Desperate, on the decline, and barren, Somali militant-terror Islamist group Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen opted to opt equally desperate measures, intelligence services warn.
Kenya’s intelligence services and the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit are analyzing intelligence that shows the terror group is planning a massive terror
attack in Kenya. Intelligence Services are confident they have intercepted terrorists surveillance activities near potential targets in Kenya.
“The Intelligence Services in Kenya have analyzed the key detections points and have procured the bias of an attack in the offing. Kenya has a very reliable intelligence service and indeed they must have collected very credible intelligence on Shabaab. Explains David James, Director of Intelligence at Strategic Intelligence. There is actually strategic deployment of security forces on those targets. Security intelligence agents are day and night conducting security assessments on those targets to provide reports on how to mitigate the risk and effect of terrorism. Overall, Kenya is doing a great job thwarting terror and keeping its citizens safe”
Malls and Churches are primary targets. We also have intelligence that schools at the border villages are targets. Terrorism is a continuing concern and we must mitigate both effects of an attack or the possibility of that attack from happening” He further explains.
Kenya: We Have Laid Traps For Them
Security agencies have been conducting synchronized mock-operations on dummy sites to ensure effective response when attackers approach a target. Security agents in Kenya are proud that they have laid traps and are ready to protect civilians. Intelligence reports show there has been influx of cells into Kenya through refugee camps and through bus companies on the spotlight. Other sets of cells have slipped through human trafficking corridors, but they are being tracked.
Kenya is aware of plans to stage spectacular hostage attacks in malls and churches or boarding schools during weeks towards, during, and after the Easter holiday’s in the capital Nairobi and other key cities. There are pointers that the air-cargo zone in Eldoret also is being targeted after a terror cell was intercepted conducting surveillance on the area.
Strategic Intelligence Service reports decline in conscription of foreign jihadists. The economic power of the Sunni militants has steadily declined. There is also widespread clan-based conflicts in the rag-tag militia mid-level command.
To win support across board, leader of the group Ahmad Abu-Ubeidah called a meeting late February to discuss unity and operations. The group agreed to redeem itself through transnational terrorism. The militants identified means of claiming global recognition and outreach.
The group published videos threatening malls and also reporting on the past terror attacks including the Mpeketoni attacks. The recipients, particularly Kenyans dismissed the videos. Kenyan’s now understand what drives the Shabaab hence do not fear terror rather want to fight it.
