Suspected Shabaab recruiter arraigned in Malindi

A man accused of facilitating the movement of three terror suspects from Tanzania to Somalia was on Wednesday arraigned at the Shanzu Law Courts following his arrest in Malindi on Thursday last week.

According to police, Abdullahi Lali Shoshi, 26, has been recruiting innocent Kenyans to join ISIS and facilitating the group’s activities including plans to stage attacks in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

On Wednesday, he denied being a member of a terrorist group, collecting information on behalf of a terror group and having unauthorised articles.

The State opposed a bail application by his lawyer Chacha Mwita and a ruling on the same set for June 6.

According to the police, Shoshi facilitated Mohamed Bwanaadi (22), Ayub Omar Bwanaadi (32) and Kassim Ahmed (29) alias Abdirahman Saidi’s planned movement to Somalia, during which they were arrested aboard a Moyale-bound bus in Isiolo on April 7. The suspects had been on police radar for last seven years.

The three, who have been in police custody, were on Wednesday denied bond by Senior Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa on the grounds that they are a flight risk. The magistrate directed that their case be heard on May 31.

Escape thwarted

According to detectives, the trio had been hiding in Tanzania and were on their way to Puntland, Somalia, to join Daesh (ISIS) when they were intercepted by security agencies aboard the bus.

Detectives said they moved from Tanzania to Mombasa via Lungalunga using hired boda bodas. They then boarded a bus to Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate where a contact issued them with new sim cards and accommodation and briefed them on how to evade police traps along the way to their destination.

The following day they boarded a bus bound for Moyale, from where they would cross over to Ethiopia where a contact would furnish them with new identities and identification documents to facilitate their stay and eventual seamless crossover to Puntland, Somalia.

They were arraigned at the Kahawa anti-terror court on April 11 when ATPU detectives were allowed to hold them for 30 days to complete their investigations.

The suspects are linked to the gruesome murder of Mbwajumwali senior chief Mohamed Famau Haji, his brother Yussuf aka Pele, his assistant Malik Athman Shee and Police Constable Hesbon Okemwa in 2019.

The plan to move to Somalia was mooted after it became untenable for them to continue hiding in Tanzania, after information circulated that Tanzanian authorities were investigating them after Kenyan authorities sought their assistance.

4 militants killed

Meanwhile, a multi-agency security team on Monday killed at least four Al-Shabaab militants and injured several others in an intelligence-led operation at Ahadho area within Alango in Garissa County.

The militants are said to be part of a group on a mission to plant improvised explosive ddevices (IEDs) on major roads in Garissa County, targeting members of the public and security personnel.

During the afternoon raid, the security team recovered assorted artillery including six AK 47 rifles, two RPGs, a PKM with a belt of 200 rounds, two grenades and other IED-making materials.

The multi-agency team is pursuing more militants to thwart their plans to launch attacks within the North Eastern region.

Garissa County Police Commander Thomas Ngeiywa said his office was aware of the matter.

“I am aware of that incident but I am yet to get a detailed report. It happened in an area with poor network coverage. One of our security units is working in this area,” Mr Ngeiywa said, adding the multiagency security team averted an imminent attack in the area.

The incident came as security agencies remained on a high alert within Garissa town following sightings of suspected armed militants in a Probox car.

Additional reporting by Manase Otsialo