Muslim lobby demands thorough probe into killing of US embassy 'attacker'

By ADOW MOHAMED @adowmo
Wednesday, November 02, 2016

A Muslim lobby group wants thorough investigations into the circumstances under which a man was shot dead outside the US Embassy in Nairobi last Thursday.

The Kenya Muslim Caucus said there are “compelling reasons” to believe that 24-year old Abdimahat Ibrahim was a “victim of a trigger-happy” GSU officer.

“Although the man was quickly labeled a member of al Shabaab or ISIS, we have reason to believe there could be more than meets the eye,” said group chairman Issa Ahmed.

He said available information, including statements from family members and photographs from the scene, strongly suggest the officer may have been too quick to kill Ibrahim.

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In a press statement on Wednesday, Ahmed called on the embassy to release CCTV footage of the incident. He said this will help explain what happened before the shooting.

“Without doing so, it would be difficult not to conclude that there was a possible cover-up in the killing,” he said.

“We call on Kenyan and US authorities to expedite independent investigations into the matter and release findings as soon as possible."

Reports indicated Ibrahim went to the embassy armed with a knife and was shot twice by a GSU officer he had stabbed in the head and chest.

Gigiri OCPD Vitalis Otieno said the man had grabbed the officer manning the entrance gate to the visa section.

Otieno said a confrontation resulted, during which the man took out a knife he had hidden in his trousers and attacked the policeman.

More on this: [VIDEO] Man shot dead outside US embassy in Nairobi

Police said investigations were launched to establish the motive for the attack. US Ambassador Robert Godec also said this and denied claims of a cover-up.

The lobby group further asked the state to probe reports that three girls, held for allegedly conspiring with terror suspects, were facing physical and psychological abuse in the hands of Mombasa police.

The girls - Nargis Gulam, Emilia Antony and Saumu Ali - are being held for not giving information on two women who allegedly attacked Mombasa's Central police station.

[VIDEO] Cops accused of killing three 'innocent' girls at Mombasa Central police station

Read: Marwa refutes claims of police conspiracy in Mombasa terror attack

The group cited abuses including the confiscation of inhalers from one of the girls who is asthmatic, and said they were being denied water for drinking and ablution before daily prayers.

Ahmed queried police accounts that the three women killed at the station were suicide bombers.

“We demand independent investigations into the unfortunate incident in order to conclusively put the matter to rest,” he said.

“This issue remains a thorn in the flesh of many Kenyans and is creating unnecessary resentment and distrust of the government."

He condemned acts of terrorism but asked the government to avoid extrajudicial measures in combating it.