In a statement sent to media houses on Tuesday, March 30, the Anti-terorrism said they have identified an Al-shabaab operative named Rashid Mwalimu – a trained pilot who is believed to be behind the planned attacks in Kenya.
The police are asking the public to be on the lookout and report anything suspicious including information that could lead to the arrest of Mwalimu. His photo has been shared to the public in the campaign to trace him.
The statement indicates that Mwalimu is currently in Somalia and is likely to sneak into the country and carry out an attack in places which are yet to be identified.
He is armed and dangerous and is working on behalf of the terror group Al-Shabaab.
Security agencies said that he trained as a pilot alongside an accomplice called Cholo Abdi Abdulla in the Philippines but Cholo is currently custody.
According to the statement, Cholo and Mwalimu were are longtime friends who joined the Al-Shabaab in 2015.
Soon after they were recruited, they underwent training which was followed by attacks in Somalia. They were then sent to Boni forest to be selected as a team for the pilot training.
The two are also reported to have been close friends with the leader of the DusitD2 attack – Salim Gichunge also known as Faruq and Osman Gedi who was an attacker at Dusit.
Gichunge and Gedi were specifically picked for Dusit attack while Mwalimu and Cholo were trained as pilots after which they were deployed to hijack aeroplanes.
In July 2019, Cholo was arrested in the Philippines at the All-Ais aviation academy while still undergpoing more aviation training.
Acording to US intelligence Cholo was planning to hijack a plane and carry out an attack similar to the 9/11 style. He was only arrested after mistakenly telling one of his many women about his plans who then invited police to his hideout.
He now facing six counts of terror- related offences.
When Cholo wa arrested, Mwali fled to Somalia but did not reveal what led to Cholo’s arrest thus affirming his position as trusted operative.
Following these discoveries, the public is being urged not to panic but provide any relevant information that can be used to prevent the heinous act of the terrorist in Kenyan.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
