ISIS suspect in planned anthrax attack charged

A woman suspected to be a member of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been charged in a Nairobi court with helping the terror group identify potential targets in the country.

Nuseibah Mohammed, alias Ummu Fidaa, a medical student police linked to a planned biological terror attack using anthrax, faced three charges in a Milimani court on Monday.

She is alleged to be a member of ISIS and she was found in possession of articles connected with the commission of terrorism.

Ms Mohammed, a holder of a Kenyan passport and whose husband is a medic, currently detained for investigations over the planned anthrax attack, is accused of soliciting support on social media platforms.

The husband has reportedly entered a plea bargain with the prosecution and is expected to make a court appearance on June 9.

The prosecution said that between January 1, 2015 and May 1 this year she “offered logistical support for the ISIS in Syria and Libya including advising the terror groups on potential operations, and referring recruits to ISIS.

It is suspected that the woman ran an expansive online data bank of recruits jointly with others not before court.

The prosecution said investigations had shifted to Kenya Airways and that some staff believed to be accomplices may be charged with helping the woman.

“At the time of her arrest, the accused had a KQ plane ticket number TKT07062487 488800 whose destination indicated that she intended to travel to Kigali, Rwanda,” said prosecutor Duncan Ondimu.

Mr Ondimu said investigations so far had pointed to a “possible interference with KQ systems and those found culpable with be charged in court.”

He said the suspect’s entry into Kenya was recorded by the PICES immigration system as at 17:29:05 hours on May 5.

Ms Mohammed was arrested on May 1 at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda and later brought back to Kenya.

Her husband, Mohammed Abdi Ali, alias Abu Fidaa, is under arrest and has been detained for 30 days with a mention set for June 9 when he is expected to be charged.

‘The evidence so far analysed connects the accused and her associate to the commission of several terrorism and related offences and there are more suspects still on the run,” the prosecutor said.

Warrants of arrest are already out against two other associates linked to the suspect, Mr Ondimu said.

“They were on planning stages of a terror attack and were mobilising funds to fulfil their evil motive,” said the prosecutor, who has opposed her release on bond.

The court heard that the FBI was involved in the investigations and that information available indicates that there was a likelihood of interference with the custody of the suspect while in prison.

She is detained at the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit headquarters until June 8, when the court will hear her plea for bond.

The charges facing the suspect carry mandatory penalties of 70 years behind bars.