Police boss sounds alarm over al Shabaab terror threat

By Beauttah Omanga

The Government has issued an alert over possible attacks by Somali’s rebel group al-Shabaab, and has urged Kenyans to be extra careful.

Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere called on all Kenyans to be vigilant in malls, social places and matatus in the wake of the threats issued on grounds that Kenya was training Somali Government forces, and had allowed Ethiopian troops to operate from its border towns.

Despite the threats, Iteere assured the public that precautionary measures have been taken to guarantee their security.

‘I want to take this opportunity to assure the public that in conjunction with other security services, we have taken measures to provide adequate security. However, we wish to advice those responsible for security in shopping malls, hotels, and all other social places where the public is admitted, to be more vigilant at this time," read the Police Commissioner’s alert sent to newsrooms.

The commissioner said the Government would do all it can to ensure al-Shabaab threats do not materialise. Iteere called on all members of the public to volunteer any information that could lead to the arrest of any suspicious characters.

Supporting the enemy

On Sunday, the group aligned to al-Qaeda reiterated that it would attack Kenya for supporting an enemy.

"Kenya has constantly disturbed us and now it should face the consequences of allowing Ethiopian troops to attack us from Mandera town," al-Shaabab spokesman Sheik Ali Mohmud Rage told a news conference.

Yesterday Mandera East MP Mohammed Hussein Ali and his Dujis MP Adan Duale welcomed the alert but blamed the Government for the current threats.

Duale who is also an Assistant Minister said the Government should steer clear of Somali problems to avoid sucking innocent citizens into the crossfire.