10 Al-Shabaab terrorist suspects seized
Residents of Riongo area in Baringo show sufurias allegedly destroyed by officers conducting disarmament on November 12, 2014. Tension is high in Kapedo area of Baringo-Turkana Counties border after two women were shot dead Thursday. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |
What you need to know:
- Mr Kimaiyo said those who were arrested were involved in recent terrorist attacks in Nairobi and had sneaked out of the country.
- Terrorist suspects’ ability to leave and return at will has raised questions on the effectiveness of police to secure Kenya’s vast border with Somalia.
Ten Al-Shabaab militants, including two women suicide bombers, have been arrested, the Inspector-General of Police has said.
Mr David Kimaiyo said officers, through intelligence reports, seized the 10, who were planning to carry out attacks.
A statement read on his behalf by police spokesperson Zipporah Mboroki did not disclose when the suspected militants were arrested and why they have not been charged in court.
Mr Kimaiyo said those who were arrested were involved in recent terrorist attacks in Nairobi and had sneaked out of the country.
“They returned in October in the company of the two women bombers,” said Mr Kimaiyo.
The statement neither disclosed the past attacks that the suspects were involved in nor their next targets.
Terrorist suspects’ ability to leave and return at will has raised questions on the effectiveness of police to secure Kenya’s vast border with Somalia.
Currently, there is a joint operation between the revamped National Intelligence Service, the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, Criminal Intelligence Unit and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to avert terror attacks.
Last month, the KDF troops killed five Al-Shabaab terrorists and seized a car with 100 kilogrammes of material used to make explosives near Moyale, on the border with Ethiopia.
EMBRACE COMMUNITY POLICING
Regarding the radicalising of youths in Mombasa, the IG said that police were investigating people who are inciting the young men to take up arms and attack innocent citizens.
Meanwhile, police have urged all landlords to take full details of people who rent their houses and share the information with the nearest security agency.
The public has been urged to embrace community policing to avert terrorist attacks.
“The public is advised to be vigilant and to cooperate with security officers to help fight terrorism,” said Mr Kimaiyo.
Regarding the ongoing disarmament operation in Kapedo, the police boss said that a total of 25 suspects had been arrested and 19 of them charged.
The crackdown that began immediately after two attacks on security personnel in the area, has so far netted 21 firearms.
The attacks in Kapedo, Baringo County, claimed the lives of 19 police officers and three civilians.
However, security agents are yet to recover police uniforms, radios and hundreds of bullets stolen from the slain officers.
Detectives are investigating allegations that some political leaders, elders, retired government officers and opinion leaders are helping the bandits.
ARMED CRIMINALS
“We will arrest and charge them as soon as investigations are complete,” warned the police boss.
Mr Kimaiyo assured the residents that the operation only targeted armed criminals and urged residents not to flee their homes.
“Our security officers are ensuring that the rights of innocent, unarmed people are preserved. The operation will be conducted according to the rule of law, without fear or favour,” said Mr Kimaiyo.
The IG advised both the public and the media against giving information or images in the media, or on social media that are false and which could compromise security operations.
