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Kenya’s attempt to deport cleric fails
Monday, 11 January 2010
Abdullah al-Faisal.The Kenyan government is facing an embarrassing situation after an aborted attempt to deport an Islam preacher who has been declared unsafe for the country.
Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang, <span style="font-style: italic">who last Thursday announced that Jamaican-born Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal's deportation to Gambia, </span><span style="font-weight: bold">Monday explained that the cleric had been brought back against the wishes of the country.</span>
Al-Faisal was due to travel through Nigeria on his way to Gambia, but Mr. Kajwang said the situation was very difficult because Nigeria had refused passage.
The Minister told journalists that the cleric would not be released until a way is found for him to be sent home.
The Information Minister blamed the media for the aborted deportation, claiming that al-Faisal had been portrayed in an alarmist and negative way causing the Nigerian and Gambian administrations to rethink granting him passage.
The plan was to ship al-Faisal to Jamaica from Gambia.
Mr. Kajwang also accepted some of the blame for the bungled deportation proceeding, stating that his decision to divulge the deportation details to the media was ill-advised.
As a result, Mr. Kajwang said no further details of the process will be divulged.
Kenya had previously tried to deport al-Faisal to Tanzania but that attempt also failed.
Al Faisal is being deported because of his terrorist history after he gained notoriety for preaching hatred against some groups.
The cleric served four years in a UK prison after being convicted of soliciting the murder of Jews and Hindus.
Al-Faisal's lawyers have said they will go to court for an order that he should either be charged or freed.
He was arrested on New Year's Eve after attending prayers in the coastal city of Mombasa.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Abdullah al-Faisal.The Kenyan government is facing an embarrassing situation after an aborted attempt to deport an Islam preacher who has been declared unsafe for the country.
Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang, <span style="font-style: italic">who last Thursday announced that Jamaican-born Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal's deportation to Gambia, </span><span style="font-weight: bold">Monday explained that the cleric had been brought back against the wishes of the country.</span>
Al-Faisal was due to travel through Nigeria on his way to Gambia, but Mr. Kajwang said the situation was very difficult because Nigeria had refused passage.
The Minister told journalists that the cleric would not be released until a way is found for him to be sent home.
The Information Minister blamed the media for the aborted deportation, claiming that al-Faisal had been portrayed in an alarmist and negative way causing the Nigerian and Gambian administrations to rethink granting him passage.
The plan was to ship al-Faisal to Jamaica from Gambia.
Mr. Kajwang also accepted some of the blame for the bungled deportation proceeding, stating that his decision to divulge the deportation details to the media was ill-advised.
As a result, Mr. Kajwang said no further details of the process will be divulged.
Kenya had previously tried to deport al-Faisal to Tanzania but that attempt also failed.
Al Faisal is being deported because of his terrorist history after he gained notoriety for preaching hatred against some groups.
The cleric served four years in a UK prison after being convicted of soliciting the murder of Jews and Hindus.
Al-Faisal's lawyers have said they will go to court for an order that he should either be charged or freed.
He was arrested on New Year's Eve after attending prayers in the coastal city of Mombasa.
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