State threatens to close mosques over terror links

 Director of the Criminal Investigations Department Ndegwa Muhoro at a past Press conference in Jogoo House. He says the Coast region, Mombasa Road, Kayole and Komarock may be breeding areas for Al-Shabaab. [PHOTO: file/standard]

Kenya: The Government has warned that it will close mosques which are being used to radicalise youths to join terror groups like Al-Shabaab.

The Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Ndegwa Muhoro said some mosques are being used to recruit youths to join the group under the disguise that they were places of worship.

Last week, Mr Ndegwa said the Government had closed a mosque in Machakos where he said over 30 youths were arrested while they were being recruited to join Al-Shabaab.

The CID chief said intelligence showed that fiery preachers are duping youths to join the terrorist organisation through radical teachings.

He cited the Coast region, Mombasa Road, Kayole and Komarock as among the areas the Government was concerned could be breeding zones for terrorists.

Ndegwa regretted that the youth are being linked to the criminal group by prominent men who he said are profiting from Al-Shabaab activities.

The CID chief said that mosques used to recruit youths to join the terror outfit are being put 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," he said.

He said the Government will make sure they are closed immediately because they are contributing to increased criminal activity.

He spoke at Gatero Girls secondary school in Laikipia County during a fundraiser.

Ndegwa said the Government is investigating a school in Isiolo after reports indicated that the institution is being used as a recruitment ground by Al-Shabaab.

"This is a very sorry state. We have sent officers to investigate the matter," he said, adding that security has been beefed in all areas believed to be harbouring terror groups.

He said the Government had already received information that such groupings were planning to revive themselves after being suppressed by the security forces.

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

He regretted that many youths are being wooed to join such groups for monetary gain.

 

Ndegwa urged parents to advise their children on the dangers of joining the groups and instead urge them to concentrate on development matters.

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

The Government has on numerous occasions warned that radical clerics are fanning religious extremism through fiery teachings.

In Mombasa, radical groups reportedly took over some Mosques and locked out moderate Imams.

The forcible takeover of Sakina Jamia Mosque caused alarm and drew condemnation in December last year from moderate Muslim leaders and security officers.

It is following such concerns that security forces in early February stormed Musa Mosque in Mombasa following reports that a Jihadist convention was underway. Hundreds of youths were arrested during the raid that sparked violent protests.

After the raid, radical Islamists renamed the Mosque to Masjid Shuhadaa or Martyrs' Mosque in a new act of defiance against the State.