Police arrest six Al-Shabaab foreign recruits in Kenya at Somalia border

Kenya Police officers in Nairobi. /AP

NAIROBI, Kenya - Multi-agency security forces arrested six Al-Shabaab recruits on their way to neighboring Somalia, police confirmed on Friday, with the suspects caught seeking directions to the Horn of Africa nation, where the militants are domiciled.

The six, officials said, were arrested in Garissa, one of the counties which have been struggling with insecurity for decades in Kenya. They were all set to join Al-Shabaab fighters, police said after multiple interviews with them following their arrest by the authorities.

Police identified the six as Muhamed Jahad Farah, Saad Suleiman Saleh, Nadrik Mbwana Salum, Abdul Kadir Salum Seif, and Ali Issa Ali, all Tanzanian Nationals, and Hassan Tourabih Kintosa, a Ugandan National.

Already, police are processing them for prosecution, and upon successful conclusion of investigations, they will be arraigned in court to face terrorism-related charges under Kenyan law. Their arrest comes at the time Kenya has increased surveillance in the region.

The arrests come barely two weeks after another arrest of three Tanzanian nationals namely Abdul Saif Salimu, Zuberi Ngare Mtondoo, and Seif Abdalla Juma at Korakora, Garissa, after the public reported their presence in the area.

Officials said two other Tanzanians Abdirahman Shaffi Mkwatili, 25, and Sadam Jafari Kitia, 30, were nabbed on July 12 in the possession of a notebook scribbled in Swahili that they were using to guide their movement from Tanzania to Jilib, the Star reports.

“Members of the public are encouraged to continue sharing information with relevant security agencies,” said regional commissioner John Otieno, while congratulating locals for opening up and sharing intelligence briefs.

The security agencies cautioned Public Service Vehicle operators to be alert and share any information on the movement of suspicious foreigners. Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki and his Defence counterpart Aden Duale have been camping in Northeastern as they look for a strategy to defeat Al-Shabaab.

“The ongoing war against terrorism by the security agencies continues to frustrate the recruitment and facilitation of recruits destined to Somalia to join al-Shabaab,” a police report said.

GAROWE ONLINE