Daily Nation
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Somalia government forces have joined the search for a British woman abducted from a tourist resort in Lamu.
The Africa Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) forces are also involved in the operation.
“We wish to send our sincere condolences to the British Government and the bereaved family. We condemn strongly the killing of David Tebbut and the abduction of his wife,” Mr Nur said on phone.
He said his country’s troops were in touch with the Kenyan and British detectives who have pitched tent at Kiunga on the Kenya-Somalia border.
The ambassador also termed as “speculation” widespread media reports that the gunmen who killed Mr Tebbut and kidnapped his wife, Judith, were from Somalia.
“We are still investigating the reports, but as of now we do not want to react to speculation,” Mr Nur said.
Meanwhile, Kenyan and British security forces continued patrolling border areas, both on land and deep in the sea.
A senior Kenyan military officer said that the marine operation was being led by a specialised team from the British navy.
Fishermen interviewed by the Nation said the search and rescue operation had created panic.
“There are several white men all over the sea, they keep on stopping and asking us several questions, like whether we have seen suspicious people with weapons,” said a fisherman on condition of anonymity.
Another fisherman said they had been issued with special identity cards, which they were required to produce while out at sea.
Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents have denied killing the British tourist and kidnapping his wife.
The couple was attacked minutes after midnight on Saturday at the exclusive Kiwayu Safari Village, a private tourist resort in Kiunga.
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said they were the only guests at the resort.