Youth arrested in Masjid Musa could have pledged allegiance to Al-Shabaab, court told

A police officer has told a court in Mombasa that some 22 people accused of being members of Al-Shabaab had an organised group called ‘Jihad Youth Group’ (Umoja wa vijana wa Jihadi) in circumstances indicating they had pledged allegiance to the terror group.

Mr Peter Mbua, a former Makupa OCS, who led a group of more than 150 officers to storm the then controversial Masjid Musa to arrest the suspects two years ago, said upon entering the mosque, they found notices inviting youth for a meeting whose purpose was aimed at committing terror activities.

“We were informed of the meeting that was to take place at the mosque, but we responded swiftly and invaded the mosque before the alleged meeting could commence,” he told Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti.

He said upon entering the mosque, they ordered the youth to surrender, but they (suspects) dispersed, with some escaping upstairs.

POLICE SWOOP IN MAJENGO

The suspects were among the 129 youth arrested on February 2, 2014 in Majengo, Mombasa County during the police swoop.

Mr Mbua told the court that he noticed one of the suspect had an AK 47 rifle, but surrendered it as he escaped through another exit door to the upper rooms.

He said the informer, whose identity was not disclosed, told them that the youth were planning something rough and that they had associated themselves to a jihadist group.

He described the meeting the youth had called as a well-orchestrated plan that was meant to commit a felony, considering that they were armed with sophisticated weapons including knives, pangas and a rifle.

“It was evident that the youth were well prepared because when one of the officers forced himself in, he was roughed up and his rifle taken away within a second,” he said.

He said a General Service Unit (GSU) officer who was the first one to gain entry into the mosque was seriously injured by the armed youth.

GSU OFFICER FATALLY STABBED

The officer, who was commanding the four-hour operation, said after the GSU officer had been stubbed in the neck, the suspects pulled him in and left him in the washroom.

“The officer was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. We proceeded with the operation and managed to arrest 129 suspects,” he said.

The suspects had denied seven terrorism-related charges against them, including being members of the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militant group.

They also denied other counts including being found with articles connected to terrorism, incitement to violence, robbery with violence preparation to commit felony, possession of a firearm and ammunition.

ANOTHER OFFICER INJURED

Mr Mbua further told the court that during the operation, another officer was seriously injured after he was stubbed with a sharp object on the back as he tried to confront the armed youth inside the mosque.

“The officer is still complaining of a back problem. He has recovered but he still feels pain on the stubbed area,” he told the court on Monday.

When asked by defence lawyer Chacha Mwita to identify the suspects in court, the officer could not recall any of them.

He said it was not possible for him to recall their faces since it has been long since they conducted the raid.

The defence lawyer dismissed the officer’s testimony, saying the knives recovered in the mosque had been used by the youth to prepare pilau.

He also claimed the rifle recovered had been planted by the police to frame his clients.

Hearing continues Tuesday.