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Kenyan security forces have arrested two suspected Al-Shabaab operatives in Mandera as they allegedly plotted a terror operation in the region.
According to a statement from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) dated February 18, anti-terrorism police in Mandera East apprehended the two suspects while they were planning to abduct a group of foreign workers engaged in a sewer line construction project within Mandera Township.
Key Suspect Identified
Acting on intelligence reports, detectives arrested the prime suspect, identified as Isaac Abdi Mohamed, also known as Kharan Abdi Hassan. The 29-year-old had recently crossed into Kenya from El-Ade, Somalia, and was found in possession of forged identification documents intended to pass him off as a Kenyan citizen.
Investigations revealed that Abdi had arranged to pay Ksh100,000 to a local accomplice who would assist in executing the planned abduction.
Second Suspect Captured
Further intelligence led detectives to another suspect, Noor Yacob Ali, whose role was to facilitate the transportation of the kidnapped victims to El-Ade for a fee of Ksh300,000.
A multi-agency security team launched an operation in the early hours of February 18, successfully apprehending Ali in the Metameta area of Mandera Township.
Legal Action Underway
The DCI confirmed that both suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further interrogation. They are set to be arraigned in court for charges related to terrorism under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), which classifies membership in a terrorist organization as a serious criminal offence.
Security agencies have heightened surveillance in Mandera and other border areas to curb potential terrorist activities linked to Al-Shabaab, reinforcing Kenya’s ongoing efforts to combat extremism and ensure national security.
