Anti-terror police holding Al-Shabaab suspect in Isiolo

A street in Isiolo Town where anti-terror police officers arrested a man suspected be a recruiting agent for Al-Shabaab. The man is being held as police complete investigations. FILE PHOTO | VIVIAN JEBET | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • It is also believed that he monitors those arrested on their way to join the terrorist group in Somalia.
  • Police are on high alert to unearth the entire terror network in Isiolo.
  • The county is listed as one of the recruiting grounds for Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia.

Officers from the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) in Isiolo are interrogating a suspected Al-Shabaab member who was arrested in Olabule estate in Isiolo Town.

According to the police, Shadrack Munene Kabaara alias Hassan Munene is suspected to be a recruiting agent for Al-Shabaab and monitors those arrested on their way to join the terrorist group in Somalia.

Isiolo County Criminal Investigation Officer (CCIO) Raphael Barasa said an Isiolo court have granted investigating officers until Monday next week to complete investigations.

“We suspect that he (Kabaara) has links with Al-Shabaab in Somalia or he was planning to cross the border to join the terror group,” said Mr Barasa.

He added that on those suspicions, Anti-Terrorism Police officers arrested the suspect who was booked at Isiolo police station on weekend.

TERROR NETWORK

The officer further maintained that police are on high alert to unearth the entire terror network in Isiolo and asked locals to volunteer information that will lead to arrest of more suspects.

The county is listed as one of the recruiting grounds for Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia.

Last week, four Burundians suspected to be heading to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab terrorist group were arrested in Merille on the Isiolo-Marsabit highway.

The suspects identified as Ntakaruntimara Benard 41, Niyongere Yusuf 32, Nshimirimana Shady, 31 and Bisosa Abderauf , 20 , were arrested at 4am in a bus travelling from Nairobi heading to Moyale.

The suspects who had travelled from Bujumbura had earlier claimed that they were seeking employment.