Terror suspect arrested in Garissa, firearms and explosives recovered

A cache of weapons that were recovered from a terror suspect in Garissa on Wednesday evening.

Garissa, Kenya: A terror suspect was Wednesday evening arrested and a cache of firearms and explosives recovered in Garissa Town.

The weapons recovered from the suspect included three AK-47 riffles, 227 rounds of ammunition, seven rocket-propelled grenades, four magazines and four hand grenades.

Police also recovered a metallic IED carrier, soldering wire and several mobile phones, which they say, were to be used in attacks.

The arrest brought to more than 12, the number of suspects arrested in ongoing operation in Garissa, targeting terrorists.

The suspects include eight Tanzanians. Police say a major operation is ongoing in the region to get terrorists, who had allegedly planned a major attack in a crowded place in the country.

Police say the eight Tanzanians were headed to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab militants. Last weekend, seven pistols, seven grenades and 20 bullets were recovered, North Eastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said.

He added that among the weapons recovered were 15 pistol magazines.

Saleh said the Tanzanian men, aged between 20 and 40, were intercepted in Dadaab Town as they were planning to cross into Somalia to join the militant group.

He added that two other women, a Kenyan and a Tanzanian, were also arrested earlier last week as they were planning to cross into Somalia to become brides.

Saleh said the suspected militants were planning to carry out deadly attacks targeting some vital institutions in Kenya.

He added they had also recovered three automatic assault rifles and eight rounds of ammunition from notorious bandits, who were responsible for highway robbery along Mandera-Arabia Road.

A special team of detectives from Nairobi, which had been tipped off of the whereabouts of the weapons, staged the raids.

Another suspect linked to the recovery is on the run and officials are hunting him, police said.

Officials said the plot to attack Kenyans was hatched in Somalia but facilitators were within the country.

The arrests followed a continuous investigation and monitoring of a terror cell that has been planning an attack in Kenya. The plan was to attack a crowd using pistols and grenades.

Officials aware of the plans declined to disclose the targeted places. Security checks have been mounted on the Nairobi-Garissa Highway to nab more suspects and weapons.

On Saturday, another suspect was arrested in Thika Town and 90 bullets recovered. He later claimed the pistol and bullets belonged to a licensed gun holder, who is at large.

Police are on high alert and have been mobilised to tame the gun merchants, who are determined to transport the weapons to the city.