Man suspected to be behind murder of moderate Muslim clerics arrested

Said Swaleh was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit in Mandera, Sunday.

Kenya: Anti-terror police are holding a man they believe is connected to the killing of moderate Muslim clerics in Mombasa.

Said Swaleh was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) officers in Mandera on Sunday.

Police say the suspect was on his way to join Al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia.

According to police, Awadh is being interrogated over among others, the killing of Sheikh Mohamed Idris.

Sheikh Idris was the chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya before he was killed in June 2014 by unknown gunman in Likoni.

He had been in the forefront in the fight against radicalisation of youth at the Coast, which many believe was the reason for his killing.

"He will be brought to Nairobi for further grilling. He had been on our watch list," said an official aware of the probe but asked not to be named.

At the time of the death of Idris, Al-Shabaab had drawn a line between moderate and radical sheikhs and there were casualties on both sides.

The radicals were interested in taking over mosques in Mombasa while the moderates resisted and cooperated with security agencies in carrying out operations to take back the mosques.

Officials said Awadh was headed for Somalia for unknown mission.

Besides the killing of Sheikh Idris, four other clerics were killed in Mombasa between 2012 and 2014.