Bartamaha (Nairobi):- A German suspected to be involved in terrorism was arrested in Kenya and deported to Germany, ending three weeks of a countrywide police manhunt.
Reports of the arrest came in moments after police headquarters circulated photographs of the suspect, 23-year-old Sascha Alessadro Bottcher.
Travel documents showed he entered Kenya on September 22.
His whereabouts had remained unknown and police are alarmed because he wrote a will before leaving Germany, indicating he was headed for Somalia and he would not return alive.
Consequently, officers across the country were put on high alert through a signal sent from police headquarters to all stations across Kenya ordering that Mr Bottcher be “arrested on sight and immediately inform this office for action”.
He left Frankfurt in Germany and landed at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa on September 22 aboard Condor Air.
He travelled on a passport number C6W9JVGLG6D, which is due to expire in July 2014.
Part of the police report reads: “He is on transit to Somalia. He left a declaration will to his mother that he will never return alive.”
Kenyan police suspect the man was referring to a suicide bombing and are worried because he did not specify his targets.
Before the arrest police spokesman Eric Kiraithe had made an appeal: “We urge any person with information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect is urged to volunteer the same to the nearest police officer or station.”
The report comes at a time the United States’ has warned its citizens travelling to Kenya of a possible terror attack.
The warning by the State department was given on July 22, after the July 11, 2010 terrorist bombings in Kampala, Uganda, and remains in place until October 22.
“There have been increased threats made against public areas in Kenya,” reads part of the warning posted at the US embassy official website.
Last week, police in Kwale were on high alert following claims of a planned terrorism attack at Mkokoni.
There are two villages named Mkokoni, in Lamu and Kwale Kwale.
Th Al-Shabaab terror network, linked to Al-Qaeda is fighting government forces in Somalia and claimed responsibility for the Kampala attacks.
Recent intelligence reports also showed it has an active cell in East Africa, with most of its officials being Kenyans.
The report also shows the bombs used in Kampala were assembled, and transported through Kenya.
Before suspects being tried in Uganda were arrested, according to the report, they were planning similar attacks in Kenya.
-————————————-
Source:-theeastafrican.
