MANDERA, Kenya, Nov11 – Detectives in Mandera are holding a terror suspect days after a local court approved their application in order to conclude investigations.
Ibrahim Mahamud Yarso was arrested last week on Saturday in Banisa town following intelligence reports of his alleged involvement in terror activities.
He will be detained for 14 days.
In his ruling, Mandera Senior Resident Magistrate Mukabi Kimani ordered police to collect the suspect’s call data and M-Pesa statements from Safaricom as part of their investigations.
Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) officer Elijah Nakeel, in a sworn affidavit, revealed that intelligence reports identified the suspect as a spy for the Al-Shabaab.
“The suspect was arrested on October 30 by our officers acting on intelligence that he (suspect) is a member of the Al-Shabaab terror group and an Amniyaat of the same group who on several occasions has collected information for purposes of terrorism activities within Mandera,” the officer told the court.
Amniyaat is the intelligence unit of the Al-Shabaab terror group.
Yarso, who police say obtained Kenyan citizenship through dubious ways in 2017 is said to be the lead operative controlling a cell of militants the have destroyed communication masts in Mandera.
“We need time to confirm from the suspect’s local administration, security agencies and the public his family background and his previous movements and activities,” read the affidavit.
He is also suspected to be in possession of an AK-47 assault rifle.
“Intelligence on ground is that the suspect is a spy for the Alshabaab terror group who returned in the country recently for terrorism mission after going missing after a terror incident at Olla location Mandera North,” said Officer Nakeel.
The Olla attack was on June 7, 2021. The accused however refuted claims of being a terrorist.
The matter is now set to be mentioned on November 15, 2021.
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