Somali leaders pledge to help find terrorists
Scene of crime officers cordoning off the area of attack where two people were killed in the church attack by armed gunmen in Likoni in this picture taken on 23 March 2014.Eight others are seriously injured and admitted at Coast general hospital. photo Laban Walloga.
Somali business and political leaders have pledged to help security agencies identify people involved in terrorism.
During a meeting with President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto at State House in Nairobi on Friday, they informed the President that they would establish a task force comprising traders, youth, women and religious leaders to assist in identifying criminals.
The President and his deputy said terror attacks on innocent Kenyans must come to an end.
The two leaders held a lengthy meeting with members of the Eastleigh Business Community and elected leaders, including Majority Leader Aden Duale.
Garissa Senator Yussuf Haji, a former defence minister, was in the delegation as was Eastleigh MP Yussuf Hassan, a victim of a 2012 terrorist grenade attack.
Task force
The President asked them to inform him once the task force has been formed to enable security organs begin working with its members.
The business community’s chairman, Mr Hassan Guleid, said the Kenyan Somalis were ready to support the government in dealing with terror activities.
Guleid said the war the terrorists were engaging in had nothing to do with religion as Al Shabaab sought to portray.
“These criminals are not Muslims. If they are fighting for Muslim rights why are they also bombing mosques, markets and killing innocent people in their own country Somalia?” he said.
The Kamukunji MP said Somalis had been seriously affected by terrorism and they were ready to join hands with the government in dealing with the evil acts.
“We should not ask what is the government doing about this issue, but rather we should ask what we are doing to support the government in improving security,” the MP said. (PSCU)
