NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 30- A Kenyan pilot who was recruited to the Al-Shabaab terror group 7 years ago has sneaked into Somalia, after learning security forces were trailing him.
Already, the pilot has been put on a wanted list by the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU), over fears he might be used by the Al-Shabaab terror group to launch an attack in Kenya.
Detectives identified the pilot as Rashid Mwalimu.
“Mwalimu is a trained pilot on mission to carry out an aviation attack. He is in Somalia and is planning on how to sneak back into Kenya,” police said in an alert.
The terror group that has caused havoc in Somalia and the region for years is said to be changing tacts and has lately embarked on training pilots, with plans of using them in launching attacks.
Over the years, the ragtag terror group has suffered major setbacks from a peace campaign led by African troops under AMISOM.
The United States forces have also launched tens of air strikes, further degrading the the terror group and reducing its ability to launch major attacks both in Somalia and the region.
Mwalimu is said to have been recruited to the terror group in 2015, alongside a friend identified by intelligence officers as Cholo Abdi Abdulla.
Another group was also recruited during the time, mostly those with a high level of education, some of whom are from Kenya’s best public universities.
Mwalimu and Chola are then said to have trained and conducted attacks in Somalia before being deployed to Boni forest for a similar mission.
They’re specifically linked to Improvised Explosive Device attacks between 2015 and 2016 in Boni area, within Lamu County.
The two, security sources revealed, “were close associates of the leader of the Dusti-D2 attack, Salim Gichunge aka Faruq.”
The Dusit-D2 attack left at least 21 people dead.
All the attackers including Gichunge were killed.
The three terror buddies arrived in Somalia at the same time and were immediately set aside for training.
They became part of the Al-Shabaab intelligence arm, the Amniyat.
Chole has since been arrested and is facing terror related charges in the United States.
He was arrested on July 1, 2019 in the Philippines, where he had been studying aviation at All-Aisa aviation Academy in Philippines.
The United States (US) authorities on December 16, 2020 said Cholo is facing six counts of terrorism- related offences arising from his activities as an Al Shabaab member, including conspiring to hijack an aircraft to conduct a 9/11 style of attack in the US.
He was arrested in Philippines and was subsequently transferred to the custody of US law enforcement for prosecution.
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Shock as Kenyan man arrested for conspiring a 9/11 style attack in the US on behalf of Al-Shabaab
As part of the dissembling efforts and attempts to fit in, and contrary to any claim Al Shabaab has on religious piety, Rashid and Cholo lived luxurious lifestyles.
They never shied away from taking expensive alcoholic drinks and lived promiscuously, while on training.
It is a behaviour that was approved by the top ranks of the terror group, in a ‘clever’ move to help them disguise their identities and ensure they fit in with the society.
For example, Rashid is categorised as a womaniser who lived off money obtained forcefully by Al Shabaab from poor populations in Somalia.
The two were allowed unlimited access to money, and would fly to various destinations as tourists on first class rates, in an apparent intelligence gathering mission.
According to intelligence reports, Cholo and Rashid have acquired a level of expertise where they can navigate a plane while airborne and as such should never be allowed on board an aircraft.
They had already completed their training and were conversant with flying and landing planes and all mechanical application in a plane though they had not acquired international licences.
However, for a successful attack, all they needed to do was board a plane as ordinary passengers and thus licences would not be a hindrance to an attack.
Rashid revealed operational information to his multiple women partners, which in turn blew up his and Cholo’s cover.
While Cholo was arrested, Rashid managed to escape back to Somalia.
This was after learning of Cholo’s arrest.
Police have released a photo of Rashid and have urged the public to be vigilant and give information if he is seen anywhere.
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