By Willis Oketch Kenya:
Three female terror suspects were
yesterday arrested in Mtwapa on their way to Garissa with an assortment of
gadgets police believe were to aid a terror attack in Garissa. Two of them were
girls aged between 15 and 18 years who police say were to cross to Somali to
join Al Shabaab as “jihadist brides”. Police arrested the suspects in a bus
that was destined for Garissa and confiscated a bag containing laptops, a
surveillance pen, military boots and satellite phones. Other gadgets the police
confiscated from the suspects were a laptop charger, external hard disk and ear
phones used by security personnel. Nargis Arafat Gulam [left], Mwanajuma Mweru
Tayari [centre] and Saumu Ali Athmani appear at the Mombasa law court dock
after they have been arrested at Mtwapa weigh bridge in Kilifi county. The
three were on their way to Garissa County. At the time of the arrest, they were
found ferrying materials like laptop and accessories,Pocket Phones,
Surveillance pen, external hard drives, Military boots, earphones and screw
drivers. The materials are believed to be used in committing terrorism
activities within Garissa County. The materials will be scanned by terror
experts before the three suspects are charged.
(PHOTO:
OMONDI ONYANGO/STANDARD) Arraigned in court Yesterday the police and office of
the Director of Public Prosecutions said initial investigations had revealed
that a fourth suspect, who handed over the bag containing the gadgets to the
three, fled to the United Kingdom through Mombasa’s Moi International Airport.
“We have the phone of the suspect who fled after handing them the bag. She gave
them a number of an Al Shabaab operative who they were supposed to call once
they arrived in Garissa,” an
officer privy with the investigations told The Standard. See also: 3,000 flee Boni Forest as military in major swoop The bag, according to a detective, was to be handed to a man in Garissa. “They were given a phone which they were to use to contact the said operative once they arrive in Garissa. "Out of the three numbers they were to call, only one is working and we have tracked it to Garissa,” he revealed. The three suspects, who are from Majengo in Mombasa, were arraigned in court yesterday where the prosecution successfully applied for 30 days to allow police to complete investigations. State Lawyer Eugene Wangila said the police believe the suspects were part of a wider terror network and that the police would require experts from anti-cybercrime police to analyse the laptops found in their possession. “We want 30 days to investigate the matter. They were intercepted aboard Muhsin Bus at the Mtwapa Weighbridge in Kilifi County on their way to Garissa following a tip-off,” said Wangila. Wangila told Mombasa Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache that the threat of terrorism was grave and there is need for police to be given time to complete investigations.
officer privy with the investigations told The Standard. See also: 3,000 flee Boni Forest as military in major swoop The bag, according to a detective, was to be handed to a man in Garissa. “They were given a phone which they were to use to contact the said operative once they arrive in Garissa. "Out of the three numbers they were to call, only one is working and we have tracked it to Garissa,” he revealed. The three suspects, who are from Majengo in Mombasa, were arraigned in court yesterday where the prosecution successfully applied for 30 days to allow police to complete investigations. State Lawyer Eugene Wangila said the police believe the suspects were part of a wider terror network and that the police would require experts from anti-cybercrime police to analyse the laptops found in their possession. “We want 30 days to investigate the matter. They were intercepted aboard Muhsin Bus at the Mtwapa Weighbridge in Kilifi County on their way to Garissa following a tip-off,” said Wangila. Wangila told Mombasa Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache that the threat of terrorism was grave and there is need for police to be given time to complete investigations.
