Recce squad assembled at short notice after raid
Recce Company officers in action at the Westgate mall on September 21. The elite team had planned to end the attack by Saturday night but had to withdraw after one of its officers was shot in friendly fire. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Most of the members were scattered in various bases and some were left out of action because they were training in remote bases near the Somalia and Ethiopia borders.
For the Recce Company, the Westgate attack had not been anticipated and so the special teams had not been put on standby and neither were they on high alert.
The response team was hurriedly scrambled.
Most of the members were scattered in various bases and some were left out of action because they were training in remote bases near the Somalia and Ethiopia borders.
Those who responded to the Westgate attack rushed to the scene from Embakasi and Ruiru. They had no time for a mock exercise, which is essential before embarking on a dangerous mission.
Two Recce teams arrived at the mall simultaneously. The one which was to carry out the assault entered the mall through the rooftop parking while their colleagues took positions at the front entry.
To familiarise themselves with the layout of the building, they depended on their colleagues from the general duty and Flying Squad teams, who had been inside the mall.
Those who entered the mall also relied on the directions of a man they found inside a Range Rover, pretending to be dead. The man told them that he had seen four attackers.
Once inside the building, the officers asked all armed people to leave. Although all police officers complied, some private citizens defied the request. No efforts were made to force them out.
The Recce Company is one of the 20 in the GSU but is regarded as the most superior, judging by the rigorous training that its members undergo.
