NAIROBI, Kenya — Officials say Kenyan police have arrested an American of Somali origin who is on a terror watch list as he and two associates attempted to fly to Somalia.

Nicholas Kamwende, the chief of Kenya’s anti-terrorism police arm, confirmed Thursday’s arrests but declined to give details.

Another Kenyan police official identified the American as Suleman Essa. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak with the press.

The official says Essa, Canadian Ahmed Ali Hassan and Kenyan Muhammed Hussein Hash were about to board a plane ferrying aid to Somalia when they were arrested. Many ethnic Somalis who grew up abroad, including in the U.S., have traveled back to Somalia to take part in an ongoing insurgency there.

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AP

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