Monday September 26, 2022
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's intelligence agency announced the arrest of ten people suspected of being linked to Al Shabaab on Sunday.
According to the National Intelligence and Security Agency, seven of the nearly dozen detained were planning to travel to Al Shabaab areas after being summoned by the militant insurgency group.
The spy agency added clan elders, businesspeople, and women were among those arrested.
The spokesperson of the Somali Police Force, Sadiq Doodishe, said they were in direct violation of a government order not to associate with Al Shabaab.
Although laws prohibiting cooperation with Al Shabaab, which the Somali government regards as a terrorist organization, have been in place for some time, the government has recently strengthened enforcement in light of the ongoing government offensive against the militants.
NISA stated that it would arrest and prosecute anyone "who decides to travel to, obey, serve, or facilitate Al-activities Shabaab's to harm the security and safety of the people."
Mohamed Abdullahi Khalif, the deputy prosecutor of Somalia's military, stated that his office would try the suspects in an Islamic sharia-compliant court. Al-Shabaab, according to Khalif, is responsible for the deaths of people.
During a raid in Mogadishu nearly two weeks ago, NISA agents apprehended ten suspected Al Shabaab militants and seized three houses.