Minaa and Swafaa mosques in Mombasa closed after another dawn raid

What you need to know:

  • Police told journalists that in Minaa mosque they arrested one person and seized three machetes and a knife.
  • Mr Ngatia said no arrests were made at Masjid Swafaa because “the youth escaped through the back by scaling a perimeter wall’’.
  • He said there was no resistance during the raid, which started at midnight, and that the mosques would remain closed until they are done with their investigations.
  • By the time of filing this story, the police were yet to arrest any politicians, who county commissioner Nelson Marwa claimed were providing support for the youths who killed four people in Kisauni and injured seven others on Tuesday.

Police in Mombasa County on Wednesday mounted another dawn raid on two mosques in Kisauni — where machete-wielding gangs attacked residents on Monday night — and arrested 109 people.

After the operation at Minaa and Swafaa mosques, the officers displayed an assortment of paraphernalia, including a hand grenade, nine petrol bombs and two 9mm rounds of ammunition.

The police also said they found a bomb detonator, an explosive booster, three machetes, a knife and literature on Muslim teachings.

Kisauni OCPD Richard Ngatia said there was no resistance during the raid, which started at midnight, and that the mosques would remain closed until they are done with their investigations.

The police requested worshippers to instead pray in other mosques.

“As of now, the mosques are crime scenes and nobody should tamper with them. We are also aware of the aftermath and we have taken that into consideration to deal with it,” he added.

Two other mosques — Masjid Musa and Sakina, where police conducted an earlier operation on Monday and arrested 251 youths — will also remain closed.

INTELLIGENCE REPORTS

“We received intelligence information that some mosques in Kisauni were radicalising youths, training them in jihadism.

"We conducted an operation in the entire Kisauni Sub-County with specific attention to the mosques that featured in the intelligence report,” said Mr Ngatia.

Police told journalists that in Minaa mosque they arrested one person and seized three machetes and a knife.

Mr Ngatia said no arrests were made at Masjid Swafaa because “the youths escaped through the back by scaling a perimeter wall’’.

“At Masjid Swafaa, which was recently in the limelight after youths took it over, we recovered a hand grenade, some petrol bombs, (a) bomb detonator and booster and equipment associated in training in jihadism and literature expressing hatred towards the media.

"It is obviously clear that a lot more than preaching and prayers (is) taking place in these mosques. We shall not relent, we shall pursue these radicals to every corner,” Mr Ngatia warned.

The OCPD said police were already screening the 109 people to ensure that the innocent ones who were netted in the swoop are released.

He urged parents to find out where their children go to worship, saying that they should take charge of their children.

“Think twice and ponder where your children go to worship as parents you must not allow your children to walk into any place just because it is a place of worship,” the Kisauni police boss said.

NO POLITICIAN ARRESTED

By the time of filing this story, the police were yet to arrest any politicians, who County Commissioner Nelson Marwa claimed were providing support for the youths who killed four people in Kisauni and injured seven others on Tuesday.

The victims include three who were stabbed to death at three bus stops in Kisauni and have been identified as Joshua Muteti, 35, Fadhili Juma Yuyu, 33, and Zephania Njeru Nyagah.

Mr Yuyu was buried on Tuesday, while the bodies of the other two are at the Coast General Hospital mortuary, where they were taken by police.

Mr Fanuel Mogesani and Juma Ameena Mbere were on Wednesday still nursing their injuries at the hospital.