Police thwart terror attack in Nairobi

By Cyrus Ombati

Police are looking for eight more suspects who escaped during a house raid in Nairobi's Eastleigh Estate. Two other suspected terrorists were arrested and six suicide bombs, 12 grenades, four AK 47 rifles and 480 bullets recovered from them as police thwarted a major terror plot in Nairobi.

The two were arrested at a residential house on Thursday night in Eastleigh area where they have been staying in the past two months while plotting the alleged attack on churches.

Police said they were part of a larger terror gang that planned to attack strategic buildings in the city. Two other suspects are at large and police are hunting them in the city.  The suspects apparently planned to use them at churches on Sunday.

The suicide bombs had been mounted on vests attached with mobile phones with batteries, which police said would have ignited a series of explosions.

Detectives from Special Crimes Prevention Unit and Flying Squad said they stumbled on the weapons as they pursued information that the four suspects of Somali origin had brought in the four rifles.

The weapons are believed to have originated Somalia. Six of the grenades are from China and the rest from Russia said the head of bomb disposal unit Mr Eliud Lagat.

Each of the four rifles had four magazines with 30 bullets and police believe they were to be used in attacking the public if and when the explosions went off.

The weapons seem to have been ferried to the seven storey building because they were kept in two huge traveling suit cases when police arrived at the scene.

Nairobi Area deputy police boss Moses Ombati said the seizure was made out of sharing of intelligence between the public and police.

“They planned a major attack and destruction. We have six dangerous bombs, several bullets, rifles, grenades and two suspects in custody,” said Ombati.

Ombati added two other accomplices who had gone out to stake on sites that they planned to attack in the city are at large.