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The hearing was cut short on the second day of proceedings and pushed to August 3, when a new date is expected to be made for the resumption of the trial/FILE

Kenya

Trial of Iranian terror suspects put off

The hearing was cut short on the second day of proceedings and pushed to August 3, when a new date is expected to be made for the resumption of the trial/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 24 – A Nairobi court on Tuesday adjourned the trial of two Iranians accused of possessing explosives allegedly for use in bomb attacks in the country.

Ahmed Mohammed and Sayed Mansour, who were arrested in June and charged with suspected links to a terror network planning bombings in Mombasa and Nairobi, are accused of possessing 15 kilos of the powerful explosive RDX.

Both men have denied the charges.

The hearing was cut short on the second day of proceedings and pushed to August 3, when a new date is expected to be made for the resumption of the trial.

Defence lawyer Kirathe Wandungi has alleged the suspects were interrogated by Israeli security officers while in Kenyan detention, claims dismissed by the prosecution.

The accusation follows a declaration by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in early July – shortly after the two were charged – said Iran was plotting attacks against Israel in Kenya.

Meanwhile the High Court earlier on Tuesday cancelled the bail granted by a magistrate to the two Iranians.

High Court Judge Lydia Achode cancelled the bail of Sh2 million and two Kenyan sureties of Sh5 million each after the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko filed an urgent application.

The DPP through state counsel Edwin Okello told the court that the two are a flight risk who should be detained until their case is determined.

“The magistrate made an error because the offences the two face concern grave issues on national security,” Okello said.

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Okello argued that the trial magistrate made an error when he released the two on bail because the offences they face touch on national security.

Justice Achode directed that the parties appear before her on Wednesday for further hearing.

The trial of the two commenced Monday where two prosecution witnesses testified at the magistrate’s court.

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