Cops arrest 85 terror suspects in Eastleigh and Mombasa

Jun. 19, 2017, 6:00 am

By ELKANA JACOB

Cops nab 85 terror suspects in Nairobi, Mombasa, June 19, 2017. /COURTESY

Police in Mombasa arrested four terror suspects at the weekend for plotting to carry an attack during Eid celebrations.

Three suspects Yayha Salim Bakari - a teacher at Masjid Majilis in Kikambala, Julius Mwandenzi alias Zinde, Zebebwa, Ibras and Abdallah Ramadhan were arrested in Voi town.

Police said they were escaping to Nairobi.

Another suspect, Mohamed Anguzo, was arrested in Nairobi and is yet to be airlifted to Mombasa to face similar charges.

A fifth suspect, who is yet to be identified, escaped when the detectives from the Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATPU) stormed their hideout in Voi.

An officer who sought anonymity told The Star that the five suspects had recruited several minors aged 16-17 to join al Shabaab.

"We received information from KDF intelligence teams in Somalia and we laid an ambush.They will be arraigned in Mombasa this morning. But one managed to escape during the raid," he said.

The officer added: "We will seek more days to interrogate them."

More than 80 people were arrested in an anti-terror swoop in Eastleigh area, Nairobi on Sunday.

The suspects include 15 foreigners and are under interrogation for radicalisation.

In April, a wanted terror suspect Juma Athman was arrested by ATPU officers in Mombasa.

Athman, 24, was apprehended at his house in Shika Adabu, Likoni.

Police recovered two grenades, 10 bullets and CDs with materials for radicalisation.

An AK 47 rifle, a jungle jacket, his Kenyan passport, and binoculars were also seized during the raid.