Security foiled 47 bomb attempts before the recent two blasts, says ISO boss

Col Charles Oluka, the Director  General of  the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) has said security forces had foiled a total of 47 bomb attempts before the two blasts at Komamboga and on a Swift Safari bus.

“There have been bombs all over the place that the public doesn’t know. They only know that one that has gone off. They don’t know about the 47 that we have stopped from going off,” Col Oluka said.

He  made the revelation on Tuesday, while meeting intelligence delegates from ten Eastern  Africa countries at the Eastern Africa Fusion and Liaison Unit (EA-FLU) in Entebbe.

The  ISO boss highlighted that terrorism is on an increase in the East ern African region and urged the member countries to intensify the fight against the elements behind the attacks.

He also tasked the delegates to find ways of dealing with the terrorism threats in their respective countries other than waiting on the western world for rescue.

“This kind of operation is what our president has been expounding all along. Africans should have a solution for themselves instead of crying on these guys all the time. They have their interests. They are not about to sacrifice their interests to come and sacrifice the interests of crying African,” he said.

Oluka warned that the East African region continues to be a target for terrorism because the attackers are using different strategies.

“The threats to our region will continue to get more complex because we’re learning ways of dealing with these people. They are also devising other means to evade security. So, the threats get more and more complex all the time and they’re becoming more tougher to defend,” he said.

Col Oluka also used the opportunity to call for vigilance among the public especially in public places and urged Ugandans to always report to authorities if they have any fears or suspicions.

“I know the problem with the general population is the challenge of complacency. If they see anything or any package not recognised well, some plastic bag near you, please report or run away from it.” Oluka urged.

The ISO boss' comments come on the backdrop of two bomb attacks by what security has said were ADF terrorists.

The first attack happened on Saturday evening at an eating point in Komamboga, a Kampala suburb whereas the second one happened on Monday at a Swift Safaris bus that was travelling to Ishaka.

Two people have died in the two separate attacks.