Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !

Africa Horn

Are these the faces behind city mall attack?

2013-09-30

[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Ahmed Abdi Godane, alias, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr Al-Shabaab founder and overall commander. A leaked National Security Intelligence (NIS) report says that early this year Godane held meetings in Somalia to come up with strategies on how to execute attacks in Kenya. The FBI has put a $7 million bounty on him. Godane, who was born in northern Somalia, now known as Somaliland, has been leading al-Shabaab since 2008. He studied accounting in Pakistan and while there he occasionally travelled to Afghanistan where he came into contact with al-Qaeda, led by the late Osama bin Laden. When he returned home he founded the northern wing of Somalia's al-Ittihad al-Islami (Islamic Union), which was established by Somali Mujahiddins returning from Afghanistan. He was to later start recruiting and indoctrinating the militia who were later to start attacks against Western interests in Somalia, including kidnapping and killing of Western nationals. Godane was to later join the Council of Islamic Courts before teaming up with Aden Hashi Farah to form al-Shabaab when they split from CIC. ********** Sheikh Mukhtar Robow alias Abu Mansur Al-Shabaab deputy leader A leaked NIS report says Muktar Sheikh Robow and Dahir Aweys arrived in Hela Marer area, Gedo region, from Ufuro area in the Bay region, Somalia, on March 22. They held a meeting with 50 other leaders where they discussed the mode of training for their operatives as well as plan on how to carry out attacks on vital installations in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Mombasa and Nairobi. The FBI has put a $5 million bounty on Robow. Robow, the deputy leader of al-Shabaab, is also a former spokesman for the group. He was one of the founders of the terror group. He is from Baidoa in the Bay region of Somalia, where his Rahanweyn clan holds overwhelming influence. Robow established the first militant Islamist training camp in Somalia, al-Hudda, in Huddur in 1996. He reportedly left Somalia in 2000 to train with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He returned to Somalia after the Taliban fell from power. In 2003, he helped create al-Shabaab from the remnants of al Ittihad al Islami. *********** Sheikh Ahmed Iman Ali According to a leaked National Security Intelligence report, Iman -- who was appointed by Al-Shabaab as its de facto leader of Kenyan fighters in Somalia -- was among the masterminds of the Westgate attack. "Al-Shabaab remains focused on conducting attacks through individuals that have not been arrested before. The masterminds of the intended attacks are Kenyans, who are in middle and senior management levels of the terror group. Among them; Maalim Abass Guyo, Ahmed Iman Ali and Jan Mohamed Khan alias Abu Musab Al Mombasa," the NIS report says. Last year, Iman released a video declaring war against Kenya on behalf of Al-Shabaab. Interviews with those who know Sheikh Iman, a former chairman of Muslim Youth Centre (MYC) in Pumwani, Nairobi, say he has been controversial since his days at Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, where he graduated with a degree in engineering. Born either in 1973 or 1974, Iman presents security agents with something new in the fight against terrorism. Those who know him say he was a charming preacher with a fanatical following among various Kenyan communities. ************ Samantha Lewthwaite a.k.a. "White Widow" The British media has claimed she was involved in the terrorist attack on the Westgate Shopping Mall. There is no evidence so far to link her to the attack but police and security forces say Samantha Lewthwaite-- the widow of one of the four suicide bombers who devastated London in July 2005 -- was involved in the Kenya attack, let alone being a "mastermind," as the British papers have claimed. The International Police (Interpol) has issued a red-alert calling for arrest. She is wanted by Kenya "on charges of being in possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011" as part of a suspected plot to bomb cities along the Kenyan coast at Christmas. ************ Abu Sandheere He is believed to have been the one who escorted the terrorists who attacked Westgate Shopping Mall. He is suspected to be a 50-year-old Kenyan man who is an associate of the late Al-Qaeda leader Fazul Abdullah. Sandheere, whose parents were a Maasai and a European, is thought to have escaped moments after the assault started on Saturday. "He escorted the attackers to the mall and then left as people were fleeing. He then travelled to the border and crossed to Somalia," said an intelligence source. According to counter-terrorism sources, the man seconded to Al-Shabaab by the Al-Qaeda network arrived in Somalia on Friday after days of avoiding the tight security that had been mounted across the country to stop suspected terrorists from escaping. Sandheere, said to be the regional Al-Qaeda man in charge of intelligence, logistics and special operations, escaped from Westgate with two other unidentified terrorists. He is also described as being "extremely sharp".

Link

Africa Horn

Four held over attacks as death toll rises to six

2012-03-12

[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Police on Sunday tossed in the calaboose four people in connection with the Saturday night grenade attack at the Machakos country bus station in which six people were killed and 63 injured. Internal Security Minister George Saitoti said on Sunday initial indications were that the attacks could have been criminal masterminded by Somali terror group Al-Shabaab ... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda... "Obviously we suspect this attack to be linked to Al-Shabaab and we are going to pursue them within and into Somalia," Prof Saitoti. Police officers said among the suspects are Kenyans and foreigners. Nairobi deputy police boss Moses Ombati could not deny nor confirm the arrests. "We are seriously investigating the matter and that of course involves interrogating some people," Mr Ombati said. The sources told Nation the suspects were being questioned by officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit. Sunday's grenade attacks follows a posting on Al-Shabaab's Twitter account last week warning of an impending attack in the country. The turban group had warned that its fighters had entered Kenya and were planning to strike at strategic installations. (READ: KDF warns of Shabaab threat at borders) Since Kenya and the Somali Transitional Federal Government launched a joint operation against the Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, the Death Eaters have staged several attacks in the country. Prof Saitoti said one person was struck down in his prime while the other five died while undergoing treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital. He termed the 7.30pm attack "unfortunate" and said investigations into the incident were ongoing. "Such terrorists' acts on innocent people will not be tolerated and the government will do everything within its power to ensure that security of Kenyans is guaranteed," he said. Prof Saitoti, who was addressing a presser at Harambee House in Nairobi, said he was confident those behind the attack would be brought to justice, noting that those responsible for previous attacks had been caught. "The government assures Kenyans that it will pursue the perpetrators of these acts wherever they are to face the full force of the law," he added. Prof Saitoti said that after the attacks at Kwa Mwaura's and the Kaka Stage (OTC) in Nairobi, the police successfully apprehended the assailants and recovered explosives. "Similarly in Mombasa, we were able to pre-empt a number of attempts by such criminals and also recovered several explosives and firearms," he said. In January, the Death Eaters attacked Gerille town near the Kenya-Somalia border just before 7pm, bombed the Administration Police camp, killed six and kidnapped three others. Two of the abductees are still being held hostage. Since then, the Death Eaters have warned they would continue to raid Kenyan towns to kill and abduct. On Sunday, Prof Saitoti appealed to the public to remain vigilant in identifying and reporting any suspicious characters to the police. He also urged the public to avoid congregating at the scenes of attacks for their safety and to ensure that the scene is preserved to enable accurate collection of forensic evidence The government had intensified surveillance at sensitive installations and public places like churches, hotels, shopping malls and bus terminus. In January, Al-Shabaab released a propaganda video declaring war against Kenya. The video was released by Sheikh Ahmed Iman Ali, the self-proclaimed leader of Kenyan Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia. The report of the UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group indicates that Sheikh Ali, a former chairman of Moslem Youth Centre in Pumwani, Nairobi, was central in the recruitment of non-Somalis in Nairobi to join Al-Shabaab. Security has been tightened following reports that Al-Shabaab had sent hit squads to eliminate Defence Minister Yusuf Haji and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim. Several foreigners including Kenyans have been tossed in the calaboose in the country over links to Al-Shabaab. Those tossed in the calaboose were either planning to go to war-torn country or had sneaked into Kenya from Somalia. Many ordinary places have been designated "vital installations" and put under blanket security. Normally, vital installations would include airports, military barracks, cop shoppes and foreign missions. On Sunday, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka condemned the attack, terming it cowardly. He said such attacks would not break the Kenya's resolve to guarantee security its citizens' security and vowed that Kenyans will continue to fight terror. He called on Kenyans to remain calm as the security agencies were doing everything possible to bring the culprits to book. "We will be more committed to fighting terror. We will not allow snuffies any room in our country", he added. He commended KNH staff and other rescue agencies for their rapid response in saving the lives of Kenyans. Planning Assistant minister Peter Kenneth also sent his condolences yesterday to the families of those who perished during the grenade attacks. He, however, urged the police to ensure safety of Kenyans. "Kenyans on the other hand should pray for our defence forces in Somalia as they fight for our safety," said Mr Kenneth.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-2 More