Supkem to form body to monitor Islamic institutions in fight on radicalism

Garissa Supkem Chairman Abdullahi Salat (left) and Garissa County Commissioner Njenga Miire during a public rally at Garissa Primary School on Tuesday April 7, 2015. Mr Salat said Supkem would form a body that will monitor all Islamic institutions in order to stem radicalisation of Muslim youth. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• This comes after 148 people were killed and scores injured when Al-Shabaab terrorists attacked Garissa University College.
• The leaders said they will come up with modalities of establishing one umbrella body that will be monitoring all Islamic institutions.
• They reiterated that Islam and Muslims are not any way party to heinous, barbaric, and inhumane acts.
• The Supkem chairman said as leaders they will support the government in any way in an effort to restore peace while flushing out terrorist groups hiding amongst the residents.

By ABDIMALIK HAJIR
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Religious leaders in Garissa County Tuesday called on Kenyans to remain united as they vowed to support the government in its effort to fight terrorist attacks.

This comes after 148 people were killed and scores injured when Al-Shabaab terrorists attacked Garissa University College.

Speaking at Garissa Primary School playground at a rally organised by the Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims (Supkem), the leaders said they will come up with modalities of establishing one umbrella body that will be monitoring all Islamic institutions.

This, they said, will help to prevent the existence of radical schools that teach extreme ideologies without the knowledge of the religious leaders and the government.

“Islam equates the killing of innocent souls to the killing of all mankind.

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“Killing innocent people for no apparent reason is the biggest mischief on any human being regardless of ethnic and religious background.

"Whatever its purpose, radicalism cannot be justified or tolerated,” said Garissa Supkem Chairman Abdullahi Salat.

The leaders reiterated that Islam and Muslims are not any way party to heinous, barbaric, and inhumane acts.

At the same time they noted that the aim of the terrorists is to start a war between Muslims and Christians who have been coexisting peacefully for years.

The Supkem chairman told the huge crowed that turned up at the public rally that as religious leaders they will support the government in any way in an effort to restore peace while flushing out terrorist groups hiding amongst the residents.