ATPU comb through Lamu, Ijara, Tana over Dusit Hotel attack

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet(R) accompanied by Police Spokesman Charles Owino addressing a press conference at Jogoo House office in Nairobi. The police have intensified hunt for more terrorism suspects with operation believed to be going on at the Coastal region. [Photo: Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The search for more terror suspects after the recent 14 Riverside Drive attack in Nairobi has been extended to parts of Tana River and Lamu counties.

Individuals suspected to be members of the Anti-Terror Police Unit were spotted in Garsen in Tana River and Witu in Lamu counties on Friday where they spent three hours.

The Standard has established that the detectives arrived at Tana Delta Deputy County commissioner’s office in Minjilla where they were briefed by the local security officers on the situation.

The team later headed to Witu along the main Garsen-Lamu road where they also interrogated some herders on the roads before crossing to Ijara and Hulugo in Garissa County.

A herder who sought anonymity said that he was stopped by a group of armed men at Gamba in Garsen and asked whether he met two vehicles on the way to Lamu but told them he was not aware.
In Hola Town, another team of ATPU burst into a guest house and left in less than five minutes before living towards Masalani in Ijara.

According to one of the guest attendants in Hola Town, the police went into the hotel but did not ask anything and left.

On Sunday, Tana Delta CID boss Wickliffe Sifuna said he was not aware of the presence of ATPU officers and said that if they were around they will have to meet him.

"This officers are usually in civilian cloth and if they are around they have to first identify themselves with us because we have many different officers who might not know them" he said on phone.

However, he said that if it is true then it is normal operation to track down those who might have escaped.

Tana Delta Sub County has imposed a security curfew after abduction of Italian woman two months ago. Movement of vehicles and herds along Malindi, Garsen and Hola have been banned past 6.00 pm in the night.

This follows the disappearance of the woman whose whereabouts is still unknown. police had established links in the area and several people were arrested and released later after interrogation at several police stations.