11 arrested over Nairobi terror attack

By Fauxile Kibet

Police in Nairobi has said that 11 suspects linked to Tuesday’s terror attacks at the 14 Riverside Drive complex that left 21 dead and several others injured.

On Thursday, police said that they were closing in on more suspects believed to have played part in the attack that brought memories of the Westgate mall attack in 2013 that left 71 people dead – including the attackers.

The attack according to police was executed by five terrorists who all died – one having blown himself up while four were shot dead by police officers who stormed the complex to search for the attackers.

An of the Key suspect, Ali Salim Gichuge believed to be the main planner and who was believed to have died in that attack was in custody according to police.

He had been believed to have died in the attack after his neighbors reported that the car that ferried the attackers belonged to him.

“He is in custody, there must have been confusion because his vehicle was at the scene,” a senior police officer said.

Ali, also Known as Farouk is from Isiolo – in the Upper Eastern region of Kenya and was the owner of the house, which the terrorists slept the night before the attack.

His wife, Violet Wanjiru who had publicly identified herself as an Al-Shabaab bride according to people close to her is also in police custody for interrogations.

The rest of the suspects were arrested in Nairobi, Mombasa and Western Kenya—having been linked to the attack from their constant communication with terrorists, including in Somalia.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross announced that all the people reported missing after the attack had been accounted for, effectively bringing to an the search mission.

At the scene of the attack, bomb squad unit officers and detectives from other units were still searching for evidence, after finding grenades left behind by the terrorists.