A Kenyan Muslim acquitted last year of murder in the 2002 al-Qaeda-linked bombing of an Israeli-owned hotel was yesterday jailed for eight years on weapons charges. Nairobi magistrate Rose-melle Mutoka convicted Omar Said Omar of having a cache of firearms, five light anti-tank missiles, one hand grenade and ammunition in Mombasa.Omar and three others were acquitted of the murder charges on June 9 last year relating to an attack on the hotel near Mombasa. But Omar was immediately re-arrested on the charges of possessing arms.
Prosecutors hailed the ruling as an important step in fighting terrorism in the East African country, which has been criticised for not doing enough despite suffering a number of al-Qaeda attacks.