Zanzibar separatist group leaders charged with inciting violence
STONE TOWN, Zanzibar (Reuters) - Seven leaders of a separatist Islamic group seeking to free the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar from Tanzania were charged with incitement to violence on Monday, while police fired teargas on their supporters outside the court.
The Islamic group Uamsho (Awakening) is pushing for the predominantly Muslim island's exit from its 1964 union with mainland Tanzania, which is ruled as a secular country.
Muslim protesters clashed with police in Tanzania's commercial capital and on the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar on Friday, raising religious tensions in east Africa's second-biggest economy.
Police fired teargas in Zanzibar's capital, Stone Town, to disperse members of the group who gathered outside the court to witness the arraignment of their leaders. The officials of the group were charged with causing riots on the island in August.
"Leaders of the Uamsho group were charged with inciting the previous violence that occurred in Zanzibar in August. They have not been immediately charged with last week's riots," Zanzibar police spokesman Mohamed Mhina told Reuters.
The mostly youthful supporters and urban poor fought police in running street battles for three days last week after Sheikh Farid Hadi, one of Uamsho's spiritual leaders, disappeared in unknown circumstances on Tuesday.
Hadi said policemen with balaclavas blindfolded him and took him to an unspecified location to interrogate him about Uamsho's plans for Zanzibar and activities in Middle Eastern countries.
"All they wanted to know was what we are trying to do now and my frequent trips to Oman and other Arab countries and other personal stuff," Hadi told reporters on Friday night, his first public appearance since Tuesday.
"They wanted to know about my relations with...other top Muslim clerics."
Police deny any involvement and Zanzibar police commissioner Mussa Ali Mussa said the Uamsho leadership "tricked people" with Hadi's disappearance.
"We think he was hiding somewhere in this town," he told Reuters on Saturday.
The Uamsho leaders charged in court by the police include Hadi, 41, and the group's chairman Sheikh Mselem Ali Mselem, 52.
Police said they will be detained until Thursday, when their bail conditions will be set.
The Islamic group Uamsho (Awakening) is pushing for the predominantly Muslim island's exit from its 1964 union with mainland Tanzania, which is ruled as a secular country.
Muslim protesters clashed with police in Tanzania's commercial capital and on the semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar on Friday, raising religious tensions in east Africa's second-biggest economy.
Police fired teargas in Zanzibar's capital, Stone Town, to disperse members of the group who gathered outside the court to witness the arraignment of their leaders. The officials of the group were charged with causing riots on the island in August.
"Leaders of the Uamsho group were charged with inciting the previous violence that occurred in Zanzibar in August. They have not been immediately charged with last week's riots," Zanzibar police spokesman Mohamed Mhina told Reuters.
The mostly youthful supporters and urban poor fought police in running street battles for three days last week after Sheikh Farid Hadi, one of Uamsho's spiritual leaders, disappeared in unknown circumstances on Tuesday.
Hadi said policemen with balaclavas blindfolded him and took him to an unspecified location to interrogate him about Uamsho's plans for Zanzibar and activities in Middle Eastern countries.
"All they wanted to know was what we are trying to do now and my frequent trips to Oman and other Arab countries and other personal stuff," Hadi told reporters on Friday night, his first public appearance since Tuesday.
"They wanted to know about my relations with...other top Muslim clerics."
Police deny any involvement and Zanzibar police commissioner Mussa Ali Mussa said the Uamsho leadership "tricked people" with Hadi's disappearance.
"We think he was hiding somewhere in this town," he told Reuters on Saturday.
The Uamsho leaders charged in court by the police include Hadi, 41, and the group's chairman Sheikh Mselem Ali Mselem, 52.
Police said they will be detained until Thursday, when their bail conditions will be set.
Source: Chicago Tribune
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Picha: UAMSHO Mahkamani hii leo
Gari la Polisi ambalo liliwachukuwa Viongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO ambao walishitakiwa kwa makosa ya kufanya fujo na uchochezi likiwa linawasili Mahakama ya Wilaya ya Mwanakwerekwe
Askari wa kikosi cha kutuliza ghasia wakiwa wanaimarisha usalama katika eneo la Mahakama ya Wilaya Mwanakwerekwe ambapo Viongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO walipelekwa kwenda kusomewa mashitaka yao
Gari la Polisi la pili ambalo liliwachukuwa Viongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO ambao walishitakiwa kwa makosa ya kufanya fujo na uchochezi likiwa linasindikizwa na magari ya Polisi kuja Mahakama ya Wilaya ya Mwanakwerekwe
Askari wa kikosi cha kutuliza ghasia wakiwa wanaimarisha usalama katika eneo la Mahakama ya Wilaya Mwanakwerekwe ambapo Viongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO walipelekwa kwenda kusomewa mashitaka yao
Baadhi ya Wananchi walioenda Mahakamani hapo kwenda kushuhudia kesi inayowakabili Viongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO ambao walikosa dhamana na kurudishwa Rumande
Kiongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO Shekh Farid Hadi Ahmed akishuka kwenye gari la Polisi kuelekea Mahakama ya Mwanakwerekwe kwenda kusomewa mashtaka yake yanayomkabili ikiwemo kusababisha fujo na uchochezi
Mmoja kati ya Viongozi wa UAMSHO Shekh Azan Khalid Hamdan (43) akishuka kwenye gari la Polisi kuelekea Mahakamani Mwanakwerekwe kwenda kusomewa mashtaka yao
Askari wa kikosi cha kutuliza ghasia wakiwa wanaimarisha usalama katika eneo la Mahakama ya Wilaya Mwanakwerekwe ambapo Viongozi wa Jumuiya ya UAMSHO
Picha: ZanzibariYetu
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