Senate worker held over plot to bomb Parliament
Police are holding a Parliament employee after an intelligence report linked him to a Shabaab plot to bomb the National Assembly.
The Somalia terrorist group had also planned to carry out attacks at markets, churches and a university, according to the police report.
The document was written by Central OCPD Paul Wanjama, instructing Parliament Police Station commander Samson Chelugo to boost security at the National Assembly.
The leaked report was widely shared on the social media on Monday.
It says the suspect, who is attached to the Senate, is affiliated to the Pumwani Riyadh Mosque, which was once named in a United Nations report as a front for the terrorist group.
The mosque’s treasurer, Dr Iddi Waititu Abdallah said that Mr Ali Abdulmajid was summoned by the police on Sunday.
ARRESTED AND LOCKED UP
The treasurer said he was arrested and locked up at the Kilimani Police Station after he presented himself to the officers.
He dismissed the report and denied allegations that the mosque has links with Al-Shabaab.
“Al-Shabaab has dispatched Amniyat spies to launch more large-scale attacks in the country on unspecified dates.
“In Nairobi, key targets include Parliament. The group plans to use an operative who is affiliated to the Pumwani Riyadh Mosque, who is also a staff member of the Senate to actualise the attack,” says the police report.
Amniyat is the Shabaab wing that specialises in spying and suicide bombings.
The report further says: “There is need to enhance vigilance in the areas targeted by Al-Shabaab for attacks to neutralise the threat. In the meantime, all named targets will have enhanced security and thorough checks.” The report is dated April 23.
Mr Wanjama instructed the OCS to “enhance pre-emptive measures by collecting intelligence on Al-Shabaab operatives”.
The threats come barely a month after Al-Shabaab terrorists stormed Garissa University College and killed 142 students.
A soldier, two police officers and three watchmen were also killed during the April 2 attack.
On Saturday, the Kenya Medical Training College in Garissa was closed indefinitely over security concerns.
NO SECURITY OFFICERS
The institution’s principal, Mr Omar Osman, said they made the decision after the county commissioner said the government had no security officers to be deployed there.
“It has become a tradition to link our beloved mosque to Al-Shabaab every time we approach the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
“We read mischief on the part of the people involved in disseminating these rumours in an elaborate plan to divert attention from current news headlines, including the EACC (Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission) list and the botched trip by our President to a conference in the US,” said Dr Abdallah.
He added that the mosque officials were fighting radicalisation among the youth by providing them with education.