Nineteen KZN mosque bomb suspects in court

A group of protesters have gathered outside the Verulam Family Court in KwaZulu Natal where 19 people accused of placing bombs in the Verulam Mosque are appearing in court.

The 19 suspects are accused of a fatal bomb attack at the KwaZulu Natal Shia mosque and placement of several explosive devices at Durban shopping centres.

A number of incendiary devices were reportedly found in Durban between March and August this year.

The suspects are also accused of kidnapping after the police found a man chained and malnourished inside a dungeon in one of the houses raided by police. They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, violation of the Explosives Act, arson, kidnapping, and illegal possession of firearms.

The men were arrested by the Hawks recently.

In an earlier Citizen report, the Hawks described the Shia mosque attack in Ottawa as one of a kind.

The attack left one man dead and two other men injured.

It is believed that three men, suspected of being foreign nationals, entered the Imam Hussain mosque after prayers claiming they wanted to pray. They then proceeded to attack and stab Moulana Ali Nchinyane and Muhammad Ali.

Abbas Essop, who worked close to the mosque, rushed to the scene to offer assistance. His throat was slit and he died later in hospital. Several rooms in the building, including the library, were set alight after a petrol bomb was hurled into the mosque. The suspects fled in a vehicle.

(Compiled by Gopolang Chawane)

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