86 entities to be grilled over links with terror group Al Shabaab

Nairobi, Kenya: Companies and individuals whose accounts have been frozen over claims of funding Al-Shabaab have until Friday to prove their innocence.

Some of the accused entities yesterday visited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Training School offices in South C in Nairobi yesterday to clear their names.

The 86 companies and individuals are required to appear at the newly set up National Counter-Terrorism Information Centre.

The Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett directed that the individuals appear in person.

"A National Counter-Terrorism Information Centre has been set up at the Police Pavilion in South C, Nairobi, before whom the entities suspected to be associated with Al-Shabaab should appear in person to demonstrate why they should not be declared a specified entity," said Mr Boinnet.

And those who appeared yesterday were given detailed forms to fill in their business activities in the country.

Majority of the individuals were accompanied by their lawyers and declined to address the Press, claiming they had no idea why they were required to appear at the centre.

However, those who spoke accused the Government of profiling them with no evidence.

They said the manner in which they knew they were in the list was through social media and newspapers.

Abdullahi Farah, a businessman from Wajir, said he was called by friends saying they had seen his name on a list circulating on twitter.

He denied having any links with the Al-Shabaab saying he only runs a spare parts business.