A follower of Islamic State was
responsible for an attack last week on a Kenyan police officer outside a
US embassy in Nairobi, the group's Amaq news agency said on Saturday.
A knife-wielding man whom police described as a
criminal was shot dead outside the US Embassy in Nairobi last Thursday
after he attacked and injured a Kenyan police officer.
"The person who carried out the stabbing of a guard
outside the American embassy in Nairobi last Thursday was a soldier of
Islamic State responding to calls to target coalition countries," Amaq
said.
Police spokesman Charles Owino said at the time the motive
was unclear and an investigation was launched. The spokesman could not
immediately be reached on Saturday.
Islamic State previously claimed an attack in Kenya in
September by three women who were shot dead after they tricked their
way into a police station in Mombasa and tried to torch the building,
according to police.
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The police in Kenya have also previously said they
had detained sympathisers with the group.
But experts say it is not clear how close the
connection is between groups and individuals proclaiming allegiance to
the Islamist group and the Islamic State organisation in its Middle East
heartland of Syria and Iraq, where it is increasingly pressure from
regional and international forces.
