Kenya: Muslim leaders oppose new anti-terror law

In the U.S., we regularly see Muslim groups opposing counterterror measures, and this story shows that this is an international phenomenon. Muslim groups in the West consistently assert that they oppose terrorism (without ever specifically defining what it is), but often also oppose any attempt to do anything about it.

“Muslims lobby oppose school anti-terror law,” by Julius Otieno, The Star(Kenya), July 12, 2019 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):

Muslim leaders have rejected the proposed amendments to the anti-terrorism law that requires teachers and parents to watch over their children to ensure they are not radicalised.

They poked holes in the Prevention of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2018, saying the proposals only seeks to ‘criminalise’ parents and headteachers.

Led by Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims chairman Yussuf Nzibo, the leaders presented their memorandum to the clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai. The memorandum was received by the House’s legal director Jane Nyaboke.

They said the bill, sponsored by nominated Senator Naomi Waqo, violates the Constitution and will hurt the war on terrorism.

The bill state parents would be responsible for monitoring the activities of their children after school hours and during weekends and holidays to ensure they are not lured into extremist groups.

It mandates the parents to immediately report to the school or police if their children go missing.

The proposals also require school heads to immediately report to the National Counter Terrorism Center or police if a student disappears and is believed to have joined a terrorist group.

School managers will be required to keep an updated record of all students and ensure that teachers and other staff are trained to recognise vulnerable students likely to be drawn into radicalisation.

School regulators will establish ways to spot, deradicialise and reintegrate students found to have been involved in...

Read More HERE