CS Kindiki releases names, pictures of 35 Al-Shabaab suspects behind Lamu attacks

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki says the 35 are connected with the placement of explosive devices, the murders of civilians and the attack on the American military base at Manda in 2020. 

Members of the public have been asked to volunteer information about their whereabouts for an undisclosed financial reward. 

"Ministry of Interior is going to publish those suspects that we consider to be the chief planners, those ones we consider to bear the great responsibility of financing and orchestrating the violence,” Kindiki said.

The list is made up largely of Kenyan residents, with a sprinkling of foreigners who have been planning and executing attacks on the Kenyan coast.

The names are Maalim Ayman, Ramadhan Kioko, Abdullahi Banati, Andreas Martin Muller, Abu Amar, Suleiman Maktum, Yusuf Anau a Tanzanian national, Abdiweli Yassin Isse, Idris Dhul Kifir, Silla, Ibrahim Magag, HassaneTijana and Fahad a Bangladeshi national who is also a medic(Bangladesh-Medic).

Others on the wanted list are Tanzanian national Jamalo, Sheikh Nganglangalam, a messenger, Ethiopian national Janagale Huteiba, Bashir Mursal Mohamud, Abu Khatal, Maalik Alim Jone from the United Kingdom, Abu Said (a medic), Abu Anan, Mzee Mashella, Warsame Ali, Mohamed Mwanjama Salim and Abdikhadir.

 “We will give notice to those criminals to surrender to the nearest police station, chief’s centre. if they don’t surrender, we will look for them we will find them and we will do what we must,” Kindiki said.

Prof Kindiki also says the suspected terrorists are responsible for a number of attacks in Lamu and the Boni forest enclave. 

They are accused of planting IEDS on various earth roads that resulted in the killings of civilians along the Lamu-Witu-Garsen highway, the killing of civilians at Lango la Simba, Witu, Mpeketoni, and the attack on the American Military base back in January 2020 amongst other areas. 

The government has also named Maalim Said Guyo, Zakaria Karongo, Ramadhan Kafungwa, Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir,  Abdifatah Abubakar Abdi, Mohamed Abdi Aiden as part of the Alshabaab terrorists. Others are Arqawi who serves as a driver, Yunus (weapons repairer), Tanzanian national Yakub, Abdulahi Dere (Driver) and Abdinassir. 

The attacks by the terrorists in the last few months have left tens of civilians and security personnel dead. 

The government now says it will use all means available to it to apprehend and punish the perpetrators, including roping in the members of the public 

“We will be calling on the people of Kenya to give us information; we will reward financially, information that can help us apprehend those dangerous criminals,” said Kindiki.

The wanted terrorists have been asked to surrender to the nearest police station with the government vowing to either arrest or neutralize the terrorists as it seeks to win the war against the terrorists not just at the coast, but across the country.