5 refugees ‘talking to Shabaab’ under probe

Wednesday August 24, 2016

Refugees at Dadaab refugee camp photo file.

Five refugees from Dadaab camp have been detained at Muthaiga police station for 10 days in terror-related charges.

In a sworn document filed in cour police say Abukar Ali, Hishi Mohamed, Dahir Farah, Habiarimana Desire and Osman Abukar were arrested while on their way to Somalia without authority from the refugee camp management.

Two others, Kenyans Abdikarim Noor and Samwel Kamau, are said to be employees of Alex Mwangi within Dadaab refugee camp.

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An officer from the Anti-Terror Police Unit says through intelligence reports, it’s believed the seven are facilitating terrorism within the camps.

Cyrus Ikade says the seven were arrested at the refugee camp in Garissa on Sunday and handed over to ATPU officers yesterday for further investigations. The suspects are allegedly involved in the logistics and are in constant communication with persons believed to be al Shabaab adherents.

Ikade says several mobile phones were recovered and have been forwarded for analysis.

“The call data records obtained from mobile phone service provider Safaricom will shed more light and lead to more arrests and recovery of vital evidence,” he said.

Ikade told resident magistrate Elekta Rainy the investigations will be extended to Wajir and Garissa counties, thus the need for 10 days in remand.

“The presence of the respondents when travelling to these counties is vital and releasing them will jeopardise ongoing investigations,” he said.

Ikade said it is necessary for the investigating team to contact the UNHCR to clarify the refugee status of Ali, Mohamed, Farah, Desire and Abubakar.

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