KENYA: At least one person is killed and a dozen wounded in a grenade attack at a church in the Kenyan capital, the latest in a series of attacks in the east African country since it sent troops into neighbouring Somalia

Record ID: 353635

  • Title: KENYA: At least one person is killed and a dozen wounded in a grenade attack at a church in the Kenyan capital, the latest in a series of attacks in the east African country since it sent troops into neighbouring Somalia
  • Date: 30th April 2012
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (APRIL 29, 2012) (REUTERS) WIDE OF CHURCH VARIOUS OF BOMB EXPERTS AT THE PULPIT VARIOUS OF PLASTIC CHAIRS ON THE FLOOR BLOOD STAINS AND OTHER DEBRIS ON THE FLOOR POLICE TALKING TO JOURNALISTS JOURNALIST LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAIROBI DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF, MOSES OMBATI, SAYING: "Somebody must have come and lobbed a grenade into the church cong
  • Embargoed: 15th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya, Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Crime,Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9I1GY72Y51QW0773Q8GRUHT89
  • Story Text: One person was killed in a blast which hit a church on Sunday (Apr 29) in a working class area of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, police and Kenya Red Cross officials said.
    "Somebody must have come and lobbed a grenade into the church congregation that was by then going on. So far we have confirmed 16 people, that is, one dead and 15 are admitted at Kenyatta, Nairobi Hospital or Guru Nanak - five are confirmed to be in critical condition," said Nairobi deputy police chief, Moses Ombati There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
    The government has blamed previous attacks on Somali-based rebels al Shabaab, which formally merged with al Qaeda this year, but police said it was too early to say who was behind the blast at the church.
    "The person behind whatever that has happened today is yet to be known but the truth is it was a grenade, from the report of our experts that was lobbed into the congregation," added Ombati Chairs were thrown about and there were blood stains on the floor of the church made of iron sheet.
    "It just happened, we do not know actually how it started but we just heard a blast," said Hebo Hamala, a preacher at the church In late March, one person was killed when a grenade was hurled at a Christian meeting near the port city of Mombasa. A second explosion minutes after struck a bar near Mombasa's main stadium.
    The attacks on Mombasa followed one in the capital earlier last month at a bus station which killed at least nine people.
    There have also been attacks near the border with Somalia following Kenya's deployment of troops there last October.
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