Police have been asked to stop extrajudicial killings and respect the rights of suspects even as they fight terrorism.
British High Commissioner Nic Hailey on Thursday appealed to DCI George Kinoti and Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji to ensure police work within the law.
He said the UK was ready to work with police to eliminate terrorism.
“Our partnership with Kenya in combating terrorism is one of the most important missions of the British government and we will support the local security forces but they must carry out their work in a way that is in accordance with the law and respects the right procedures,” Hailey said
He was speaking in Mombasa during the groundbreaking ceremony for a new Anti-Terrorism Police Unit headquarters for the Coast region.
Hailey said he expected the unit officers to work together with local communities to fight terrorism.
He said the UK government will support the National Police Service to ensure criminals do not escape justice because of operational inadequacies by investigating agencies.
The new headquarters which was conceived six months ago is expected to be completed by December. Its construction is funded by the British government at a cost of Sh60 million.
The building will be put up within the Coast regional police headquarters located along Mama Ngina drive in Mombasa town.
Kinoti and Haji promised to work within the law with. Haji said security agencies must end human rights abuses and ensure those arrested are taken through the due process of law.
Kinoti thanked the British High Commission for its continued support to security agencies, saying the cooperation has seen the establishment of training and capacity building for police officers including specialised training for those in countering terrorism unit.
“While terrorism targets have expanded to include the remote parts of our country, some areas like Mombasa remain highly prone. The construction of this headquarter brings the war against terrorism to where it has been breeding,” Kinoti said.
He said most youths being recruited to join terror groups come from the Coast and that the centre will help dismantle the terror cells.
“Terrorism constitutes a great threat to stability, peace and security in the whole world. It is also linked to international crimes such as money laundering, arms smuggling and human trafficking," he said.
“The complexity of the crime and its changing nature requires a comprehensive approach and international cooperation to mitigate."
Hailey praise both the DPP and the DCI for their efforts in combating terrorism and urged them to work together to ensure investigators and prosecutors work seamlessly to build watertight cases.
Haji said the British government has assisted Kenya to incorporate best practices in the fight against terrorism leading to the successful conviction of terror suspect Jermaine Grant on Wednesday in a Mombasa court.
Kinoti said the new ATPU headquarters will be equipped with state of the art logistical tools to stem possible risks and for fast response to attacks.
Hailey said terrorism is a threat without borders and called for cooperation in the sharing of intelligence between nations.
The Council of Imams and Preachers welcomed the ATPU headquarters. organising secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa urged police to stop killing innocent people and concentrate on terrorists.
Edited by Peter Obuya
