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The alleged Mandera massacre mastermind and his colleagues are to spend two more weeks in remand to allow police complete investigations.
Salim Abubakar Kitonga and six other suspected members of Al-Shabaab were escorted to the Milimani Law Courts under tight security as the public watched from a distance.
However, Mr Kitonga who is believed to be behind the December, 2014 terrorist attacks in Mandera wher 64 people died, together with his six accomplices could not plead to the charges after police made an application for more time for investigations.
The other six are Swalleh Mansur, Saeed She, Salim Faraj, Salim Ayub, Abdirizak Ali, and Mohamud Jamal.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Ellena Nderitu directed Kitonga to be remanded for 14 days and his co-accused to remain in custody for five days, and be presented in court on February 9.
Prosecutor Isaiah Mwiranga had requested Kitonga, who has been on police's most wanted list, be remanded for 30 days saying investigations will be extended to various parts of the country.
Mr Mwiranga further told the court that Kitonga was believed to have been sneaking explosives into the country.
"The respondent is believed to be an Al-Shabaab agent based at Mandera and responsible for recruiting and organising movement of the sect members in and outside Kenya to execute attacks. He is also believed to be the key mastermind of the recent attacks that took place in Mandera," said the Prosecutor.
The court also ruled that should the police fail to complete investigations in 14 days, they will be held in custody for longer.
In a sworn affidavit, the investigating officer, Steve Biko, told the court the officers required more time to wrap up investigations in Mandera and other towns where Kitonga is believed to have operated from.
The court heard that four of the six suspects were former workers of a bakery in Industrial Area, Nairobi, who relocated to Nakuru for unspecified reasons.
Two of the suspects; Mr Ali and Mr Jamal, a Quran teacher and a Norwegian of Somali origin respectively were arrested in Nanyuki on January 31.
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