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Kenya, French detectives question 5 suspects of bomb scare

Xinhua, December 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

Kenyan and French detectives are questioning suspects and analyzing a suspected explosive device seized on an Air France which made an emergency landing at the Moi international airport.

The suspects include two Muslims who boarded the plane from Mauritius to Paris. Senior Anti-terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) officers said the bomb was mounted in the airplane's lavatory, with a timer.

The officer said the bomb experts were able to successfully dismantle the bomb and handed it to forensic experts for further analysis.

The timer was on but the intended destination of the attack could not be immediately established by Kenya security authorities.

The Air France plane heading to Paris from Mauritius made an emergency landing at the Moi International Airport early Sunday over bomb scare.

The Boeing 777 with 459 passengers and 14 crew members on board requested the airport's Mombasa Towers for emergency landing after a passenger noticed a suspicious device in the lavatory and informed the Captain.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett said the plane landed safely at the airport a few minutes past midnight where the passengers were safely evacuated.

He said bomb experts from the Navy and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have taken away the device to determine whether its components contained explosives.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said the Kenyan aviation authorities received a distress call from Air France and were able to evacuate over 470 passengers and crew members from the Boeing 777 flight.

"The Air France plane was en-route from Mauritius to Paris and made an emergency landing in Mombasa after a suspicious device was found in the lavatory. We are still analyzing the device," Nkaiserry told journalists in Mombasa.

Senior detectives from France were on Sunday dispatched from Nairobi to assist in the complex investigation that comes in the wake of sporadic terrorist attacks last month in Paris where Islamic State militants claimed responsibility.

Nkaissery, who flew to Mombasa early Sunday, said the plane had been removed from the runway and investigators were working in liaison with officials in Mauritius and France.

"Ongoing investigations will determine whether the gadget found is a bomb. Investigators are working in liaison with France and Mauritius. A number of passengers are still under interrogation," he added.

The passengers were successfully evacuated and booked at various hotels in Mombasa waiting to be transferred to their destinations.

"Air France has dispatched another aircraft to pick the passengers, meanwhile the investigation is still going on and we will give an update about the process about the device," Nkaissery added.

He said the Kenyan authorities are working with Mauritius authority to assist in profiling the passengers and establish their nationality.

"We must inform Kenyans that our airport is very secure and our team will always remain alert all the time," said Nkaissery. The airport was reopened and flights resumed. Endit