Police are hunting a radical
Muslim preacher wanted in
connection with an acid attack
on two British teenagers in
Zanzibar.
Sheikh Issa Ponda Issa was
cornered by officers near Dar
es Salaam in Tanzania, but
managed to escape and is now
on the run.
He was hit in the shoulder with
a tear-gas canister during the
altercation, according to local
police in Morogoro - the scene
of the clash.
Police commander Faustine
Shilogile said: "He has not been
arrested. He has been shot at.
We have been looking for him
in all corners of the country."
He added: "We are no closer to
finding who was responsible for
this. But this is a serious police
investigation, and we are doing
everything we can."
Five men are also being
questioned by officers,
according to the authorities.
News of the preacher's escape
came as it emerged that one of
the two men involved in the
unprovoked attack "smiled"
before throwing acid.
Speaking from Zanzibar,
medical student Olivia Moore
told Channel 4 News: "The two
men were on a moped and
they went past a group of
tourists.
"They stopped for the girls and
the two men then looked at
each other, nodded and then
the man on the back of the
bike smiled and threw acid on
the girls.
"From then on it's just chaotic.
There was no incident that
preceded the actual attack.
"Everyone was shocked.
Nobody can think of a
motivation or anything that
precipitated this."
Victims Katie Gee, and Kirstie
Trup, both 18 and from
London, are still being treated
for burns at Chelsea and
Westminster Hospital after
arriving home on Friday.
They are said to be "well
rested and comfortable".
A hospital spokesman said:
"They have been with their
families all day. Doctors are
continuing to assess treatment
options for both patients."
The pair were attacked as they
walked across a road on
Wednesday night.
They had been nearing the end
of a trip working as volunteer
teachers on Zanzibar, a
predominantly Muslim island in
the Indian Ocean.
Witnesses have spoken of their
desperate attempts to wash
the acid off the two girls before
they were rushed to hospital.
A picture released by the
teenagers' families shows one
appears to have extensive acid
burns on her chin, neck and
upper chest.
It is thought one of the girls is
not as badly injured as the
other because she was helped
into the sea immediately after
the attack.
They had apparently been due
to return to the UK to collect
their A-level results next week.
Miss Trup is hoping to study
history at the University of
Bristol and Miss Gee is
considering the University of
Leeds, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Tory MP Bill Cash,
who sits on the all-party
parliamentary group for
Tanzania, has urged the
Foreign Office to further
upgrade its travel warning for
tourists visiting both Zanzibar
and Tanzania because it was
"more than just an ordinary
criminal event".
The Foreign Office updated its
Tanzania travel advice page on
Friday with details of the attack
and warns British nationals to
"take care" and read its travel
advice.
Mr Cash said: "People need to
be extra vigilant and the
Foreign Office and High
Commission need to make a
very thorough evaluation of the
threat, as these latest attacks
would seem to be on religious
grounds.
"The threat to tourists going to
Tanzania and Zanzibar needs
to be upgraded without doubt."

Is dat all ? Next !

This is a frontpage material, change the topic @ op to something less direct.

^^^^
If a pro Islam news makes it to the fp, you guys query its presence there
However here you are angling for this misdeed to be placed on the fp
Will God's judgement be swayed by propaganda?