Owiti who spoke to journalists before he was taken in for questioning maintained his innocence/CFM
NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 22 – One of the four terror suspects whose photograph was released by the police on Sunday has surrendered to the police in Mombasa.
Hassan Omondi Owiti presented himself at the Provincial Police headquarters in Mombasa on Monday morning where he recorded a statement.
“He surrendered this (Monday) morning and is now under arrest,” Coast Provincial Police chief Aggrey Adoli said. “We have handed him over to the anti terrorism officers who have been looking for him,” he added.
Owiti who spoke to journalists before he was taken in for questioning maintained his innocence.
“I am innocent; I think it is a case of mistaken identity and that is why I came here to see why they want me,” he said before he was quizzed and subsequently ferried to Nairobi for further interrogation.
His photograph was circulated on Sunday alongside those of three other wanted men described by the police as dangerous terrorists plotting attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Three other terror suspects still at large include Shaban Namusenda Makotse, Yassin Olunga Ndungu and Ali Masadiq.
“Shaban is a Luhya from Mumias but has adopted a strong Kiswahili accent to camouflage himself and he is of medium build. Ali Masadiq is small bodied and can easily pass as a primary school pupil. He is mainly used to carry out surveillance on potential terrorism targets and convey firearms and grenades,” Kiraithe said when he released the photographs on Sunday.
The photographs released by police were not very clear because they were taken by surveillance cameras.
Kiraithe told journalists that there was sufficient evidence showing that the four had been trained in Somalia and have links with the Al Shabaab militia group.
“Evidence in the possession of the police indicates that they have also been involved in various acts of terrorism in Nairobi and Mombasa. The four are currently believed to be on the run inside Kenya and planning attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa again,” Kiraithe said.
He said they are also looking for Faud Abubakar who was charged alongside another terror suspect Briton Jermaine Grant earlier this year.
The police spokesman called on any person who may know the whereabouts of Abubakar to report to any police station, warning that he may have criminal plans.
“Abubakar was charged in Mombasa law courts earlier this year together with Jermaine Grant for criminal offences of being in possession of explosives, being a member of an organised group and preparation to commit a felony,” he said.
The announcement comes at a time when cases of terror attacks have increased, especially after the Kenya Defence Forces entered Somalia in pursuit of the Shabaab who are behind most of the attacks.
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