Detonation devices discovered at the Musjidur Rahman Mosque, following a recent bombing on Monday morning.
Durban — A Durban mosque experienced an explosive start to the week following a bomb scare in the early hours of Monday morning.
Undetonated explosive devices were found inside the premises at Musjidur Rahman Mosque on 131 Kenneth Kaunda Road, Durban North.
Mosque Trustees spokesperson Yusuf Desai said that the devices were discovered by a security guard patrolling the area.
He noticed a vehicle entering the mosque's driveway at around 00.45am and saw one of the occupants, an unidentified man, exiting the passenger side and placing an object in the shrubs near the mosque entrance.
Desai said upon noticing the guard approaching, the individuals fled the scene.
The guard promptly alerted mosque management who contacted the SAPS for further investigation.
The package was found to contain a bomb and approximately 40 metres of detonation cable, which the SAPS bomb squad successfully rendered safe and removed, he said.
Desai said the Muslim community's contributions to Durban North's economy and social fabric have significantly mitigated earlier misunderstandings and stereotypes.
He believes it was an attempted act of terrorism which underscores a grave concern for the Durban North community.
“The authorities are currently reviewing footage from the mosque and security company cameras.
“The mosque has heightened security measures, urging anyone with information on or the motives behind the bombing attempt, or who may have been in the vicinity during the incident, to contact law enforcement or the mosque directly.
“Efforts to apprehend those responsible will be relentless and thorough,” Desai said.
KZN police spokesperson, Brigadier Jay Naicker, said Greenwood Park police were investigating a case of illegal possession of explosives after the discovery of two home made explosive devices at the Mosque along Kenneth Kaunda Road.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that on July 8, 2024 at 1.30am, unknown suspects were on Kenneth Kaunda Road when they were interrupted by a security vehicle patrolling the area. The suspects fled and threw the devices into the mosque premises.
The security officer saw what happened, found the devices inside the mosque premises and immediately suspected that it was explosive devices. He contacted the necessary authorities who in turn contacted police.
Police bomb technicians confirmed that it was home made explosive devices that consisted of commercial explosives.
The devices were not set up to explode. It is suspected that the men were en route to an unknown location with the devices when they were disturbed by the security officer.
Naicker said investigations to locate the suspects were ongoing and commended the security officer who found the devices as he did not touch them and immediately alerted authorities.
Naicker appealed to members of the community to follow his example and not to pick up any suspicious devices that they may come across.
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