Radical Muslim Cleric Refused Entry into Nigeria

Abdullah Al-Faisal - No Entry

The radical Jamaican cleric who was deported to Gambia last week has been spotted in Kenya, officials reported on Sunday. Abdullah Al-Faisal, a Jamaican Muslim cleric was flown to Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday in a private jet after airlines decline to have him board their planes. It was the second time the east African nation had tried unsuccessfully to deport the cleric On Tuesday, the Kenyan authorities reportedly drove him to the border of Tanzania because he had entered Kenya from there, but Tanzania refused him entry as well.

According to a Muslim and human rights group in Kenya, Al-Faisal is being held in a remand prison in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. How he found his way back in Kenya remains un-clear. Sources say Nigerian authorities refused to grant him a transit visa and instead sent him back to Kenya early Sunday. Al-Amin Kimathi, Muslim Human Rights Forum chairman told Newstime Africa that Al-Faisal is being held at the Industrial Area Prison and has not been charged in court. Al-Faisal was arrested by Kenyan authorities on New Year’s Eve for entering that country ‘illegally’.

Irate Muslims held protest demos in Kenya’s capital Nairobi after Jumaa prayers at Jamia Mosque on Friday and accused the Kenyan government on sidelining Muslims. The human rights group says Kenya is the only country in Africa of the 10 he has traversed where he is finding hardships. His lawyer, Mbugua Mureithi plans to go to court later to compel the government to release Al-Faisal. The lawyer explained that his client’s health, Al-Faisal, is deteriorating and is being held with no charge opened against him.

Kenyan officials have said Al-Faisal had traveled to Kenya from Nigeria through Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, Mozambique and Tanzania. Kenyan Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang pointed out that Al-Faisal is in the watch-list of persons not allowed to visit the East African nation since 2007. Mr. Faisal was convicted in Britain in 2003 of inciting racial hatred for urging his followers to kill Hindus, Christians, Jews and Americans. Britain deported him to Jamaica in 2007.

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© 2010, Suleiman Mbatiah. All rights reserved.

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By Suleiman Mbatiah