Abdallah Baraj, the Secretary General of South Sudan Islamic Council  - Courtesy

The Secretary General of South Sudan Islamic Council has condemned Friday’s killing of a Muezzin inside a mosque at Nimra Talata area of Juba while dismissing terrorism links.

On 27th September, police apprehended a man residing inside the courtyard of the mosque at Nimra Talata area for allegedly slaughtering the man who normally calls people to prayer through a microphone.

According to eyewitnesses, the altercation began with a verbal dispute, which escalated when the suspect pulled out a knife and beheaded the imam before injuring two others.

The motive for the attack remains unclear, and the police authorities who are yet to publicly comment on the matter, are reportedly investigating the circumstances surrounding the event.

Meanwhile, Dr. Abdallah Baraj, the Secretary General of South Sudan Islamic Counil, said during a press conference on Sunday that the incident must be treated as an individual crime.

“I want to tell the media that this crime should be dealt with as an individual crime. It has nothing to do with terrorist crimes,” Baraj told journalists.

The cleric, who was visibly disappointed at alleged misinformation funneled by a controversial social media blogger about the incident, said the perpetrator is not in any way linked to the Muslim community in the country.

Mr. Baraj underscored that the authority to declare a terrorism incident in any countries is solely of the government and its security services, and not journalists or social media activists.

“As reported by some journalists and some social media activists who broadcast live and tried to pin terrorism on us, people, terrorism cannot be announced by journalists, but by the state and security services,” he said.

“Terrorism is only announced by groups that attack people in mosques or gathering places and announce their responsibility for the attack. We do not need problems, as we previously dealt with the problems that occurred in churches.”

He cautioned that irresponsible statements could sow discord within South Sudan’s peaceful and religiously diverse society, or result in unfair generalization and accusations against all Sudanese people in Juba.

“We want people to deal with the same responsibility that this crime was committed by a specific person, and this person came from Sudan like other refugees who came to their families in South Sudan, so the rulings should not be generalized.”

Baraj further called on the media to work with full responsibility when reporting on sensitive matters, adding that terrorism has dire consequences as seen in neighboring Uganda and Kenya.

“We want the media, journalists and activists to be responsible and not publish things that make things worse. We do not need problems, so you southerners do not invite terrorism.”

“Terrorism is not good. Ask the Ugandans and Kenyans, those countries where terrorist attacks have occurred. Do not claim something that does not exist.”

The cleric also appealed to the South Sudan police to implement previous orders prohibiting the use of mosques and all places of worship as a place of residence in order to ensure safety of worshipers.

“The refugees should to the refugee camps and the resident persons should lives in a place like the rest of his brothers in South Sudan. He rents a house to live in.”

“Mosques are for prayer. Therefore, I appeal to the security authorities to help us evacuate all mosques from any presence of people.”

Police are yet to release an investigation report on the incident despite several attempts to seek their statement.