Man on police terror watch list says he is innocent

One of the men listed by police as suspects planning to stage terror attacks in the country has disassociated himself with the alleged plans.

Salad Tari Gufu, 25, says he now fears for his life and has not been able to leave his family's home in Buruburu Division for fear of being killed or taken away by police.

STUDENT

“I am not involved in any terror activities and I am not armed like the police are saying. I am a student at the Moi University and I just completed my attachment waiting to resume my studies in September after the elections,” Mr Salad said.

In a statement released on Wednesday, police had placed a Sh2 million bounty on Mr Gufu, describing him as a recruiter and a facilitator of a terror network.

Police also said that he was out of the country and that his brother was trying to help him sneak back into the country, an allegation that he denied.

On Thursday morning, Mr Gufu reported to Huruma Police Station accompanied with his family.

He said he would later go to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters on Kiambu Road to set the record straight.

“I am a fourth year student pursuing a bachelor's degree in the faculty of education in Moi University (main campus), I am being suspected for a crime that I am not even capable of…. Salad wasn’t, isn’t and won't be a terrorist,” he said in a Facebook post.

RADICAL

The police statement said Mr Gufu had opened a studio at the Marsabit town market secretly selling VCDs and DVDs of radical sheikhs who propagate jihad.

“He is also affiliated to Mohammed Abdi Ali aka Abu Fidaa, an online Islamic State recruiter. Abu Fidaa was arrested before he could launch an Anthrax attack in Kenya in 2016,” said the statement sent to newsrooms by the police.

Mr Gufu asked the police to hear his story and said he feared he might be victimised or killed.

Asked whether he knew why he was being accused, Mr Gufu said he may have been set up by people he did not know.

Regarding the post circulating on social media that shows Mr Gufu supporting jihad "in all corners of the world", he said, “the posts were made in 2013, when I had just cleared Form Four."

"I am ready to explain this to the police and I hope they listen to me. I will provide all the information they need because I am sure I am innocent,” he said.

BROTHER

Mr Gufu said he is the brother of Gufu Tari Gufu who is also on the list.                       

“My younger brother is not a terrorist but the older one is, and we disowned him;” said Rahma Tari their sister.

“We came here with wazees (elders) because they all know him as a good young man. We want to clear his name. He was home for holidays, during which he has been teaching at a school in Pangani,” she said.

Rahma did not have kind words for Gufu Tari Gufu. “He disappeared one day and we really searched but could not find him. One day he called to say he was in Somalia. We disowned him. We questioned him but he never explained himself,” she said.

Nairobi police chief Japheth Koome said it’s too early to give an official statement on the new developments.

“We shall authenticate all claims and give details later,” he said.

Additional reporting by Fred Mukinda