By Rob Jillo
September 16, 2006

Nairobi - Police raided the Nairobi home of two sons of southern Sudanese Vice-President Riek Machar early on Friday after a man there allegedly threatened to shoot a passer-by.

Police arrested and were questioning Kuem Machar and Joseph Chap Machar over guns found during the raid, reportedly five assault rifles and a pistol, said Nairobi Provincial Police chief King'ori Mwangi.

"We want to establish the source of the guns because we haven't seen their firearm licenses," Mwangi said.

"The two sons are in our custody and they are being interrogated by our officers over the firearms."

Riek Machar is currently in Juba, south Sudan where he is acting as chief negotiator peace talks between the Ugandan government and Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army.

Around 20 police officers raided the home in a wealthy Nairobi neighbourhood. Police at the scene said a man at the house had threatened to shoot a passer-by the night before.

"We don't know why they took away the firearms when they raided our house and yet we have the licenses for them," said Zacky, another one of Machar's sons.

"We pleaded with them to wait for someone to bring for them the license but they could not hear any of us."