Jamiatul Ulama KZN Council of Muslim Theologians
Pretoria – A Midrand property developer has been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg in connection with a series of bizarre bomb threats in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town.
Bruce Heafield, 73, had just arrived in the country from his family’s villa in France when he was arrested on charges of intimidation and incitement to commit murder, Netwerk24 reported.
It is claimed that Heafield, his wife, and another suspect are responsible for about 60 bomb threats in the name of Islamic terror groups which resulted in heavy losses at shopping malls last year. In each case, the mall had to be evacuated, but no bombs were found.
In one of the threats, to the Mall of Africa in Midrand, the message read: “Allah will praise us. Today you will meet your own God in fire.”
In another message the black ISIS flag was used.
Private investigators
The Heafields were linked to the case after private investigators identified computers from which the threatening mails had been sent.
In April this year, police and the PIs raided the Heafields’ offices and seized computers and cellphones.
The Heafields left the country soon after that and warrants of arrest were issued for Heafield, his wife Marianne and a third suspect, who is thought to be in the Philippines.
When Heafield appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, it was claimed that his wife was ill and was being treated in France.
He was freed on R100 000 bail after being held for a week.
