Slain Al-Shabaab commander Luqman Osman was a graduate from Uganda, says family

MOMBASA: One of the Al-Shabaab commander, Luqman Osman Issa alias Shirwa, killed during the Sunday botched raid on a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) camp was a graduate from a Uganda University.

According his family members, Luqman joined the Al Shabaab group in 2009 and after he returned from Uganda where he graduated with a bachelor in Business Administration.

His elder brother, Bashir Osman Issa, told journalist in Mombasa Tuesday that Luqman was born in 1984 and that they had informed Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa about his disappearance.

"Luqman is my young brother. He learnt in Mombasa in both Abu Hurerya Primary and joined Abu Hurerya Secondary school but completed the O-level studies Darul Ulum secondary school," said Bashir who described Luqman as "lively and good footballer".

Bashir said that after the slain terrorist moved into Somali he called them thrice before he cut off the communication.

"When he called to inform us that he had joined the Al-Shabaab group we told him if he had decided to join the group he should stop calling us and that is when he cut the communication with us," said Bashir.

Luqman, police claim was an Al-Shabaab commander in the region was among the 11 militiamen that were gunned down by the KDF when they tried to attack a military camp in Buare, 39 kilometres north of Bargoni in Lamu East.

Other jihadist commanders killed were a British national Thomas Evans also known as Abdul Hakim and another Kenyan Said Abdalla Hemed also called Said Hamza.

On Tuesday Bushir said that although they were saddened by his brother's death "we can't complain because he choice that kind of life."

He called on the government to address the issue of radicalization in Mombasa saying that his brother was recruited by a radical Muslim cleric in one of the mosques in town.

Bashir said that Luqman was not married but was also quick to add that "given the secretive lives such people (terrorist) lead I can't tell whether he was married in Somalia or even in Kenya."

"Many youths are joining terror groups in Mombasa the government should come up with a plan to stop widespread radicalization going on here," said Bashir who claimed to be Jubilee Alliance Party youth leader in Mombasa.