The Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) announced that it arrested 12 individuals believed to be members of al Shabaab and the Islamic State. The 12 were arrested in the country’s Somali and Oromia regional states as well as the capital Addis Ababa.
Among those arrested was the Ethiopia wing of the al-Shabab terror group, Mohammed Abdulahi Dulet who was scouting possible attack locations in Adds Ababa. The suspects were seized due to trilateral cooperation between the intelligence services of Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia’s semi-autonomous Somaliland region.
Among arrested were individuals carrying out intelligence work including photographing potential targets. Preliminary findings indicate that they were preparing to attack hotels, religious festivities gathering places and public areas in Addis Ababa.
The arrests of especially of the ISIS members is a clear indication that the terror organization is seeking to establish a foothold in Ethiopia from its neighboring Somalia and may be taking advantage of the sectarian and political restiveness to do so.
