Former Kilifi County driver among terror suspects sought by police

A public notice placed by terror suspect Issa Abdalla Kauni's parents announcing his disappearance in November 2014. Kauni is among nine suspected terrorists wanted by police. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Mohammed asked the government to bring him back home to stand trial.
  • Kauni was born in 1991 and educated at Sir Ali bin Salim Primary School and Progressive Secondary School in Malindi.

Police have named a former Kilifi government employee as an Al-Shabaab fighter plotting fresh attacks in the country.

Issa Abdallah Kauni, 26, is among nine suspected terrorists whose photos were shared among security agencies, with police being kept on high alert over possible attacks in the Coast region.

Kauni worked as a driver for six months in Kilifi County before he disappeared from his Malindi home three years ago.

This forced the county’s human resources department to publish a poster of him as a “missing person” in November 2014.

In an exclusive interview with the Nation in 2015, Kauni’s father Abdallah Mohammed called for the arrest of his son.

'GOOD BOY'

Mr Mohammed asked the government to bring him back home to stand trial.

Speaking at his home in Malindi then, Mr Mohammed said his son had disappeared from the county headquarters, where he was the driver of education executive Salma Muhdin.

The family said, the suspected terrorist, who has a Sh2 million bounty on his head, was born in 1991 and educated at Sir Ali bin Salim Primary School and Progressive Secondary School in Malindi.

“He was a very good boy. We educated him through difficulties and he used to help us before he disappeared. We want the government to help us trace him,” he said, adding that he did not believe his son was a terrorist.

In 2015, police released photographs of four suspected terrorists — Abulkadir Abubakar Abdulkadir, Kauni, Hussein Said Omar, alias Babli, and Ahmed Said Omar, alias Dogo.

Abdulkadir, Kauni and Omar are among the nine on the list issued by Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet last week.