Syria-trained terror suspects slip through police raid

Two terror suspects believed to have trained in Syria slipped through a police raid at their house in Mombasa on Friday.

The suspects, Salim Mohamed Rashid 22, and Juma Mwengo Athman, successfully fled from Anti-terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) detectives who had raided a house believed to be their hideout in Mombasa.

The suspects are believed to have links to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis).

ATPU has urged members of the public to share tip-offs on the whereabouts of the two suspects.

“They are armed and dangerous. Members of the public have been asked to help with information that will see the two arrested,” said a statement from the ATPU.

Mr Rashid was first arrested in 2017 by ATPU detectives, two days after he allegedly arrived in the country from Syria where he trained with Isis. He was nabbed together with Ms Nasra Hyder Faiz 28, who police believe was his accomplice.

The two were later released by a court and the case is ongoing.

A senior officer attached to ATPU told Nairobi News that “Mr Rashid has been recruiting members into Harakat, a terror group that operates in the coast.”

His co-suspect Juma Athman Mwengo has been linked to terrorism for over four years. Police said that Mr Mwengo is also a member of Harakat.

He was first arrested in 2007 while planning to stage a terror attack in the coast.

During the arrest, the police found him in possession of “two grenades, smoke jacket, his Kenyan passport, propaganda compact discs, sim card holders, 10 rounds of 5.56milimeter ammunition that were hidden in a safe house.”

Source: Nairobi News