US evangelist held in Uganda on terrorism charges

KAMPALA, March 13 (Reuters) - A U.S. evangelist charged with terrorism in Uganda after detectives found assault rifles in his bedroom days before last month's election was remanded in custody by a magistrate court on Monday.

Peter Waldron, who has claimed close links to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's family, denies the charges.

Waldron, 59, winked at journalists as he crouched and waited with other prisoners to be led into court.

The heavily built former military man from Wyoming was arrested on Feb. 20 and charged with having four AK-47 rifles and 180 bullets, "all without a valid licence or reasonable excuse," Chief Magistrate Margaret Tebulya said on Monday.

She added that she had no authority to grant bail for the American and six fellow suspects -- three men from Uganda and three from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. All were returned to custody until March 28.

If investigations are complete, their case may then be sent up to the High Court for trial, lawyers said.

Waldron had lived in Uganda for four years and was working as an IT consultant at the country's Health Ministry.

He was also the founder of an evangelical group, and police say he was planning to start a political party based on Christian principles when he was arrested -- just three days before Uganda held its first multi-party election for 25 years.