BY NT CORRESPONDENT.
Three terror suspects linked to abduction of Italian volunteer within Kilifi County last year have been detained for one month to enable police complete the investigations.
Mohamed Abdirahman, Aden Hassan and Ibrahim Ali are said to have been in constant communication with other several numbers which are in Somalia.
They are said to be involved in abduction of an Italian Italian aid worker Silvia Romano that took place on November 20, 2018 at Chaama village Kilifi County.
“The respondents were arrested due to their possible abetting and aiding the terrorist attack and abduction that took place on November 20, 2018 at Chaama Village Kilifi County,” said Investigation Officer Vitalis Kimutai.
At the time of the incident, eight 9mm spent cartridges, 3 bullet heads and a grenade pin were recovered.
Kimutai said they need to establish a connection between the three and their involvement to abduction of the lady.
The investigators said they require phone details of all the persons that the three have been communicating with both in Kenya and outside the country and it is important for them to be detained by Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (A.T.P.U) to enable detailed criminal inquiries to be carried out.
Intelligence report indicates that the suspects have other associates who assisted them in planning and executing the abduction within the country.
They are being investigated for several terrorism and related offences which are, conspiracy to commit terrorism act, provisions of property and services for commission of terrorist acts against the law and membership of terrorist group against the law.
The suspects are said to be flight risk and should remain in custody pending detailed investigations because they possess financial capacity to interfere with investigation.
“Based on the investigations and several leads being followed up by our team of Investigators, I and my fellow investigators require 30 days to pursue investigations,” said Kimutai.
Kimutai said that the activities of the terrorists and their associates poses a great risk to the national security and thus they should be investigated.
The three were arrested on January 18, 2019 in Garissa town while in possession of firearms despite not being licensed firearm holders.
One of the respondents is a Kenyan national.
Mohamed is said to have facilitated the movement of Hassan and Ali from Somalia to Kenya.
The police said that the initial investigations indicate a possible involvement of the respondents with the kidnapping of an Italian national in Kilifi town on November 20, 2018.
They said that it is necessary to confirm the source and intended use of the firearms in question.
They said the investigations are complex and require additional time and it involves a number of agencies and extends to other jurisdictions.
It is said that on November 20, 2018 at around 7:30 pm at Chakama village in Malindi sub-county, a report was made that there were eight armed gang men had invaded Chakama Trading Centre within Makongeni Sub-location, Lango Baya Division in Malindi Sub-County within KILIFI County.
