France to close Nairobi embassy Friday for fear of attacks

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An official at the embassy in Nairobi said, the embassy will resume normal operations on Monday/AFP

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 19 – The French embassy in Nairobi will close on Friday for fear of being targeted by furious Muslims protesting publication of obscene cartoons of Prophet Mohammed by a French magazine on Wednesday.

An official at the embassy in Nairobi said, the embassy will resume normal operations on Monday.

“It is a precaution we are taking. The embassy will close on Friday until Monday,” the official, speaking on condition of anonymity said, adding “It is better to take precautions than deal with repercussions.”

Asked why they chose to close on Friday, the embassy official said “it is a norm world over that Muslim protests come after Friday prayers.”

The embassy official said they have also asked for security enhancement from the Kenya Police to curb any likely security challenge.

France braced for a backlash from the cartoons, stepping up security at its embassies and banning demonstrations on its own soil as senior officials appealed for calm.

More than 30 people have been killed in attacks or violent protests linked to the controversial US-made film “Innocence of Muslims”, including 12 people who died in an attack by a female suicide bomber in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius had earlier announced that he had ordered special security measures in all their embassies in countries likely to be targets of the Muslim protesters.

More than 30 people have been killed in attacks or violent protests linked to the controversial US-made film “Innocence of Muslims”, including 12 people who died in an attack by a female suicide bomber in Afghanistan on Tuesday.

The international media quoting the French Ministry in Paris reported that at least 20 embassies would be closed Friday for fear of being targeted by angry Muslim protesters.

Police have been deployed outside the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical magazine which printed a series of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

The left-wing, libertarian publication’s offices were firebombed last year after it published an edition “guest-edited” by the Prophet that it called Sharia Hebdo.

BERNARD MOMANYI

BERNARD MOMANYI

Bernard is the News Editor at Capital FM. He commands over a decade of experience in news gathering having worked in both print and electronic media. He holds a BSc degree in Information Sciences from Moi University where he is currently enrolled for a Masters programme.

  • JohnDahodi

    MUSLIMS SHOULD NOT FOLLOW THE SUICIDAL PATH. It looks like that the Western world is determined to paint Muslims and Islam as the out-class race and religion by carrying out uncivilized, immoral and vulgar JIHAD against them using pretext of freedom of speech and expression. It is a calculated war designed by the Zionists, Christian militia and zealots; all combined together. They have skillfully converted majority of Muslims as un-lawful and criminal and their human rights, morality and equal rights have been curtailed using their phony slogan of war on terror around the globe.
    Under this circumstances, wise Muslim leaders should come out and educate their Imams to use the democratic means of expressing their opposition and use their ballots during the election decisively to weeded out the Islam o-phobias. Also, they should use the democratic tools of publishing their own view points in other medias and providing financial support to the right candidates with right ideology. Also, 53 Islamic Nations should convey the U.N. General Assembly and use their power to pass Resolution to stop this Jihad of freedom of speech at least for the known respected Prophets and respected religious personalities of major Religions similar to Jews have been awarded the tool of Antisemitism. Muslim nations can also take many other legal, political and economical action to stop this un-holy Western Jihad. But to start violence or destruction of property in the name of such provocation will be SUICIDAL for Muslims and Islam in long run and must be stopped at once.

  • upuzi_tele

    The Kenya government seems no longer capable of protecting private property. France indirectly says that if this country cannot protect it’s citizens and churches from terrorists how will it be able to protect the French Embassy and its employees. Kenya has been reduced to the level of Afghanistan, Iraq and the current Libya where lawlessness is the order of the day.

  • mkenyamwema

    So if all the countries in the world decide to publish some thing “offensive” to islam, will these goons still go chaotic and burn the world?… God does not need our mercy and defence, its the other way round! So please muslims, give us a break!