Police say mastermind of Swift bus explosion arrested, bomb making materials recovered

Police have said they have arrested the mastermind of  the recent bomb blast that targeted passengers in a Swift Safari bus along the Kampala-Masaka highway.

One person was left dead after a bomb blast in a Swift Safaris bus on October 25 at  Lungala in Mpigi and according to security, the deceased was a suicide bomber.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said joint intelligence and counter terrorism team carried out an operation leading to the arrest of the man behind the incident.

"The suspect identified as Isma Kiyemba, is a 24-year-old, male adult and resident of Makandwa village, Kajjansi Town Council, in Wakiso District, who was tracked down and arrested using advanced surveillance techniques,"Enanga said.

He explained that upon arrest, Kiyemba led operatives to his home in Kajjansi and that a search led to discovery of several bomb making materials.

"Upon arrest, he led the team to a search at his premises at Kajjansi, where an assortment of bomb making materials which included chemical fluids, five capacitors, electric and copper wires, batteries, screws, nails, a digital timer, two electric mortars, five mobile phones and several Sim cards were recovered. In addition, a bank Visa card and materials used in the manufacture of destructive devices including experiments, were also recovered and exhibited."

Security said that upon interrogation, it was established that the suspect was the one who assembled the suicide jacket and belt that was detonated by Muzafaru Matovu on the Swift Safari bus in Mpigi and that he was in the process of  assembling another Improvised Explosive Device.

According to security, it has also been established that Kiyemba was recruited and radicalised into the ADF  by one Imam  Sulaiman Nsubuga, who is on the run.

"At the time of his arrest he was found with a written will and a planned mission. As the joint security agencies, we continue to investigate, respond and counter all threats against our citizens and country. The operations targeting the remaining agents, collaborators and operatives are ongoing. We also want to inform the public that the threat environment still exists, which calls for extra caution and vigilance, as they go about their daily activities, and further remind them, to report any threatening or suspicious activity, to the nearest security agency."

The development comes barely 24 hours after the UPDF using artillery  and air strikes hit ADF camps in DRC.