Rogo’s wife in court as police study her links to al Shabaab

Detectives are probing reports that the widow of controversial Muslim cleric Sheikh Aboud Rogo is funding terrorism activities in the country.

Cyber Crime Unit officers confiscated Haniya Saggar’s mobile phone after reports emerged that she had received an unknown amount of money from of one the women killed during the attack at Mombasa police station on Sunday.

Police have also intercepted telephone calls made by Ramla (Tasnim) Abdirahman Hussein – the mastermind of the attack at Central police station to Saggar.

They said the two were in communication and also conducted a financial transaction prior to the attack .

“The phone has been handed over to cyber crime experts for content analysis. We are investigating whether she was receiving funds to support terrorism activities in the country. The investigation is complex since it involves exploitation mobile phone and SIM card,” Eugene Wangila, the state prosecutor, said.

On Thursday, Saggar was arraigned at Mombasa Law Court but was not allowed to plead to the charges after police sought more days to interrogate her.

“We are investigating a case of collection of funds for the benefits of terrorism groups contrary to the provision of Terrorism Act,” read the affidavit.

Wangila said Saggar was allegedly involved in a wide terrorism network web and they are seeking two weeks to complete investigation before she can stand trial.

Lawyers Ababukar Yussuf and Chacha Mwita have however dismissed the application terming it baseless and infringement of their clients’ fundamental rights.

They are appealing to the court to release her unconditionally arguing that she will not interfere with the ongoing investigation.

“You cannot not use public speculation to deny her fundamental right your honor. We acknowledge we have problems of insecurity but we have to tackle that problem within the parameter of the law,” said Yusuf.

Mombasa Resident Magistrate Emmanuel Mutunga was to rule on Thursday whether to release the accused or detain her pending investigation and hearing of the case.

Saggar was remanded at Port police station. She is believed to have been radicalised after her husband Rogo was gunned down in Bamburi, Mombasa county in 2012.

Rogo, was facing charges of possessing weapons and being a recruiter for the al Shabaab.

The attack on the police station in Mombasa came after two years of relative calm at the Kenya’s coastal town.

Detectives are also zeroing in on possible leads if British fugitive and wanted terror suspected ‘White Widow’ Samantha Lewthwaite could be having a hand on Kenyan terror attacks.

This is after the multi-agency detectives unearthing the recent police station attack puzzle, begun analyzing the gadgets which they found in houses where the three slain ladies were living in at Kibokoni Old Town.

Reports indicate that 10 individuals planned the attack and the station was to be blown, videos and pictures taken for social media propaganda in support of al Shabaab.

Primarily findings from the cyber crime unit indicates that the laptops had emails and chats from international contacts, which they are now pursuing.

A detective who spoke on anonymity said that they are now following many people and they have identified a social site on Facebook where several ladies are being recruited.

It has also emerged that police are finding it hard to trace the two ladies since their finger prints can’t be obtained after they were burnt completely.

The Star