In a significant development, the Ministry of Interior has unveiled the identities and photographs of 35 individuals believed to be associated with the notorious terrorist group, Al-Shabaab. This revelation comes amidst mounting concerns about the group’s activities terrorizing the residents of Lamu and Boni.
According to Interior CS Kithure Kindiki, these 35 individuals are suspected to be closely tied to the placement of explosive devices, the tragic murders of innocent civilians, and the audacious attack on the American military base at Manda in 2020.
The ministry has now turned to the public, urging citizens to provide information about the whereabouts of these individuals. A tantalizing financial reward is being offered for information leading to the identification and capture of these alleged terrorists.
CS Kindiki emphasized the Ministry of Interior’s intention to expose individuals considered as the masterminds behind these sinister acts and those believed to bear the significant responsibility of financing and orchestrating acts of violence.
The list, primarily composed of Kenyan residents, does include a few foreign nationals who have allegedly been instrumental in planning and executing attacks along the Kenyan coast.
Among the names unveiled are Maalim Ayman, Ramadhan Kioko, Abdullahi Banati, Andreas Martin Muller, Abu Amar, Suleiman Maktum, Yusuf Anau, a Tanzanian national, Abdiweli Yassin Isse, Idris Dhul Kifir, Silla, Ibrahim Magag, Hassane Tijana, and Fahad, a Bangladeshi national, who also happens to be a medic.
Other individuals on the wanted list include Tanzanian national Jamalo, Sheikh Nganglangalam, an alleged messenger, Ethiopian national Janagale Huteiba, Bashir Mursal Mohamud, Abu Khatal, Maalik Alim Jone hailing from the United Kingdom, Abu Said, also a medic, Abu Anan, Mzee Mashella, Warsame Ali, Mohamed Mwanjama Salim, and Abdikhadir.
CS Kindiki issued a stern warning, declaring that these suspected terrorists are responsible for a series of attacks in Lamu and the Boni forest enclave. Their alleged activities include planting improvised explosive devices on various earth roads, resulting in the loss of civilian lives along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen highway, as well as attacks on civilians in Lango la Simba, Witu, Mpeketoni, and the American military base in January 2020, among other areas.
The government has also identified Maalim Said Guyo, Zakaria Karongo, Ramadhan Kafungwa, Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir, Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi, Mohamed Abdi Aiden, among others, as part of the Al-Shabaab terrorist network. This list encompasses individuals with various roles, such as a driver, weapons repairer, and medic, underscoring the diverse aspects of their operations.
In recent months, the attacks by these alleged terrorists have resulted in the tragic loss of lives, affecting both civilians and security personnel.
The government is now committed to utilizing all available resources to bring these perpetrators to justice. Furthermore, it seeks the cooperation of the public in this endeavor, calling upon the people of Kenya to provide any information that may lead to the apprehension of these dangerous individuals.
CS Kindiki has stated that the wanted individuals have the option to surrender themselves to the nearest police station. However, the government stands firm in its resolve to pursue, arrest, or neutralize these terrorists in its mission to combat terrorism not only along the coast but also across the entire nation.
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