Kenya: Security Agencies Updates Alert On 8 Wanted Al-Shabaab Terrorist Operatives
Kenya security agencies updated the list of 8 wanted Al-Shabaab terrorist operatives believed to have been dispatched to the country to commit acts of terror.
According to the authorities, the operatives are high trained, armed and dangerous and have been deployed to undisclosed locations in Kenya to lead attacks against security, infrastructure and civilian targets. Threat remains skewed towards defense posts along the Kenya-Somalia border; from Mandera to Lamu.
The terrorist operatives listed include;
- Mohamed Abdi Aden alias Mohamed Yare alias Ibrahim alias Mohamed Hassan alias Mohamud Abdirahman
Reports from Kenya security operators indicate that Mohamed yare hails from Garissa County. He was first arrest in 2014 for aiding Al-Shabaab with key information on possible targets that the Al-Qaeda associated forces could attack in the country. He was prosecuted and charged. On 31st March 2017, he was acquitted. The terrorist operatives then rejoined Al-Shabaab in Somalia and was part of a cell that planned the Nairobi Dusit attack in January 2019.
2. Kassim Musa Mwarusi alias Abu Miki
According to the Kenyan authorities, Kassim hails from Ukunda and before crossing over to join Al-Shabaab in Somalia was a member of a criminal gang that was terrorizing citizens in south coat region. Kassim is believed to a frequent visitor of coastal towns of Likoni, Diani and Ukunda and their environs. Authorities believe that Kassim is involved in radicalizing youth in the mentioned areas besides being associated with several criminal gang in the named areas
3. Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir aka Ikrima
The terrorist operative, Abdikadir Mohamed also known as Abdukqadir Mahmud Ahmed alias Abu Abdalla Hamisi alias Ikrima alias Ikram alias Ukasha was born in1985 at Awdheengle Somalia. He is believed to have ties with Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen (AQAP). He was a close ally of Al-Shabaab senior leaders including Fazul Abdullah Mohamed, Abdi Godane and Salim Saleh Swaleh Nabhan. He is also linked to have planned Nairobi’s Dusit attack in 2019 and Kampala bombing in 2010. At one time he was a resident of Nairobi’s South C Estate and Kongowea/Nyali in Mombasa.
4. Peter Gichungu Njoroge alias Mustafa.
He was born in 1988 in Kiambaa area in Kiambu county. Peter Gichungu alias Mustafa holds a bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology (JKUAT). Mustafa was arrested in Mandera town on his way to join Al-Shabaab in Somalia on 6th July 2016. He was prosecuted and later released on 6th March 2020. After a brief stay, Mastafa managed to cross over to Somalia where he joined Al-Shabaab in the company of his girlfriend identified as Miriam Hamisi who hails from Bamburi area within Mombasa.
5. Mohamed Ali Hussein.
The terrorist operative was part of the foiled Al-Shabaab planned attack in 2018. The team which Hussein was part of had been deployed to carry out an attack using Vehicular Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) but the plan was disrupted by the security officers who intercepted the VBIED and subsequently arrested the three militants at Merti area of Isiolo. Hussein managed to escape and crossed over back to Somalia.
6. Ahmed Ali Mohamed
Ahmed Mohamed was part of the terrorist of the foiled planned attack in 2018. The team was deployed to conduct a VBIED but were intercepted by security officers in Merti Isiolo. Ahmed managed to escape and subsequently returned to Somalia to Al-Shabaab camps.
7. Abdurahman Hija alias Mnubi.
The terrorist operative hails from Nyeri. He is reported to have been part of a criminal gang that used to wage terror on residents of Nyeri town before crossing over to Somalia in 2016 where he joined Al-Shabaab. After undergoing training in Somalia, he was deployed to the country to carry out attacks.
8. Erick Njoroge Wachira alias Mohamed Njoroge alias Moha.
Erick Njoroge Wachira alias Mohamed Njoroge alias Moha alias Mnjoro was born on 27th August 1991 in Nyeri county. Before joining Al-Shabaab in Somalia in 2016, Njoroge was part of a criminal gang that was involved in series acts of armed robberies within prefectures of Mukurweini and Karatina.
Joint security agencies called on the public to remain vigilant noting whereas terror threat remains high, national security agencies are on high alert and have taken necessary preemptive measures to avert such threat. However, members of the public urged to volunteer information that may lead to the arrest of the following 8 terror suspects, linked to the Al-Shabaab terror network.
The update on wanted terror operatives comes at a time a number of attacks have been reported along Kenya border counties with Somalia (especially, Lamu) where incidents have been blamed on local/homegrown terrorist cell linked to Al-Shabaab.