Garissa attacks not a religious war, say Muslims

Muslims have condemned the terrorist attacks that killed 17 people in Garissa.

On Sunday, they cautioned Kenyans against misinterpreting the attacks as religious warfare.

Sheikh Mohammed Khalifa of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) challenged the security agencies to pull up their socks and bring to end further killings of Kenyans through such unprecedented attacks.

“Any God fearing person will not celebrate deaths of innocent people who gather for the purpose of worship or any other course.

“All Holy Books vehemently discourage mankind against ending any innocent soul,” Sheikh Khalifa told the Nation by telephone.

Sheikh Khalifa added: “In my view Police commissioner Mathew Iteere should just step aside for failing to unmask those behind these attacks and allow other able people to take charge.”

The Supreme Council of Kenya (Supkem) national chairman Prof Abdulghafur El-Busaidy also said the government should crack down on such crooks killings innocent people.

Addressing a press conference in Supkem offices in Nairobi , he said places of worship, be it churches, mosques or temples should be respected by all Kenyans irrespective of their religion.

“We detest such acts and as Supkem we are condemning the act from the bottom of our hearts,” Prof El-Busaidy said.

He said the State should step up security in the country so that terrorists do not kill innocent people going about with their lives.