The Standard Digital
Monday, July 23, 2012
Security has been tightened in churches and social gatherings across the country following reports that Al Shabaab is planning terror attacks during the month of Ramadhan. Police headquarters say hundreds of police officers have been mobilised and deployed to stop any attacks.
Plain clothes officers and others in uniform are helping to maintain security.
“Al Shabaab terrorists have issued threats that they will carry out massive destruction during the holy month of Ramadhan. Let everybody be extra alert,” said Nairobi PPO Anthony Kibuchi.
Officials say intelligence reports show terrorists’ want to stage more attacks. This follows the Garissa town assault on two churches where 17 people died.
On Thursday, Israeli embassy in Nairobi repeated warnings of a global onslaught by terrorists, saying Kenya was among the countries targeted.
The Al Shabaab has since last October hit targets in Kenya, most recently in Wajir, where four people were injured in twin explosions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attacks as “horrific” and likened them to an earlier explosion at a bus in Bulgaria where seven people, among them six Israelis, were killed.
“All signs point towards Iran. Over the last few months we have seen Iran’s attempts to attack Israelis in Thailand, India, Georgia, Kenya, Cyprus and other countries. This is a global Iranian terror onslaught and Israel will react firmly to it.”
Vulnerable places
Two Iranians — Mr Ahmad Abolafathi Mohammed and Mr Sayed Mansour Mousa — were arrested in Kenya last month and detained at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison on charges of being in possession of 15 kilogrammes of RDX, a chemical used in making bombs.
RDX is a more powerful explosive compared to TNT, the conventional ingredient for making bombs such as the one used in the 1998 US embassy attack in Nairobi, which killed more than 200 people.
Reports said the Iranians planned to make 30 bombs to stage a series of attacks in the country, claims they deny. Yesterday, Kibuchi said “vulnerable places” had been identified.
Al Shabaab launched terror attacks in Kenya after Kenya Defence Forces entered Somalia in October, last year. At least 40 attacks have occurred since, with grenades being used in most of them. The attacks usually target security agencies and social gatherings.
Last week, the US embassy announced the country’s government employees had been prohibited from travelling to North Eastern Province, where most of the terror attacks have happened, and also cautioned its citizens from making unnecessary visits.