Sierra Leone's media watchdog Sunday slammed a one-month
suspension on a local tabloid over a report on a supposed terrorist
threat.
The Independent Media Commission (IMC) penalized the Watchman newspaper for reporting on Friday an imminent attack on a major ministerial office block - Youyi Building.
Fears of potential attack by the Somali extremist
group Al-Shabaab have prompted security to be tightened across Sierra
Leone with armed policemen visible at major areas of interest in the
capital.
Sierra Leone has deployed troops as part of the AU
peacekeeping mission in Somali (Amisom); Al-Shabaab has been
threatening to retaliate against the troop contributing countries.
The Watchman surprised many with a
front-page story titled ‘Al-Shabab to Attack Youyi Building'. The
building hosts the single largest concentration of government
institutions in Freetown.
The ten-story Chinese-built structure situated in
the west end of Freetown, houses a total of nine ministries in addition
to a number of government departments and agencies.
The controversial Watchman story came
soon after the country's top security officials announced plans to
decongest Youyi building and make it less vulnerable.
According to the IMC, the newspaper report had caused panic among the hundreds of employees working in the building.
The recent attack on Kenya's Nairobi Westgate Mall
by Al Shabaab militants struck fear among Sierra Leoneans who remain
wary over the group's previous warnings against Amisom troop
contributors.
Sierra Leone has sent 850 troops to fight alongside Kenyan forces based in southern Somalia.
A fresh contingent is set to depart Freetown soon, according to Defence ministry officials.
Seven Pakistanis detained last week for entering the country illegally have since been released pending further investigations.
The local media's coverage of the development has
frayed nerves in the government, with the authorities coming under
intense scrutiny for their decision to deploy in Somalia.
SOURCE: AFRICA REVIEW
SOURCE: AFRICA REVIEW