The April, 2015 attack on Garissa University that left 148 students dead was led by Mohammed Abdirahim Abdullahi, a Nairobi University law student. This was an indicator of an active terrorist recruitment that was targeting intelligent brains at the Kenyan universities and colleges.
Kenya’s intelligence sources now indicate presence of a number of university and college students who are on payroll at the Somalia base, in Syria and others in Iraq. These are young people who have agreed to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Al Qaeda branch Harakat Al Shabaab Al Mujahideen (HSM).
Intelligence sources reveal that there is a very serious rebirth of homegrown terrorism aimed at establishing an East African Islamic Caliphate by al Qaeda and al Shabaab. Due to this, there is increased recruitment, training and indoctrination of the youth into terrorism cells.
Earlier, the sources had revealed a possibility of active recruitment and operational cells by the terror group in the country, owing to:
- The porous Kenya- Somali border
- Un-monitored internet connections
Experts on international terrorism from around the world are converging in Nairobi to forge ways to stymie terrorism insurgence with a keen focus on radicalization and indoctrination.
As the construction of the security wall between Kenya and Somalia moves into full swing, the government hopes to control movement across the border so as to kill all the terrorist activities based in cells.
Meanwhile, society is urged to look at what drives youth to extremism as the basis to fight homegrown terrorism.
This is very disturbing,,,,, students on militants’ payroll???