Four terror suspects arrested in Marsabit last month planned to bomb government and judicial buildings, police boss Joseph Boinnet has said.
Boinnet on Wednesday said intelligence reports revealed that the suspects were part of a cell that was planning a major terror attack in Nairobi.
"These terrorists were targeting a government and a judicial building to rescue people being prosecuted for terror offences," Boinnet said.
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The Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) laden with approximately 80 Kgs of high grade Trinitrotoluene (TNT) intercepted in Merti,Isiolo County was to be used to conduct a massive terror attack in Nairobi.
Two of the suspects were arrested on February 15, 2018.
The other two were arrested in Nairobi days later.
Police also recovered 85 kilos of TNT, 5 AK47 rifles from the terrorists.
"Were they to succeed, it would have had an impact up to 200 metres. Their objective was to create fear and panic, attract attention....and hopefully to influence government decisions on safeguarding the country," Boinnet said. In
addition, officers recovered 36 grenades and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Boinnet noted that in Marsabit, there has been a sleeper cell controlled by radicalised Muslim cleric Guyo Gorsa.
The Suicide Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) laden with approximately 80 Kgs of high-grade Trinitrotoluene (TNT). COURTESY
Gorsa
was
arrested in Marsabit town mid-January and flown to Nairobi where he is being detained.
"We have been able to disrupt the activities of the cell, arrested and charged him," he said.
Police believe that Gorsa is an al Shabaab facilitator and has been radicalizing, recruiting and facilitating youth in Marsabit town.
"We also arrested Boru Diba Dibean associate of Guyo and a link person between al Shabaab recruits in Isiolo and al Shabaab operatives in Somalia,'he said.
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