Police issue alert over five terror suspects on the run

Police has issued an alert over five suspected terrorists reported to be in the country.

The five include a French national, two Egyptians and two Moroccans.

Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said Rachid Benomari (French), Mahmoud Abdel Aziz Hassan and Mohamed Ali Mahmoud Khalifa both Egyptians, Salim Si Mohamed and Nadane Si Mohamed both Moroccans left Kismayu, Somalia, in the second week of September and entered the country to carry out terrorism activities.

In a statement sent to newsrooms, Mr Kiraithe appealed to anybody with information about Mohamed, 27, to report to the nearest police station.

“Police Headquarters has received credible information that Mohamed left Kismayu in the second week of September heading to Kenya to carry out terrorism activities,” he said.

He added: “The Commissioner of Police is appealing to any person who might have or come across information on his whereabouts to make an immediate report to the nearest police officer or other person in authority for action.”

On Thursday, a member of Al-Shabaab who admitted plotting to launch a major terror attack in Nairobi this month was sentenced to 59 years in jail.

The 26-year-old Omar Abdi Aden, alias Salman Abdi, was convicted on his own plea of guilt.

He faced nine terrorism charges before a Nairobi court. He is also to pay a fine of Sh2 million or serve an extra year behind bars if he defaults.

The militant was arrested in a sting operation in Eastleigh, Nairobi, which police recovered suicide vests, grenades, explosives, guns and bullets that were to be used to execute the terror attack.

Chief magistrate Lucy Nyambura penalised him on the weight of what the outcome of the planned attacks would have been if they had not been foiled.

His accomplice, Abdi Majid Yassin, alias Ali Hussein, denied the charge and is set for trial in October.

Of late, African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) troops have captured key towns near the port city of Kismayu, killing Al-Shabaab militias.

The troops including Kenya Defence Forces who are attacking from the Ocean, air and ground are said to be about 40 kilometres to Kismayu.

The capture of towns in southern Somalia that was still under Al-Shabaab, comes at a time when Amisom troops have surrounded Kismayu ahead of a major offensive to free the last Al-Shabaab stronghold.

In the past fortnight, Amisom has captured Biibi and Miido towns and several villages as it advances towards Kismayu.