The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) released names and pictures of wanted terror suspects on the day the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) warned of possible attacks in several parts of the country.
The DCI appealed to members of the public to volunteer information that may lead to the arrests of the five suspects who are linked to several attacks that have taken place in the country.
One of the suspects has been on the DCI’s radar for over 10 years but has never been arrested despite full information on his ways of operation and details being released to the public.
On Wednesday, the US warned: “Terrorist groups could attack with little or no warning, targeting hotels, embassies, restaurants, malls and markets, schools, police stations, places of worship, and other places frequented by foreigners and tourists.”
Moments later, Britain, in its periodic updates on travel advice cautioned its nationals to be extremely vigilant in the areas mentioned in the US advisory.
On 9 February the US Embassy issued an alert saying that “Locations frequented by U.S. citizens and other foreigners and tourists in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya continue to be attractive targets to terrorists planning to conduct potentially imminent attacks. Terrorist groups could attack with little or no warning, targeting hotels, embassies, restaurants, malls and markets, schools, police stations, places of worship, and other places frequented by foreigners and tourists. The government of Kenya has increased counter-terrorism patrols,” said the UK statement.
Here are the details of the wanted terror suspects:
Ramadhan Hamisi Kufungwa
He has been described as the link person between Kassin Musa Mwarusi who is a fugitive responsible for executing attacks in Boni forest and those willing to join al-Shabaab terrorist group.
He is believed to be the person who coordinates al-Shabaab fighters and coordinates how they carry out attacks in Kenya.
Issa Abdalla Ahmed
He is also known by aliases which include Issa Kauni, Urwa/Orwa and Jafar. The DCI says that he hails from Malindi in Kilifi County and he joined the al-Shabaab in 2014 when he travelled to Somalia from Mombasa.
Ahmed is currently a member of a suicide brigade wing which has members who are ready to die as long as they cause mayhem and die alongside those they consider to be their enemies.
Ahmed is to be currently working with other members of the terror group to be planning various attacks that are scheduled to take place in the country.
Ahmed Omar Salid
He is also known by his several aliases which include Dogo Tabibu and Bilal. He hails from Malindi in Kilifi County and joined the terror group network in 2016.
Detectives believe that he is attached to the Jaysh Ayman Brigade which is the wing of al-Shabaab that is responsible for many attacks that have been carried out in Kenya. DCI says he has also participated in attacks inside Boni Forest.
Maalim Yussuf Hassan Abdullahi
He is also known as Isaack Hassan Abdullahi or Maalim Yussuf Abdullahi Ibrahim and detectives believe that he was behind the killing of three teachers at Qarsa in 2018 and the assassination of a local assistant chief in Gumurey, Wajir County in December 2020. The chief was killed because they said that he was releasing information that assisted the police to deal with the terror group.
He is believed to have been part of a group that hunted and killed non-local teachers in Northern Kenya.
Maalim Abbas alias Abbas Guyo
He has been linked to the planning of the Garissa University College attack which took place in April 2015.
This was the attack that took place in the country leaving a total of 147 people dead and tens of others injured.
In 2019, three terror suspects were sentenced by a Kenyan court after they were found guilty of planning and executing the 2015 terror attack at Garissa University.
Rashid Charles Mberesero, a Tanzanian who represented himself in court, was handed life in prison, while Mohamed Ali Abdikadir and Hassan Aden Hassan, both Kenyan, were each sentenced to 41 years in prison.
The men were found to have been in constant telephone contact with four attackers before they rounded up students.
The DCI asked members of the public to volunteer information regarding the whereabouts of the five saying that they were dangerous to the public.
“Should you have any information regarding the whereabouts of the above-mentioned suspects whose activities pose a serious security threat to innocent Kenyans,” the statement said. BY DAILY NATION