Kenya intelligence and security services are aware of a plot by the Al-Qaeda branch in Somalia, Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen movement to conduct spectacular mass casuality terror attacks in the East Africa region with a focus on Kenya and her neighbors.
“There are plans to conduct attacks in Kenya. We have identified the cells involved and next step is to destroy those cells” Counter-Terrorism and Military Intelligence officials report.
Using Suicide vehicle-bound improvised explosive devices (SVBIED) and assault riffles to storm the targets, the terror group is roping on media to amplify the psychological effects of the attacks besides gain mileage as a more capable jihadist outfit. The terrorists have been adapting war movie scenes and rehearsing them, intelligence reports show.
Target cities include Nairobi, Mombasa in Kenya, Kampala in Uganda, and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Tourist resorts in coastal Kenya particulalry Diani which is very popular with ‘high-class holiday makers’ is a target, analysts warn.
Shabaab Mujahideen will most likely deploy foreigners, particualry British nationals such as Malik Yassin and German national Andreas Martin Muller to pose as UN officials driven and aided by local Kenyans such as Ahmad Iman Ali to storm targets such churches, police stations, a military base/camp, a luxury hotel, a mall, an airport, and even a bank.
“We have explored all these scenarios and are putting measures to preempt and neutralize the threat. This holiday month is such a challenge, that’s why we adviced quaries in Mandera be closed. We are also not going to be on leave, that’s why no police officer will be on holiday but at work to keep Kenya safe” A senior security officer confirmed.
Djibouti and Ethiopia are likely to witness attacks. The level of threat in their respective capital cities is low.
Shabaab Mijahideen seeks to gain global recognation through such criminal acts.
Dozens of militants sleeper cells have been destroyed by Kenyan military.
