Police arrest a Swede over Al Shabaab links

By CYRUS OMBATI
A Swedish national has been arrested in Nairobi in the crackdown on increasing number of foreigners flocking to Kenya to join Somalia’s islamist group Al-Shabaab.

Anti-terror police arrested Magd Najjar in Eastleigh after they learnt he was here illegally and was eager to join or had joined the militant group.

Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe later said Najjar was an accomplice of the wanted German terror suspect Ahmed Khaled Mueller and they had a similar mission in the country.

“He has been charged with being illegally in the country and we intend to ask the courts to fine him before he is deported,” said Kiraithe.

The suspect’s traveling documents showed he entered Kenya on February 23, 2011 after he was granted a visa that was to run from January 31 2011 to April 30, 2011.

And after his visa expired he reportedly never laboured to renew it as per the law. He was scheduled to appear in Nairobi court on Monday.

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Anti-terror police who are handling his case said they are investigating to know if he had been to Somalia and back using the porous borders.

“He cannot account some of his time here and there are fears he may have gone to Somalia and came back to recruit more foreigners,” said a senior officer who asked not to be named.

Kiraithe said they are still-hunting down Mueller insisting he is in the country using alias names Andreas Martin Muller and Abu Nusaibah.

Police statistics show an increase of the number of foreigners flocking to Kenya seeking to join the Al Shabaab terror group.
“They come from all countries. We have arrested people from Europe, US and even Asia who want to join this terrorists,” said Kiraithe and asked Kenyans to always be wary of their neighbours.

On Saturday, police circulated the photograph of the German national saying he plans to launch a terror attack in the country with the militants.

Anti-terror police said the German national sneaked into the country and is allegedly planning to stage terror activities.
Commissioner of police Mathew Iteere circulated the picture of Mueller and asked him to surrender to the nearest police station.
Iteere also asked Kenyans to help the authorities get the suspect who he added is in possession of information on planned Al Shabaab criminal activities.

“The said Ahmed Khaled Mueller is therefore summoned to report to the nearest police station from where he will be handed over to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit,” said Iteere in a statement to newsrooms.

He also warned the suspect is possibly armed and is also believed to use alias names Andreas Martin Muller and Abu Nusaibah.
Police said the foreigner is believed to have entered the country either illegally or by disguising himself and the nature of his mission in Kenya.

The police boss said police surveillance is still high and urged for continued support to help in taming the terror activities.
Police are pursuing several leads into the whereabouts of a man who hurled a grenade on the church congregation in Nairobi killing two worshippers and injured 15 others.

The suspect was identified as only Amar and is said to have come back from Somalia where he had joined AlShabaab in its militant activities.

The terror group has since claimed responsibility to the April 29 incident.