Police seize cache of weapons from an unoccupied house in Wajir Town

Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh on January 18, 2015 displays one of the weapons seized from an unoccupied house in Wajir Town believed to have been used to stage terrorist attacks. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Saleh said the public shared valuable information that led to the recovery of weapons, including two live grenades.
  • He said that two grenades could not be displayed because they were "live" and their pins were loose.
  • He appealed to Kenyan youths who have joined the militants to come back under the government amnesty.
  • Mr Saleh reiterated President Kenyatta’s remarks that the attack on the KDF inside Somalia would not dampen Kenya’s fight against terror.

Police have seized a deadly cache of weapon from an unoccupied house in Wajir County in which it is believed a spate of terror attacks were planned and executed.

While displaying the weapons to journalists on Monday in his office in Garissa, Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said the public shared valuable information that led to the recovery of weapons, including two live grenades.

He also revealed that Mohamed Kuno Yussuf, alias Abu Ali, who hails from Wajir County and is believed to have closely worked with Garissa University College terrorist attack mastermind Mohamed Kuno, alias Gamadere, was behind the recent wave of terror attacks in the county with a view to expelling non-locals.

He said Abu Ali is also being sought by police over armed robberies in Wajir Town, noting that he coordinated attacks that happened in Wajir, including an assault the Ngamia 1.

WEAPONS RECOVERED

Among the impounded arms were two AK-47 rifles with 100 rounds of ammunition, five magazines and two pistols.

Mr Saleh, however, said two grenades could not be displayed because they were "live" and their pins were loose.

"Police got these weapons in an unoccupied house in Wajir Town. We believe they (terrorists) have been using this abandoned house to stage attacks targeting non-locals, security officers and civil servants in their scheme to extend their agenda in Kenya,” he told journalists in his office.

He said investigations had established that the abandoned house was a safe haven where attacks were planned by the Somali-based terrorists in 2013 and 2014.

He added that the discovery of weapons in Wajir and other parts of the region had been a major breakthrough in the fight against terror.

This, he said, was as a result of security agents working closely with area residents, who have been volunteering reliable information.

VOLUNTEERED INFORMATION

"We appreciate members of the public who have been sharing valuable information that has so far led to the arrest of key suspects and seizing of weapons.

"Following the new discovery, we believe we have degraded their evil plans in Wajir," Mr Saleh said.

He said the government would enhance security operations at the borders and inside Somalia following the attack on Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers in El-Adde on Friday morning.

He appealed to Kenyan youths who have joined the militants to take advantage of the government amnesty, saying they would be reintegrated into their families and to the Kenyan society.

Mr Saleh reiterated President Kenyatta’s remarks that the attack on the KDF inside Somalia would not dampen Kenya’s fight against terror.