Burundi authorities have arrested a journalist over an article questioning security forces' ability to respond to attacks by Somalia's al Shabaab insurgents.

Burundian police arrested Jean Claude Kavumbagu - who runs the online news agency Net Press - on Saturday, relatives said.

On July 12 he wrote in an article: "If Somali Islamists had to try something in Burundi, it would be easy since our defence and security forces are much better in looting and killing innocent people than defending the nation."

His brother, Jean Marie-Vianey Kavumbagu reposnded to his brother's arrest: "A judge who questioned him told me that he was being prosecuted for a story he wrote linked to the al Shabaab's threats. For us, the law was violated because he was not assisted by his lawyer during the interrogation."

Kavumbagu has been arrested five other times for stories he has written critical of government authorities.

source: Reuters