State Drops Terror Charges Against Two Somali Women

Some of the 10 suspected terrorists of Somali origin appear at Buganda road magistrates court on September 24, 2014. Ugandan police carried out a wave of arrests and reportedly found explosives in the capital Kampala on September 13, 2014 just hours after the US embassy in Uganda told its citizens to stay indoors because of fears of an 'imminent' attack. Uganda has been targeted by Al-Shebab rebels in the past. During the World Cup final, four years ago, Shebab insurgents killed at least 76 people after setting off explosions that ripped through two restaurants in Kampala. AFP PHOTO/ ISAAC KASAMANI (Photo credit should read ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

Mike Chibita, the Director of Public Prosecution has dropped terrorism charges against two Somali women. They are 20-year-old Yasimin Abdullahi and 23-year-old Hodan Ahmed.

Some of the 10 suspected terrorists of Somali origin appear at Buganda road magistrates court on September 24, 2014. Ugandan police carried out a wave of arrests and reportedly found explosives in the capital Kampala on September 13, 2014 just hours after the US embassy in Uganda told its citizens to stay indoors because of fears of an 'imminent' attack. Uganda has been targeted by Al-Shebab rebels in the past. During the World Cup final, four years ago, Shebab insurgents killed at least 76 people after setting off explosions that ripped through two restaurants in Kampala. AFP PHOTO/ ISAAC KASAMANI (Photo credit should read ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP/Getty Images)
Some of the 10 suspected terrorists of Somali origin appear at Buganda road magistrates court on September 24, 2014. Ugandan police carried out a wave of arrests and reportedly found explosives in the capital Kampala on September 13, 2014 just hours after the US embassy in Uganda told its citizens to stay indoors because of fears of an ‘imminent’ attack. Uganda has been targeted by Al-Shebab rebels in the past. During the World Cup final, four years ago, Shebab insurgents killed at least 76 people after setting off explosions that ripped through two restaurants in Kampala. AFP PHOTO/ ISAAC KASAMANI (Photo credit should read ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

The duo was picked up last year together with ten men including nine Somalis and one Kenya from Kisenyi in Kampala on accusations of sneaking into Uganda with a mission of terrorizing citizens.

They were charged with two offenses including aiding and abetting terrorism, contrary to Section 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and belonging to a terrorist organisation.

However, this morning, Edward Muhumuza, a state attorney presented  a letter to court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Pamale Ocaya indicating that, the state had lost in interest in pursuing their case.

The DPP however, maintained similar charges against the remaining eight suspects. They are Mahamad Abdulkadir, Abdi Abdullahi, Hassan Abduwali, Mahamed Ahmed, Yusuf Osman, Abdi Mahamed, Abdul Kadir and Mohamad Yusuf.

According to the state, the remaining suspects belong to Al-Shabaab, a Somali terrorist group. Prosecution states that the accused and others still at large in September last year, in different places in Uganda, Kenya and Somalia, aided, abetted and or rendered support to Al-Shabaab, knowing and having reason to believe that such support would be used for or in connection with the preparation and commission of acts of terrorism.

It is further alleges that the suspects between 2010 and September 2014 belonged to Al-Qaeda and its affiliate al-Shabaab, which are both listed as terrorist organisations under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2002 of Uganda.

The suspects were picked up from areas of Kisenyi, Nakulabye, Kasubi, Busega and Lungujja, all Kampala suburbs from where they were allegedly assembling explosives with the intention of using them to bomb Kampala.

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