How suspected ADF agent operated explosive making lab, assortment of weapons in Kampala

Intelligence organs have arrested a man in Salaama, a Kampala suburb suspected to be an agent of Allied Democratic Forces and at his two bedroomed house was an explosive making laboratory and an assortment of weapons.

The bomb squad and counter terrorism units of the police together with their Forensic directorate  on Thursday surrounded the home of  Muhammad Kayemba also known as MK in Kigagga zone, Salaama in Makindye division as they combed the two bedroomed house for any material evidence .

The house which was not secluded but rather near the main road didn’t have any home appliances but rather items including those commonly found in laboratories.

According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, Kayemba is believed to be a suicide bomber for ADF and that the home was the laboratory where improvised explosive devices were being made from.

“He is suicide bomber who had been assigned duties to blow up himself and the targets were government officials in convoys, security personnel and in case the two failed the third alternative was to go where there is jam to blow up himself,” Onyango said.

He said intelligence had got information about a suspected suicide bomber and they followed the leads leading to Kayemba’s arrest who later led them to the house.

“The bomb making site is a two roomed house with not home appliances, beddings or anything that can be used at home but only bomb making equipment and materials.  Here they were preparing and making their IEDs.”

Recovery

At the house, several items including an AK47 rifle whose but had been cut for concealment, two locally made pistol, a bag  of falcon pellets, jericans of hydrogen peroxide solution, sulfuric acid,  lead nitrate and several powders  that security said are ingredients in the making of improvised explosive devices.

“We also recovered one SMG, three magazines, 88 live ammunition of AK47 , 88 live ammunition of pistols and others. All the recovered items will be subjected to forensic examination,” Onyango said.

Locals

Some of the locals neighbouring the house but preferred not to be named for fear of reprisal indicated that they had never seen anyone live in the house.

“We were surprised to see security cordon it off and later several items recovered,” said one of the local leaders.

Operations

Since 2021 when twin bombings happened in Kampala, Ugandan security has launched several operations targeting ADF sleeper cells in the country.

Several suspects have been arrested in the process.

Late last year, the Crime Intelligence Directorate launched a man-hunt for a group that was targeting security personnel including police posts and stations to rob guns.

Consequently, one Ali Katende alias Mao, suspected to be the leader of the group was arrested in a sting operation carried out in Nyendo, Masaka City.

It was found out that Katende would coordinate the attacks on police stations and posts around the country by moving from Masaka and join other colleagues in Matugga and Maganjo where they had created smaller terror cells to avoid detection.

He was found with nine guns including a PK machine gun, a Russian made belt-fed general-purpose machine gun, chambered for the 7.62×54mmR rimmed cartridge.