CID boss warns of closure of mosques used to radicalise youth and Al Shabaab recruitment

CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro

LAIKIPIA COUNTY: The Government has warned that it would close down mosques which are being used to radicalize youths to join illegal terror groups like Al Shabaab.

Director Criminal Investigations Department Ndegwa Muhoro said that some mosques were being used to recruit youths to join he group in disguise that they were places of worship.

Ndegwa said that the Government had closed down a mosque in Machakos where over 30 youths were arrested while they were being recruited to join the Al Shabaa group.

He said that such mosques were being built up along Mombasa road and in the Coast region.

"We have information that these mosques are coming up in the regions where young men and women are being recruited to join Al Shabaab. The Government will make sure that they are immediately closed down as they are contributing in increasing crime in the country," he said.

He said that security has been beefed in all areas where it is believed that such groups operate from.

He added that the Government had already received information that some groups were planning to revive themselves after being suppressed by the security forces.

"We want to warn them in advance that we have already have information on what they are planning to do. We have put in place enough measures to make sure that they do not commit any crime," he said.

He regretted that many youths were being wooed to join such groups as for monetary gains. Ndegwa urged parents to advise their children on the dangers of joining the groups and instead urged them to concentrate on development matters.

"These people are our children and they are the same ones being used by Al Shabab to commit crimes in their own country. This is a serious issue which all of us should address," he said.

He was speaking at Gatero Girls Secondary School in Laikipia County where he helped raise Sh7.5 million in aid of the construction of a school dormitory.