Muhuri, a Kenyan Human rights group has again tossed itself into the murky swamp of controversy by claiming that 3 female’s killed at the Mombasa Police Station in Mombasa city, Coastal Kenya weren’t terrorists but victims of police brutality. The eyes of the world are skeptically looking at the credibility of the organization and its true cause. Muhuri, in every sense, is representing the interests of the terrorists who have dangerously infiltrated Mosques and Muslim villages in Mombasa. In this particular case, Muhuri’s conjecture is purposed to exonerate Hanniyah Rogo, the widow of Al-Shabaab terrorist recruiter Aboud Rogo. Hanniyah is a high value operative of the Al-Qaeda branch in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabaab Mujahideen. She is a fundraiser and a powerful figure in radicalization just like her exterminated militant husband. Hanniyah Rogo is used by Al-Shabaab terrorists as a Muslim figure enduring persecution with the intent of seeking revenge through acts of terrorism.
The 3 Muhajirah (female who made Hijra to the Islamic States) who attempted to bomb the Mombasa Police Station had pledged ‘bayah’ to the Islamic States. They were in communication with a Kenyan in Sirte Libya. The Kenyan is from Mombasa. He travelled to Somalia in 2013 where he joined the Al-Shabaab terror group with 4 of his friends then left Somalia for Sudan and subsequently Libya to join the Islamic States (ISIS) in late 2015 with one of the friends he joined HSM with. His comrade died after conducting a suicide attack against police checkpoint in Sirte.
Kenya’s intelligence service intercepted calls between the cell members and the Libya based Kenyan ISIS recruiter. The cell also adopted use of encrypted social media platforms to communicate to avoid detection by security intelligence services. Video footage obtained by Strategic Intelligence shows one of the female terrorists claiming they were terrorists. She also claims that her comrades were coming to conduct more attacks. ISIS propaganda wing, AMAQ News Agency also claimed that the 3 women were members of the terror group. It is important to note that AMAQ has remained a credible source of ISIS related content, particularly, reporting terror events conducted by member cells, publishing videos, and newsflashes about its commanders. As such, its claim that the 3 Mombasa Muhajirahs does not only solidify Kenya police claims that the females were indeed terrorists but also the ISIS Libya connection. Intelligence shows the Libya recruiter contacted AMAQ to report the terrorist’s activities in Mombasa. Another important aspect of the case is that only ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Al-Shabaab Mujahideen actually condemned the attack terming the deployment of women as suicide bombers un-Islamic.
Muhuri’s claim is not only foolhardy but a clear indication it does not have the best interests for Kenya and the East African region which continues to face a daily threat of terrorism.
