Ethiopia arrests 29 “terrorists” including opposition members
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September 5, 2011 (ADDIS ABABA) - Some 29 terror suspects, which
Ethiopian police said have links with banned rebel group the Oromo
Liberation Front (OLF), have been arrested by the country’s security
services.
Among detained, are nine members of opposition parties, Oromo Peoples
Congress (OPC) and Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) the
National Intelligence and Security Service and Federal Police Joint
Anti-Terrorist Taskforce said on Tuesday.
“Some of the suspects were provided training on setting explosives and
related terrorist plots in neighboring countries” the police said
without indicating which countries it believes were at risk.
Ethiopia routinely accuses neighbouring Eritrea of arming, training
terrorists and carrying out mercenary attacks to destabilise the
country. Eritrea, which broke away from Ethiopia two decades ago and
has since fought a bitter border war with its larger neighbour, deny
it backs armed groups in Ethiopia.
“Evidence showed that some of the suspects were trying to carry out
their disruptive acts in an organized manner and bringing illicit
weapons and explosives to the country” the police added.
According to police the suspects have also received training by Oromo
Liberation Front (OLF), a rebel group recently designated as a
terrorist organisation by the horn of Africa country.
The anti-terrorism task force said the suspects were using political
party membership to hide their activities and to cover their
membership with outlawed OLF and have in the past been detained
repeatedly for their subversive acts.
But opposition leaders dismissed the charges, saying the government is
"well-known for its fabrications."
The government "don’t want to know the facts, so they come up with
their lies," Andualem Arage, a senior member of the opposition
coalition Medrek told AFP.
"They are doing this to prevent people from standing up for their
rights," Arage added, claiming the government is fearful Arab
Spring-type protests could erupt in Ethiopia.
The arrests followed the detention of OFDM deputy chairman Bekele
Gerba and the OPC’s Olbana Lelisa on August 27. The two opposition
leaders were arrested shortly after they met delegates from rights
group Amnesty International.
(ST)
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