Mandera’s security forces have scored a major victory against terrorism after foiling a carefully orchestrated abduction plot by Al-Shabaab targeting foreign workers in the town.
Acting on intelligence, anti-terrorism police in Mandera East moved swiftly to apprehend two suspected Al Shabaab operatives who had allegedly conspired to kidnap foreign nationals working on a local sewer line construction in Mandera township.
The prime suspect, Isaac Abdi Mohamed alias Kharan Abdi Hassan was the first to be arrested in a high-stakes operation. Authorities revealed that the 29-year-old had recently slipped into Kenya from El-Ade, Somalia, and had gone to great lengths to falsify documents, passing himself off as a Kenyan citizen.
His objective was to mastermind a brazen abduction, coordinating with local contacts to seize the unsuspecting workers and smuggle them across the border into Somalia.
Detectives uncovered chilling details of the plan where Mohamed had allegedly arranged to pay Ksh 100,000 to a local accomplice who would assist in the kidnapping.
Once the hostages were in their grasp, they would be handed over to a secondary operative, Noor Yacob Ali, who had been tasked with transporting them to El-Ade for a deal worth Ksh 300,000.
However, law enforcement was a step ahead. Following Mohamed’s arrest and interrogation, a second operation was launched, closing in on Yacob Ali in Mandera township’s Metameta area. The suspect was swiftly apprehended before the group could execute their sinister mission.
Both men are now in custody, undergoing further interrogation as authorities build their case under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), which gives stiff penalties for individuals found guilty of engaging in terrorist activities.
The foiled plot underscores the persistent threat posed by Al Shabaab operatives attempting to infiltrate Kenya. However, it also highlights the vigilance and efficiency of the country’s security in detecting and neutralizing such threats before innocent lives are put at risk.
