Monday, February 3, 2014
By WAMBUI NDONGA
The four Somali nationals appeared in Court on Monday, over suspicions of masterminding the attack two weeks ago which was initially said to be a bulb explosion. They however did not take their plea after it emerged that they could not understand English or Kiswahili/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 3 – Four terror suspects believed to have been behind the attack that occurred at a restaurant at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have been charged in Court.
The four Somali nationals appeared in Court on Monday, over suspicions of masterminding the attack two weeks ago which was initially said to be a bulb explosion. They however did not take their plea after it emerged that they could not understand English or Kiswahili.
Milimani Magistrate Doreen Mulekyo was forced to defer the plea taking to February 4, to allow the Court provide a Somali Interpreter for the four.
Hassan Abdi Mohamed, Mohamed Osman Ali, Yusuf Warsame and Garad Hassan Fer are said to have been found with explosives on January 16, at Shauri Moyo trading centre.
“In a motor vehicle registration number KBS 965E Toyotta Avensis silver in colour jointly with others not before court were found in possession of two kilograms of an explosive TNT in contravention of the law,” read their charge sheet.
There was also a bullet riddled body of a man thought to be their accomplice, in the vehicle.
Police said the vehicle was sprayed with bullets while speeding off from the airport, soon after the incident, which Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo had at the time dismissed as a ‘bulb explosion’.
Anti terrorism police unit officer, Leonard Bwire said that the four acquired Kenyan identification documents fraudulently and had been sneaking in and out of Somalia at will.
Bwire claimed that their goal was either to train with the Al-shaabab or to bring explosives to Kenya.
The prosecution has already indicated plans of amending the charges to include that of fraudulently obtaining Kenyan passports.
“The ATPU has information that the terrorist attack at the Java Restaurant within the JKIA on 16 January was planned and executed by the suspects together with others who are yet to be arrested,” explained the officer.
Bwire also revealed that the suspects led police officers to their residences in Ushirika Estate within Eastleigh where an inventory of the items recovered was made.
He further claims that the suspects have a vast network in the country aimed at carrying out terrorist attacks on public gatherings and foreign establishments.