Act on tip-offs, clergy tell police

Christian and Muslim leaders in Mombasa have asked security agencies to act swiftly on intelligence reports to prevent terrorist attacks.

The leaders also urged Kenyans to remain united and pray for the victims of the Garissa attack and their families.

Speaking during a Good Friday service at the Anglican Church of Kenya’s Mombasa Memorial Cathedral, Bishop Julius Kalu said the terrorists wanted to divide the country into religious factions and this must be resisted.

“Security forces should not be discouraged in the fight against these terror elements,” Bishop Kalu said.

He urged leaders not to politicise security matters, but engage constructively to unite Kenyans despite their religious, political or tribal inclinations.

The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) condemned the attack and asked the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to take action against social media users spreading hate messages and gory images from the attack.

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Organising Secretary Sheikh Khalifa said social media should not be used to inflict more pain on the families of the victims.

“As the Council of Imams, we condemn the attack on students as we pass condolences to the affected. But we cannot turn a blind eye to irresponsible Kenyans insensitively circulating disgusting images,” he said in a telephone interview on Friday.

Mr Khalifa further asked Kenyans to be responsible and help the government in fighting terrorism by giving useful information.

The two leaders asked security agencies to act swiftly and not to dismiss any information they are given, no matter how trivial it may seem.

The religious leaders were reacting to the Garissa University College incident, where terrorists killed 147 students and injured 79 others.