Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
31 October 2008
Nairobi — Security agencies were yesterday placed on high alert and the border with Somalia was closed for fear of terrorist attacks inside Kenya.
The situation heightened following Wednesday's bombing attack in northern Somalia where 28 people died. The attack occurred as the IGAD heads of state were meeting in Nairobi.
The alert levels were raised nearly ten days ago following reports that Somali insurgents were planning to attack Kenya which was agreed to train some 10,000 Somali government soldiers and policemen. The insurgents have been fighting to wrest leadership of the country from the interim government.
Yesterday, police at a roadblock on Thika Road seized at least 600 bomb detonators from a bus heading towards Mandera where inter-clan fighting has caused the deaths of more than 28 people.
Security agencies across the country have already sounded the alarm over possibilities of attacks with key government and installations of Western countries being put under heightened surveillance.
Several embassies and the UN headquarters in Gigiri have in the last 48 hours sent out security advisories to their staff even as they intensified security around their compounds.
The Kenya Revenue Authority has also sent an internal memo to staff asking them to be alert to a possible terrorist attack.
Government spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua confirmed the heightened security saying the government was not taking security of its citizens lightly following explosions that rocked Northern parts of Somalia earlier on Wednesday killing more than 28 people.
"The explosions occurred when the heads of State were holding IGAD meeting in Nairobi and makes the situation even more grave," said Mutua.
He said the boarder with Somalia had been closed to avoid suspected terrorists from crossing into Kenya.
A meeting of IGAD heads of state on Wednesday accused the interim government of failing to do enough to bring the country under its control and start rebuilding vital institutions. They gave the Somali government nine months to get its act together.
In an internal memo, KRA Commissioner of Customs Services Wambui Namu, warned the staff to be on the look out as the attacks would either target petrol stations, Petroleum oil tankers and Airports.
"Information reaching our frontier control department indicates that Al-Qaeda terrorist organizations under the leadership of one Harun Fazul are planning to attack vital installations and Western Interests in Kenya and Uganda", read the memo.
Security sources at the UN regional offices also confirmed of the increased surveillance. An email was sent by the chief of security to all staff warning them to take caution.
The police and other security alertness paid off yesterday when police found 600 units of bomb detonators in a bus bound for Mandera along Thika road. The electric detonators were wrapped in papers and stuffed in a flour bag when they were found in the lagguage compartment of the bus.
Police said the gadgets were ready for use but added they did not know where. A man was arrested and detained at Kasarani police station for questioning.
Police headquarters remained guarded about the attack threats although senior officers who sought anonymity confirmed that the department had been on high alert in the last few days.
Reports indicated that suspected Islamists with links to Al-Qaeda were planning to execute their attacks shortly before the US presidential elections that are scheduled for Tuesday next week.
Al-Shabaab, a Somali terror group that is also suspected of taking part in the 1998 bomb attack of the US Embassy in Kenya and Tanzania, told a China news agency a few days ago that it would strike Kenya if it did not publicly withdraw its offer to train the Somali security officers.
The group, through its spokesman Sheik Muqtar Robow Abu Mansuur told Xinhua that the decision by the Kenyan Government was a pretext to wrongly invade their country.
Al-Shabaab has an estimated 3,000 members, and is said by US intelligence agencies to be linked to Al-Qaeda.
Mutua called on members of the public to volunteer information that would forestall any possible criminal activities.
"We are not taking the matter lightly, people should also be on the look out," Mutua said.
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