Durban - The court appearance of 19 suspects linked to acts of terror, mostly in the greater Durban area, continued this week in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court.
The Sunday Tribune understands that some of those arrested are South Africans from “highly respected and wealthy families”. Others are said to be foreigners, although their nationality could not be established.
The matter is being held in a part of the building where family matters are generally heard.
The media and members of the suspects’ families were not allowed inside court.
According to the Hawks’ national spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, the public would be allowed to attend only when the State was satisfied that all investigative risks had been dealt with.
Mulaudzi confirmed that the suspects faced 14 charges.
They include terrorism, murder, attempted murder, extortion, kidnapping, contravention of the Explosives Act and arson.
He said court proceedings had been postponed this week due to a lack of translation services.
In addition, the state still needed to conduct an identity parade.
“To subject the suspects to an open court would be a serious detriment to our investigations,” Mulaudzi said.
The matter is expected to
continue on Monday.
The suspects are accused of planting explosive devices at various retail stores as well as an attack on the Imam Hussein Mosque in Verulam.
It is one of three Shia mosques in South Africa and those who worship there believe sectarianism was the motive for the attack.
The attack left one person, Abbas Essop, dead and two people injured. Those behind the attack set the mosque on fire before fleeing.
Investigators who were part of the raids last week to arrest the suspects have been warned not to talk about the case to the media.
Sources told the Sunday Tribune the matter was highly sensitive and
had the potential to affect South Africa’s relations with other countries.
“We have been warned not to talk and asked to sign a confidentiality agreement,” said a source, who refused to provide any further details.
Last week, police raided two houses in Reservoir Hills and a third home in Parlock, where some of the suspects had been arrested.
At one of the properties in Reservoir Hills police rescued a man who was believed to have been held against his will. He was taken to hospital by ambulance.
A source at the hospital where the kidnapped man was admitted said he was under police guard.
According to the source, two armed policemen fetched the patient on Thursday morning and brought him back in the afternoon.
The source said the patient appeared to be a foreigner and when he was admitted to hospital, had bruises on his face and on both wrists.
“He was in a bad shape. He was beaten up badly by his capturers. He looked as if he had not been fed for days,” the source said.
Meanwhile, a resident from the area told the Sunday Tribune that the community was concerned.
“We fear for our families because we do not know what they have been plotting to do,” he said.
He also said residents were disappointed about the matter being held in-camera.
“We are anxious to follow up on the court matter, we need to know what is happening,” he said.