'al-Shabaab' suspect arrested in the Dadaab refugee camp

Xinhua
Friday, August 10, 2012

Kenyan police have arrested suspected Al-Shabaab fighter who is behind a spate of crimes in Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee camp in northern Kenya.

Regional deputy police commander, Noor Gabow said on Thursday that Mohamed Ibrahim Ali was arrested by fellow refugees who raised the alarm after he went to rob in her homestead.

Gabow who described the arrest of the terror suspect as a big breakthrough said that security had been enhanced in the refugee camps in northern Kenya with the deployment of more officers.

"It is a big group which has been causing all sorts of crimes in the refugee camps, we are closing down on the others, our security along the border has also been increased," the regional deputy police boss said.

The Al-Shabaab suspect is said to have raided the homestead in the Dadaab refugee complex at 10:00hrs (0700GMT) but the owner raised the alarm by shouting and the neighbors who rushed to her rescue later arrested the bandit with a gun.

Police officers who were on a patrol in the Ifo refugee camp responded swiftly and arrested the bandit who was armed with an AK 47 gun with several rounds of ammunition.

According to an eye witness who spoke to the Xinhua on phone, the bandit "is one of the most dangerous who will do anything to get what he wants."

"He has been committing all sorts of crimes in and outside the camp with impunity, together with others who are still at large.

"They are well known to be Al-Shabaab sympathizers who keep on moving from one camp to another," said the one who is a resident at the Ifo 2 refugee camp.

A police officer told Xinhua that the will camp at the refugee camp to recover more guns which are still at large and being hidden by the refugees, some of whom are Al-Shabaab sympathizers.

"Arresting one gun is good but more are still in the wrong hands and it’s the same guns that are later used to commit crimes and kill people especially us who have been their biggest target," said the officer.

The government posted new officers in Daadab in an effort to improve security in the area that has been at its lowest.

The bandit was due to be arraigned in a Garissa court later on Thursday.

The Thursday arrest came two months after people believed to be from the Al-Shabaab group shot dead a Kenyan driver and injured another one in the Ifo refugee camp before abducting 4 aid workers from the Norwegian Refugee Council and escaping with them to Somalia.

The aid workers were however rescued a week later.

Kenya security agencies have been on higher alert after intelligent reports hinted that Al-Shabaab terrorists are escaping into the East African nation as the operation to rout the insurgents from Somalia gains momentum.

More border patrol have been intensified along the Kenya Somalia border in Kiunga and Dadaad refugee camps to combat the Al- Qaida-linked insurgents to gain entrance into the country.

The East African nation blames Al-Shabaab for the spate of kidnappings of four foreigners, grenade attacks and fears its tourist and business economy will be destroyed if it allows the insurgents to go on unchallenged.

The trend of the attacks particularly in northern Kenya and Nairobi, which seemingly are well coordinated since few suspects have been arrested, has heightened worries among Kenyans.

At least 20 security officers have been killed in more than ten attacks that have occurred in Nairobi, Mombasa, Mandera, Garissa and Wajir counties.

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