Responding to Terrorism in East Africa

Dr. Peter Mwangi Kagwanja

Presentation at the Conference on: Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Africa, Center for

International Political Studies, University of Pretoria 23 March 2004

PURPOSE

• To provide a background to the problem of terrorism in East Africa;

• Attempt an explanation as to why East; Africa has become a theater of terrorism in recent decades;

• Briefly explore the dynamics of Terrorism in the region;

• Identify and assess the various responses to terrorism.

MAIN PROPOSITIONS

• So far, most of the approaches to terrorism have awfully conflicted with the imperatives of human rights and economic progress, and posed serious threats to national security.

• Strategies of combating terrorism in fragile democracies must be reconciled to the need for achieving and consolidating democracy gains and economic stability and progress.

TERRORISM IN EAST AFRICA: A BIRD’S EYE VIEW

• On august 7 1998, bombs simultaneously explodes in the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania 224 people—among them 12 Americans—and injuring more than 5,000 others. Bombings attributed to Islamic extremists affiliated to al Queda.

• Terrorist activities intensified in the wake of September 11 2001 terrorist attacks on America

• In 2002, terrorists struck an Israeli-owned Hotel in Mombasa, Kenya killing 15 people. They also simultaneously fired missiles at an Israeli jet taking off from the Mombasa airport. The attacks were blamed on al-Queda extremists.

Cont.• In Kenya, there are reports of existing terrorist cells

in the coastal towns of Mombasa and Lamu. These cells are identified as al-Queda and Itihaad-al-Islamiya.

• There are also reports of existence of roving cells of Bin Laden’s al. Queda organization in stateless and war-torn Somalia, increasing the vulnerability of neighboring Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

• Intelligence reports from the US and Kenya indicates that Yemen, which neighbors the Horn of Africa, Sudan and Somalia have al-Queda Cells.

• In January 2003, there is a terrorist scare in the archipelago of Zanzibar and Pemba, leading to closer of hotels, laying down of over 6000 workers and a lethal blow to tourism, one of Zanzibar’s main sources of income.

Why East Africa has become Target

• Proximity to and historic linkages with terrorists hubs in the Middle East.

• Presence of Muslim population in East Africa within which extremists can hide.

• The percentages of Muslim population in Horn of Africa are as follows: Comoros (98%); Djibouti (94%), Eritrea (50%), Ethiopia (50%), Kenya (10%), Somalia (100%), Sudan (70%), Tanzania (35%), and Uganda (16%).

• Porous and un-policed borders• Weak security infrastructure • Collapse of states such as in Somalia• Presence of Israeli population and business in East

Africa

Dynamics and Local linkages of Terrorism

• Developing linkages with domestic terrorism and criminality

• Exploitation of traditional networks of money transfers and remittances

• Melting into needy populations such as refugees in camps, thus complicating assistance

• Exacerbating international criminal networks

STRATEGIES AND RESPONSES TO TERRORISM

• The US has declared the Horn a new front in the war against terrorism.

• Hi-tech command ship in the Indian Ocean and a secretive base in Djibouti.

• Financial assistance to countries such as Kenya and Tanzania affected by terrorism. The US has spent about $4 million on anti-terrorism assistance to Kenya alone, including training more than 500 security personnel in the United States. In July 2003, the US has announced a $100 million counter-terrorist money for East Africa, about a half of which will go to Kenya.

• Counter-Terrorist Reward Program: a reword of 5 million for information

Cont.• Provision of sophisticated security equipments. In the

wake of the attacks in Mombasa, Kenya has received nearly one million dollar worth of equipment for use in the airports.

• The US embassy has responded to terror alerts by closing embassy and evacuating non-essential staff, causing panic with far-reaching negative effects on the economy.

• Kenya and Tanzania have introduced counter-terrorist bills.

• The establishment of the National Counter-terrorism center in Nairobi Kenya. This will operate under the Kenyan Intelligence service (NSIS).

• Joint Trainings with the US• Visits by heads of state and government to the US to

forge partnerships against terrorism

Impact of these responses on domestic Environment

• The war against terrorism has complicated relations between the US and East African countries

• Muslim population in Kenya claims harassment, and human rights violations, bringing to the fore the contested issues of citizenship.

• The suppression of terrorism Bill introduced into the national assembly in April 2003 has been a source of agitation and disenchantment among human rights groups and Muslim populations.

• Outstanding issues: US threat to cut aid ($3 million per year) in military aid for ratifying Kenya ratifies the ICC treaty without exempting US soldiers by signing article 98.

• The US must appreciate local realities in East Africa, particularly the imperatives of domestic politics.