Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro addresses a press briefing in Mombasa during a meeting with Mombasa police heads on April 11, 2014. Muhoro said police are uncovering the faces of seven suspected members of a gang believed to be behind the wave of killings in the Coast. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Anti-terrorism police have released the names and photos of seven suspected members of a gang believed to be behind the wave of killings in the Coast.
Security agents are warning that the men, who are returnees from Somalia, are armed and dangerous as they are well trained in weaponry and intelligence tactics.
“They are now in Kenya and are working as mercenaries for hire and are being used to settle scores,” an investigation briefing seen by the Sunday Nation says.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has given their names as Ismael Shosi Mohammed aka Ismael Mmanga, Abdulkarim Mzee aka Abdul, Farah Abdi Farah, Kayuni Khatib Khamisi, Mahir Khalid Riziki, Fauz Omar Mohamed and Swaleh Ramadhan.
Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro said police are uncovering the faces “because we want members of the public to help the police in tracking down the suspects”.
“These are people who are known. If you spot any of them, report to the nearest police station. One of them is actually operating in a buibui to disguise himself as a woman and evade arrest. They are characters we are looking for even in connection with the shooting of Mombasa DCIO Ndumba Thangarani,” Mr Muhoro said.
“They are also suspects in some of the gun killings that have been carried out at the Coast. They count on the feeling that any killings in Mombasa are likely to be blamed on the government,” the report indicated.
DRUG TRAFFICKING
The briefing says the suspects have now joined drug trafficking rings to raise money for themselves and their cronies in Somalia.
The anti-terrorism report claims that the suspects resolved to deal in drugs after Amisom troops operation in Somalia greatly reduced Al-Shabaab’s financial muscle.
Just last month, Amisom announced that it had fully liberated the town of Baraawe, which was considered Al- Shabaab’s last stronghold.
The town was used by the militant group as the point of acquiring equipment and supplies.
“The militant group is desperately seeking finances from all sources, including armed robberies and dealing with narcotics,” the report said.
It says the group is also frantically seeking an alliance with ISIS, the extremist Islamist group also known as the Islamic State that is terrorising people in parts of Syria and Iraq so as to benefit financially.
Mr Muhoro also confirmed that officers were focusing on a recruitment ring organised by one Eric Ogada aka Ibrahim Ogada who it alleges is Al-Shabaab’s Kenyan foreign fighter currently based in Bulahawa near the Mandera border with Somalia.
“Mr Ogada went to Somalia in 2009 and has risen in rank amongst the Al-Shabaab operatives. He reports directly to the Al-Shabaab head of media and propaganda, Ahmed Iman,” says the anti-terrorism report.
UNDER DISGUISE
Mr Ogada, according to the report, has been given the role of beefing up the diminishing Al-Shabaab ranks by delivering more Kenyan recruits especially new recruits who have little knowledge of the region.
The report says they are lured into the group with promises of making money.
Further, the intelligence report indicates that more women are being deployed as suicide bombers as the group believes that women attract less attention and can easily conceal their weapons with their clothing.
Women, according to the security agencies, are also used as facilitators to acquire houses for the would-be executors and to generally take care of them.
“We also have credible information that the terror suspects are gaining entry into the country under the guise of seeking medical help,” it said.