On Friday 15, 2010 muslims protested in the capital city Nairobi where at least two people were killed when muslims protesting against the arrest of a radical Jamaican-born Muslim cleric whose teachings influenced one of the 2005 London transport system bombers.
Controversial Jamaican cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal is still stuck in Nairobi as top Government officials grapple to enhance his deportation.
Other Kenyans joined the police in battling the protesting muslims. Tear gas filled the air. Business came to a halt and confusion engulfed the city.
Kenya’s high court has also entered the fray, ordering that Al-Faisal be produced in court.
An earlier plan to deport him to his home country on Wednesday night failed after an international airline declined to fly him because the US was yet to grant him a transit visa.
The airline was to make a stopover in Geneva en route to Jamaica via Miami in the US. This was after Switzerland agreed to grant the cleric a transit visa.
“America is yet to grant him a transit visa because the airline has to stop in Miami. But we hope to be successful very soon. He has to go,” said a senior Government official who sought anonymity.
The development came as police said they would not allow a planned street demonstration by Muslim leaders today in Nairobi to protest the detention of the preacher.
The bodyguard to Kenya’s Government spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua was hit and seriously wounded as he tried enter the mosque in efforts to contain the situation.
Police had to evacuate Mutua as the youths stoned him from the mosque. This was after he arrived and tried to get into the compound.
Mutua was seen being shielded by his bodyguard and other police officers before being pushed from near the mosque.
The bodyguard was injured in the head and leg and rushed to hospital bleeding.
Journalists too were caught up in the melee. An award winning photojournalist, Boniface Mwangi was hit with a huge stone. He was hospitalised.
Meanwhile, Government’s bid to hold the controversial Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal incommunicado flopped.
Lady Justice Jeanne Gacheche ordered his production in court, when a matter filed on his behalf by Mr Al-Amin Kimathi comes for inter-partes hearing on January 21.
While certifying the case urgent yesterday, the judge also ordered three Government agencies be served with the suit papers immediately.
The petitioner’s advocate Mbugua Mureithi told the court there were fears al-Faisal might be deported before his case was heard and determined.
Mr Mureithi said as an advocate, he has been unable to see the cleric since he was arrested.
He said al-Faisal entered the country legally through the Lunga Lunga border point from Tanzania on December 24, last year, and was issued with a valid two-months visitors’ pass.
“His pass is valid up to February 23. He has not breached his immigration status or committed any offence in Kenya,” he told the court.
Al-Faisal, who is allegedly being held incommunicado, was arrested in Mombasa as he left Nyali Mosque after prayers, and detained in police custody since December 31.
Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’ declared him a prohibited immigrant on January 2.
Attempts to deport him to Jamaica through Gambia failed after a flight he was to board in Nigeria declined to take him.
He was brought back to Kenya.
Since his arrest, al-Faisal has not been accused by the minister or any other Kenyan authorities or charged in court.
Mureithi told the court the cleric has not been served with a deportation order, as the law requires.
“The minister told us the subject is prohibited in Kenya because he is on the international terror suspects’ watch list, which he has not seen,” he said.
He claimed Mr Kajwang’ declared al-Faisal a prohibited immigrant without according him an opportunity to be heard or lawfully challenge the declaration.
“He has not committed any offence nor breached his immigration status since his entry into Kenya,” he argued.
In an affidavit filed by the Muslim Human Rights Chairman, al-Faisal is a holder of a Jamaican passport and his wife is based in London, United Kingdom.
“I am informed by his wife Zubeida Khan, a resident in London, he entered Kenya through Tanzania at the Lunga Lunga border point,” Kimathi said.
Government bid to hold controversial Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal incommunicado has flopped.
Lady Justice Jeanne Gacheche ordered his production in court, when a matter filed on his behalf by Mr Al-Amin Kimathi comes for inter-partes hearing on January 21.
While certifying the case urgent yesterday, the judge also ordered three Government agencies be served with the suit papers immediately.
The petitioner’s advocate Mbugua Mureithi told the court there were fears al-Faisal might be deported before his case was heard and determined.
Mr Mureithi said as an advocate, he has been unable to see the cleric since he was arrested.
He said al-Faisal entered the country legally through the Lunga Lunga border point from Tanzania on December 24, last year, and was issued with a valid two-months visitors’ pass.
“His pass is valid up to February 23. He has not breached his immigration status or committed any offence in Kenya,” he told the court.
Al-Faisal, who is allegedly being held incommunicado, was arrested in Mombasa as he left Nyali Mosque after prayers, and detained in police custody since December 31.
Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’ declared him a prohibited immigrant on January 2.
Attempts to deport him to Jamaica through Gambia failed after a flight he was to board in Nigeria declined to take him.
He was brought back to Kenya.
Since his arrest, al-Faisal has not been accused by the minister or any other Kenyan authorities or charged in court.
Mureithi told the court the cleric has not been served with a deportation order, as the law requires.
“The minister told us the subject is prohibited in Kenya because he is on the international terror suspects’ watch list, which he has not seen,” he said.
He claimed Mr Kajwang’ declared al-Faisal a prohibited immigrant without according him an opportunity to be heard or lawfully challenge the declaration.
“He has not committed any offence nor breached his immigration status since his entry into Kenya,” he argued.
In an affidavit filed by the Muslim Human Rights Chairman, al-Faisal is a holder of a Jamaican passport and his wife is based in London, United Kingdom.
“I am informed by his wife Zubeida Khan, a resident in London, he entered Kenya through Tanzania at the Lunga Lunga border point,” Kimathi said.
