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Kenyan police nab over 50 radical youths in Mombasa

Xinhua, March 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Kenya's anti-terrorism police on Friday arrested 56 suspected radical youth over the murder of senior detective and terror threats in the coastal city of Mombasa.

The suspects were arrested in major joint security operation within the city's old town estate that has recently witnessed gun and knife attacks.

Mombasa County Police commander Geofrey Mayek said the 56 are being profiled before they are arraigned in court next week, adding that the operation will continue until all the main suspects believed to Al-Shabaab returnees are apprehended.

"Some of the suspects had no valid documents to be in the country. We are interrogating them to establish if they are part of terror gang terrorizing Mombasa residents," Mayek told Xinhua in Mombasa.

Police sources indicate a group of Al-Shabaab returnees have sneaked into Kenya from Somalia to plot a string of attacks in the tourism resort region, frequented by foreign tourists.

A senior anti-terror police officer said they are on higher alert over possible grenade and gun attacks in the coastal city.

He said the members who include Kenyans from Mombasa, Lamu Kwale and Malindi are now back following the defeat of the Al- Qaida allied militant by AU Mission to Somalia (Amison) forces in Somalia.

"They escaped into the country after key Al-Shabaab towns that were under their control were liberated by Kenya Defence Force (KDF) and Somalia forces in Somalia. We are monitoring their movements," the officer who sought anonymity told Xinhua.

The militants are believed to behind Wednesday's murder of Criminal Investigation officer Mohamed Ibrahim Khamis in Mombasa.

According to police the slain officer had arrested a gang leader of knife-welding youth in the area two weeks ago, amid protest from the gang who vowed to hit back.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary for Defence Raychelle Omamo said in Mombasa that plans to construct of wall between Kenya and Somalia will go on despite resistance from Somalia. Omamo said the building of a wall is part of the government initiative to secure the country from the external security threats. Endi