/ 8 September 2004

Hostage drama in Uganda govt office

Police and army stormed a Ugandan government office where three gunmen had taken a Cabinet minister’s secretary and an unidentified man hostage on Wednesday.

An Associated Press photographer heard shooting in the building and saw several bodies being taken out, but could not tell whether the people were injured or dead.

Earlier on Wednesday, three unidentified men walked into Water Minister Maria Mutagamba’s office demanding to see her and when they were told she was not in, they took out guns and held the minister’s secretary and a man hostage, reported Central Broadcasting Service, an independent radio station.

A police corporal at the government building in Kampala, who asked not to be identified, confirmed that three gunmen were holding the secretary and an unidentified man.

The reason for the hostage-taking was not immediately clear. — Sapa-AP