By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
Anti-terrorism police in Mandera East have arrested two persons suspected of being operatives for Al Shabaab.
These individuals were allegedly plotting to abduct a group of foreign nationals employed at a sewer line construction project located in Mandera Township.
Acting on intelligence, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said that the ever agile sleuths swiftly arrested the prime suspect, Isaac Abdi Mohamed alias Kharan Abdi Hassan, 29, who had recently sneaked his way into the country from El-ade in Somalia and forged a number of documents to identify as a Kenyan.
“On keen scrutiny and thorough interrogation, it was discovered that the suspect was to pay Sh 100,000 to his local associate, who would assist in the abduction exercise before he and another, Noor Yacob Ali, 29 facilitated the to-be victims’ movement to El-ade at a Sh 300,000 fee,” said the DCI on X.
“Consequently, another operation was conducted early this morning, where Yacob Ali was cornered and arrested at Metameta area within Mandera Township by a multi-agency security team.”
The DCI has announced that the two suspects are currently in custody and are undergoing additional questioning in preparation for their arraignment on charges of being affiliated with a terrorist organization, a grave violation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).