Muslim leaders opposing mosque operation to be quizzed, says DP William Ruto

The Government has said the killing of 28 Kenyans by Al-Shabaab militants in Mandera on Saturday will not stop the ongoing crackdown targeting mosques that harbour terrorists.

The terror group had claimed responsibility for the attack on grounds that it was revenging the takeover of some mosques by security forces in Mombasa.

In a stern warning, Deputy President William Ruto yesterday said the Government will question several Muslim leaders who have come out to criticise the security operations.

Ruto noted that 100 militants responsible for the attack had been killed during a crackdown deep into Somalia.

Addressing journalists last evening in Nairobi, the DP said it was unacceptable that would-be holy places could be turned into battle pavilions and holding grounds for artillery meant to inflict injury, suffering and death to Kenyans.

WEAPONS RECOVERED

He hit at some elected leaders whom he said were regrettably now criticising the ongoing operation despite the recovery of weapons from three mosques in Mombasa last week.

"This is the perversity of terrorism. Its perpetrators have no qualms desecrating places of worship, religion and the God they claim to embrace. Surprisingly and in spite of this discovery, some people, even elected leaders, have abdicated their responsibility," he said.

Asked to name the politicians and why the State can't arrest them, Ruto replied; "They know themselves but the arm of the law is not short and will catch up with them."

He said between November 17 and 21, security forces guided by sound intelligence launched co-ordinated operations on four mosques that had been taken over by radicalised gangs in Mombasa.

"These operations confirmed the nation's worst fears: That the houses of worship had been converted into armouries where guns, grenades and bomb-making materials, crude weapons including machetes and knives, radicalised propaganda literature and Al-Shabaab insignia, including flags, not holy books and manuals for guidance unto light, were stored."

Ruto expressed concern over some Kenyans who sympathise with, harbour, facilitate and defend terrorists and their activities.

"These individuals quite regrettably continue to whip up emotions among communities and to offer terrorists and their sympathisers the false comfort of civil rights protection."

The politicians, according to the DP, will be asked to answer how mosques came to harbour caches of arms, how it could be that some religious leaders were ejected from the houses of worship and when and why houses of worship became platforms where clarion calls for the death of other Kenyans are made.

PURSUING SUSPECTS

Flanked by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, Principal Secretary Mary Juma, Public Service Head Joseph Kinyua and Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, Ruto said security forces will stop at nothing to pursue terrorists and their accomplices.

"As far as law enforcement is concerned, a church, synagogue, mosque, shrine or any other place of worship becomes a scene of crime once it is used for criminal activities. Therefore, any place of worship that wilfully hosts terror platforms disqualifies itself from the sanctity of a place of worship," he added.

Following the Mandera bus attack, Ruto said security forces swiftly initiated response and identified, followed and struck the perpetrators of the heinous crimes.

"Two successful operations were carried out against the perpetrators of these murderous executions across the border. Our retaliatory action left in its trail more than 100 fatalities. It also destroyed four technicals and the camp from which this crime was planned."

The DP also said consultations were ongoing within government to find ways of assisting the families of the deceased, majority of them civil servants.

sent to get the tickets backed off and came back empty-handed. We quarrelled him not knowing he was saving us,” Owido said.

They were determined travel to Nairobi and were booked on “Desert Fox”, which has been grounded in Mandera.

“We are putting final touches on an escort arrangement where all buses leave at once and in a convoy. Until then, we are not allowing buses to leave. And when we do, we will avoid the Arabia route. They will go to Wajir via Ramu and El Wak,” the county commander said.