Kenyan security agencies arrested two foreigners in Garissa while on their way to join the al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia.
Tanzanians Abdirahman Shaffi Mkwatili, 25 and Sadam Jafari Kitia, 30 were nabbed on Wednesday, July 12 in the possession of a notebook scribbled in Swahili that they were using to guide their movement from Tanzania to Jilib.
According to police, the suspects revealed that they were heading to Somalia to join al Shabaab after being recruited and facilitated by their handlers in Tanzania.
Police said this is a trend that they have noted with recruits travelling to join either al Shabaab or Daesh, that they are provided with travel arrangements avoiding communications while on the way or asking people about the route to avoid raising suspicion.
Police sources said the arrests come two weeks after three other Tanzanians Abdul Saif Salimu, Zuberi Ngare Mtondoo and Seif Abdalla Juma, were nabbed in the same area following a report by members of the public.
A Ugandan national was also recently arrested in Liboi on his way to Somalia, with police noting that this was made possible following the collaboration between security agencies and the community.
The security agencies further cautioned Public Service Vehicle operators to be alert and share any information on the movement of suspicious foreigners.
“The ongoing war against terrorism by the security agencies continues to frustrate the recruitment and facilitation of recruits destined to Somalia to join al-Shabaab,”’ a police report said.
Security agencies have increased their surveillance and investigations that of late have seen swift arrests of youth travelling to join terror groups and cells in Somalia.
Some of the foreigners joining the terror groups are usually used as suicide bombers in various places, officials say.
Kenya has been a victim of such attacks in the past that left many dead.
Meanwhile, a court Friday, July 14 ruled on the case against Mohamed Abdi Ali alias Abu Fidaa, Nuseiba Mohamed Ali, Abdirahman Idriss Hassan and Salah Mohamed Khalif that they have a case to answer.
The accused persons face various charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) including directing the commission of a terrorist act, recruitment of members of a terrorist group, soliciting for the commission of a terrorist act, collection of information, promoting a terrorist act, organizing a meeting in support of terrorist group and membership of a terrorist group.
The group had been arrested in 2016 and was in custody pending the court hearing.
In the ruling, the court placed Abu Fidaa and Nuseiba on their defence whereas Idriss and Khalif were acquitted under provisions of section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
The defence hearing for the two is slated for August 21 to 25, 2023.
The ruling was delivered virtually by chief magistrate Martha Mutuku at the Mombasa law courts.
Kenya has intensified the war on terrorism in the past years.
