US and British embassies receive bomb threats

The Ugandan embassies of the British and United States governments have received bomb threats, the semi-official ‘New Vision’ newspaper reported on Saturday, 9 June. The threats, the source of which was not apparent, were also made against institutions associated with or funded by the British and Americans, including the Lincoln International School, Young Men’s Catholic Association (YMCA) and the Kampala Music School, the report said. Vague threats were also made against “a certain musical activity to take place in Kampala” and “an American and British structure”, it added. The US embassy in Kampala confirmed having received the threat, and has warned US citizens living in Uganda of possible danger, the ‘New Vision’ reported. The embassy was quoted as saying that it was working with the government of Uganda to provide additional security in locations identified in the threatening e-mail messages but warned that it was impossible to identify all possible places that might be associated with British, Americans or foreigners. The bomb threats followed the explosion of three bombs in Kampala on 4 June, in which 17 people were injured. Although no-one claimed responsibility, four people have reportedly been arrested in connection with the attacks. There were also several explosions in Kampala just after the 12 March presidential elections, which saw incumbent President Yoweri Museveni re-elected. The police then said they were election-related. Since 1997, more than 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured in sporadic bomb and grenade in Kampala. These have generally been attributed to rebels battling Museveni’s government in the west and north of the country.