Country Reports on Terrorism 2008 - Uganda
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Author | Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism |
| Publication Date | 30 April 2009 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, Country Reports on Terrorism 2008 - Uganda, 30 April 2009, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/49fac6c727.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Uganda, situated in a region rife with insecurity, was working to find a permanent solution to two domestic insurgencies while also addressing a regional terrorist threat from al Qa'ida (AQ) and al-Shabaab in neighboring countries. Extremists moving between the Horn of Africa and North Africa and Europe used Uganda as a transit point. While in transit, their members were believed to have illegally purchased government documents and engaged in recruitment activities. In response, the Government of Uganda continued efforts to track, capture, and hold individuals with suspected links to terrorist organizations. In October, the government put Kampala on high alert and increased security at government installations, popular shopping centers, and other soft targets. Somalia-based al-Shabaab has never conducted an attack in Uganda, but identified Uganda as a potential target as retribution for its participation in the AU-led peacekeeping mission in Somalia. While the Ugandan government was a strong advocate for cross-border solutions to persistent problems in the Great Lakes Region, resource limitations and corruption hampered more effective counterterrorism measures. Uganda is one of two members of Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group with no anti-money laundering/terrorism finance legislation. On December 14, 2008, Uganda commenced a joint operation with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) against the Ugandan terrorist group Lord's Resistance Army resident in DROC.
