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Cleric arrested in Kenya's Mombasa over Al-Shabaab links

Xinhua, June 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya's anti-terrorism police on Thursday arrested a Muslim cleric over alleged links with Al-Shabaab in the coastal city of Mombasa.

Coast Regional Police boss Francis Wanjohi said Ibrahim Bukhari was arrested after he was found spying on residential and commercial buildings within Kizingo area in the coastal city.

Senior Anti Terrorism Police Unit officers told Xinhua that Bukhari is under investigation over terrorism activities including radicalizing youth to join the Al-Shabaab.

Wanjohi said the suspect will be held in custody for 30 days to enable detectives to complete investigation.

"Officers have been granted 30 days to continue interrogating him. We believe he also used the mosque in Likoni to radicalize youth through extremist ideologies," said Wanjohi.

The cleric's arrest comes in the wake of terrorist alert in the coastal region during the holy month of Ramadhan by Al-Shabaab fighters.

Mombasa County commissioner Maalim Mohammed said elaborate security measures have been put in place in Mombasa during the Holy Month.

"We have deployed undercover and uniformed police officers, and surveillance equipment, including CCTV cameras, had been increased in places frequented by people in a move to boost security," Mohammed said. Enditem