Anti-Terrorism Police Unit: Cops seek to detain terror suspects
By Nancy Gitonga, August 15, 2019
Officers from the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) on Tuesday urged a Nairobi court to grant them five more days to continue holding three terror suspects arrested at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel on Sunday.
Abdi Guled, Ibrahim Guled and Mohammed Aden were arrested on suspicion of planning a terror attack at the posh hotel.
The prosecution moved to court seeking to detain the three to conclude the “complex” investigations on their possible criminal activities.
In an affidavit filed in court by Sergeant Joseph Mwiti attached to ATPU, the State said the three were arrested on suspicion of carrying out surveillance at the hotel for purposes of carrying out a terrorist attack.
Mwiti told the trial magistrate Elekta Riany the suspects raised suspicion of the management when they started taking photographs of the hotel using their mobile phones.
“The respondents were taking photographs at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel and when questioned they did not give an explanation as to why they were taking photographs,” said Mwiti.
The court heard that intelligence reports so far received, show that the suspects have other associates still at large.
“There is need to carry out detailed interviews with the respondents and their associates once arrested with a view of finding out their co-conspirators,” said Mwiti. The court is expected to rule on the prosecution request this morning.