Tales of missing terror convict Elgiva Bwire took a new twist on Tuesday after the state announced he had gone underground and described him as armed and dangerous.
It put a Sh10 million bounty on his head.
Bwire is among five individuals, who, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, either joined terror groups, including al Shabaab and ISIS, or went underground to plan attacks.
Given that Bwire, alongside his lawyer Hassan Nandwa and his mother, were taken by unknown persons on the same day, it was widely believed the convict was in the hands of the state. Nandwa and the rest have been released.
The confessed al Shabaab member had been convicted of launching twin grenade attacks during Mashujaa Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
Bwire was released on Thursday, October 28, from Kamiti Maximum Prison after serving a 10-year sentence.
The government, through the DCI, put out a poster claiming that the convict disappeared upon being released from prison and had vowed to carry out retaliatory attacks on civilians to revisit his jailing.
Bwire is also known variously as Seif Deen Mohamed, aka Japhar, aka Japhel Okuku, aka Abu Muadh.
"Elgiva vowed [while in jail] to carry out retaliatory attacks in the country against civilians and security personnel," the poster indicated.
"The National Police Service informs members of the public that Elgiva is armed and dangerous and appeals for any information regarding his whereabouts."
Civil society groups, including the Law Society of Kenya and Muslim clerics, had on Monday put the state on notice to release Bwire within 30 days.
They threatened to sue top security bosses if he was not released. A series of public protests were also planned, starting this Wednesday.
Muslim leaders, including Namlef chairman Abdullahi Abdi and Supkem boss Hassan ole Naado, told reporters on Monday that the alleged abduction of Bwire and his advocate Nandwa was part of the state's scheme to harass Muslims.
They said sermons at every mosque this Friday would be dedicated to highlighting alleged state mistreatment of Muslim faithful and protests would follow the prayers.
With a similar police bounty on his head is Salim Rashid Mohammed, alias Chotara, alias Turki, a terror suspect who had been charged in court but freed on bond.
Police say he had been linked to various criminal activities in Mombasa and parts of the wider South Coast.
He is said to have slipped out of the country and joined the deadly terror group Daesh, also known as Islamic State, which is currently fighting in Mozambique.
Intelligence shows he is armed and dangerous and is about to sneak back into the country and execute a spate of terror attacks.
Others with a similar bounty include Mohammad Abubakar and Barigi Abdikadir Haila.
Abubakar is also known as Minshawary and police say he had crossed into Somalia and joined al Shabaab.
Also suspected to have joined the group is Haila, who hails from the Manyatta Burji area of Moyale in Marsabit.
Police have asked members of the public to volunteer any information on their whereabouts.
Edited by A.N
