Ten Somali gov’t officials spying for Al-Shabaab nabbed in major crackdown

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Ten government employees believed to be the focal persons for the militant group Al-Shabaab in government have been arrested, Information Minister Daud Aweis has said.

Aweis told journalists Friday in Mogadishu that a clandestine operation by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) revealed that the individuals were stationed in various government departments and had been supplying information to the group.

The minister did not name the individuals and neither did he indicate the department they were working in but noted the arrest of the individuals was a major step in ridding the government of government infiltration.

““Today’s revelation underscores the unwavering commitment of our security forces to unmask and neutralize agents of terror lurking within our institutions,” Aweis said.

The Minister added that some individuals managed to escape. It is not clear if those who escaped are among two individuals singled out by NISA.

NISA sent out a public notice Friday evening about two individuals whom it said escaped following investigations. According to the alert, the individuals are named as Abdisatar Abdiqadir Isse and Ayanle Mohamed Ali.

The state news agency SONNA reported that the two were previously working for the Federal Government.

The arrest of the ten individuals, considered one of the largest swoops in government follows the suicide attack on Jalle Siyad Military Academy in Mogadishu which claimed the lives of at least 30 soldiers.

The suicide bomber was reportedly part of the soldiers who had come from Lower Shabelle region for refresher training at the academy. Several soldiers have since been arrested.