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Suspect charged in Mombasa over terror links

Suspect charged in Mombasa over terror links/FILE

Suspect charged in Mombasa over terror links/FILE

NAIROBI Kenya, Oct 11 – A suspect has been charged in a Mombasa court for allegedly planning to carry out terror attacks in the country.

Swaleh Abdalla was arraigned before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate Richard Odenyo but denied being in possession of a hand grenade and planning to carry out terror attacks in Kenya.

“The accused will be remanded at a police station for four days when the court will rule on the hearing of the case,” said Odenyo.

In a sworn affidavit, police requested the court to grant them four days for officers to thoroughly interrogate the suspect and possibly get leads that may help arrest his accomplices.

Chief prosecutor Simon Waithaka said police are probing Abdalla’s possible links to the Westgate mall attack that claimed 67 lives and left others injured.

He has been remanded at Makupa Police Station in Mombasa.

He was arrested on Thursday morning by a team of officers from the Anti Terrorism Police Unit at Likoni area in Mombasa.

The suspect later led the officers to his house where the grenade, several passports, two mobile phones and Sh25,000 were recovered in the dawn operation.

Police sources have revealed that he is part of a group that has been linked with financing and recruiting of youths to join the Al Shabaab terror group.

“He has been on our terror radar since 2004 when he joined the Al Shabaab terror group; we believe he has undergone paramilitary training in Somalia, “a senior anti terror police officer said.

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A form four student is also being grilled by anti-terrorism police officers in Mombasa over the mall attack.

The 19-year-old student was trailed and picked from his home in Kisauni, Mombasa on Thursday by police officers working on highly placed intelligence information.

Police said the student who holds a Tanzanian passport, had communicated with some of the terror suspects being held by police in Nairobi.

The Head of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) Boniface Mwaniki said the student was being held for questioning.

The two are being held in different police stations as police widen their investigation with the aim of arresting more suspects.

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