Uganda's president on Monday signed a controversial anti-gay bill, passed on Dec. 20, that legalizes harsh penalties for homosexual sex, saying the law is necessary because "arrogant and careless Western groups" had tried to "recruit" Ugandan children into homosexuality.

President Yoweri Museveni signed the bill at his official residence in an event witnessed by government officials, journalists and a team of Ugandan scientists whose report — which found that there is no genetic basis for homosexuality — Museveni has cited as his reason for backing the bill.

"We Africans never seek to impose our view on others. If only they could let us alone," he said, referring to Western pressure not to sign the bill.

Museveni said he previously thought homosexuality was merely "abnormal" sexual behavior that some people were born with — the reason he once was opposed to harsh penalties against gays. Now he said he is convinced that it is a choice made by individuals who may try to influence others. Africans are "flabbergasted" by homosexual behavior, he said.

Government officials applauded after he signed the bill, which was influenced by the preachings of some conservative American evangelicals. (...)

Bahati argued that the law was needed to deter Western homosexuals whom he accused of "recruiting" Ugandan children. He said homosexuals from the West threatened to destroy Ugandan families and were luring Ugandan children into gay lifestyles.

Ugandan gays disputed this account, saying that Ugandan political and religious leaders had come under the influence of American evangelicals who wanted to spread their anti-gay campaign in Africa. Ugandan gays singled out Scott Lively, a Massachusetts evangelical, and sued him in March 2012 under the Alien Tort Statute, which allows noncitizens to file suit in the U.S. if there is an alleged violation of international law.