against suicide attackers and this calls for vigilance of all Ugandans.”
Enanga also revealed that security has intensified operations along the country’s border with DRC to prevent ADF collaborators from crossing over to Uganda.