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Little details emerge about the Salama explosion |
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Monday, 13 August 2007 |
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A day after two people were injured when a bomb went off, fear and cautious calm were palpable in the Al Salama poor residential area south of Khartoum. Police are still cordoning off the house which was the scene of the explosion on Sunday and preventing people to come near.
Eyewitnesses said the house was occupied by non-Sudanese who are likely of be Somali Islamists.
Non-Sudanese
This brings to mind similar incidents which took place in Khartoum ten years back. Those incidents were indiscriminate.
In one accident the victim was a celebrity singer, while another incident claimed the lives of worshippers in a mosque
in Omdurman.
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"I have so far no information that any of the students of this university have anything to do with what has happened,”
- Dr. Bashir Abdul Wahid, dean of student affairs at African International University
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The common denominator between these incidents is that the perpetrators were foreigners. Some residents in the area said that some African students at the African International University rented the house several days before the explosion. But the dean of student affairs at the university, Dr. Bashir Abdul Wahid denied any connection linking students from his university to violent activities. “I have so far no information that any of the students of this university have anything to do with what has happened,” said Abdul Wahid. “We have relations with more than sixty countries and there have never been complaints that the graduates of the African University caused troubles anywhere”.
Extremists
Quoting some sources in the ministry of interior, Khartoum newspapers said the police had discovered a large number of arms hidden in sacs, adding that five people were arrested, while two others were injured in the explosion.
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“It is clear that these are Islamic extremists and there some Somalis among them.”
- Al Haj Warrag Political analyst |
Investigations are still underway to reveal the circumstances surrounding the incident. Political analyst Al Haj Warrag thinks the members of the group behind this explosion are Islamic extremists. “Three hundred and fifty explosive charges have been discovered in the house, some marked with writings saying: ‘intended for the infidels and the apostates’,” said Warrag. “It is clear that these are Islamic extremists and there some Somalis among them.” The police have not yet revealed all the circumstances surrounding the incident. But observers warn of violence that is coming from out of Sudan which may jeopardize security in the capital.
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