Kenyan Churches Tighten Security After Nairobi Grenade Attack
- Religion Today
- Published May 01, 2012
![Kenyan Churches Tighten Security After Nairobi Grenade Attack](https://i.swncdn.com/media/700w/crosswalk/resource/areas/crosswalk/resources/images/defaultimages/article-large-landscape.png)
May 2, 2012
Kenyan churches are tightening security after a lone attacker exploded a grenade inside an evangelical church in Nairobi on Sunday (April 29), killing one person and injuring 16, the Religion News Service reports. The bombing at the God's House of Miracles International Church occurred days after the U.S. embassy warned of an impending attack by al Shabaab, the militant Islamist group in neighboring Somalia. "We condemn this attack in the strongest terms possible," the Rev. David Gathanju, Presbyterian Church of East Africa moderator, said. "This is a cowardly act that tells us that we need to be vigilant." With Christians coming under increased threat since Kenyan troops entered Somalia last October in pursuit of the Islamists, Gathanju said churches had been reviewing their security and heightening screening of vehicles and people arriving at worship. "We are in discussions as churches to see how we can support each other," he said. "Plus we are getting help from the government. We believe this is a national issue, but while the government is doing something we also need to take care of our security."