Anti-terror police take over probe

Three suspected terrorists arrested in the border town of Liboi have been handed over to the anti-terrorism police unit in Nairobi.

Police in North Eastern Province arrested the trio, a Sudanese national and two Kenyans, with bomb-making materials, including powder, matches and assorted wires, along the Kenya-Somali border.

Provincial police boss Leo Nyongesa said the three had been flown to Nairobi for further interrogation.

Officers are trying to establish whether the suspects are linked to the Somali-based Al-Shabaab militia.

Police believe the recovered items were ingredients for the making of a bomb, which could be used in terror attacks in Kenya.

Al-Shabaab, which has been fighting for control of the lawless neighbouring country with the internationally-backed Transitional Federal Government forces, had threatened to strike targets in Kenya during Easter.

Following these threats, Kenyan security forces have been on high alert and have asked wananchi to be vigilant and report any suspicious characters during the Easter festivities.

Police commissioner Mathew Iteere particularly advised Kenyans to be on the lookout in crowded places including shopping malls, entertainment spots and other areas where people are likely to converge as they enjoy the holiday.

In Nairobi, police officers have been guarding public places and travellers are being screened more thoroughly before boarding buses to various destinations.

Mr Nyongesa said a contingent of officers from all security forces in the country had been deployed to the porous border to ensure Al-Shabaab insurgents did not enter Kenya.

“We are carrying out a joint operation of all security forces, including the military, to ensure Kenya is free from terrorists.”

The arrest of the trio was an important development in containing the al Shabaab threat, with the militia reportedly unhappy with Kenya’s training of Somali police on its territory and attacks on the militia along the border with Kenya.

Al-Shabaab has visited terror in the East African region in the past, including a blast that killed 70 soccer fans in Kampala as they watched the World Cup finals and another that claimed two lives at the Kampala Coach terminus in Nairobi.

Although the police have disputed reports of Kenyan youths being recruited into the terror group, should detectives link the two Kenyans to the militia, it would present evidence of Kenyans being involved in the radical Islamist group.