Canadian terror suspect arrested in Kenya while en route to Somalia

NAIROBI, Kenya - Authorities in Kenya have arrested an Al-Shabaab suspect, a Canadian national who is said to have been in the process of crossing over to Somalia illegally and has since been subjected to rigorous interrogation to ascertain his mission in the East African nation

Officials arrested Elias Abdulhamid, a Canadian citizen at the Kenya-Tanzania border near Lunga Lunga while attempting to enter the country. It is not clear what he had been doing in Tanzania until the time he was arrested by the police officers manning the border.

Sleuths from the Anti-Terror department have asked the court to retain Abdulhamid for three weeks to allow them to investigate the mystery behind the suspect's trip. Already, Chief Magistrate Lilian Lewa has granted them permission to do thorough investigations.

Police said they need more time to thoroughly investigate the suspect, including verifying his name, citizenship, and criminal history with INTERPOL and the Canadian government. It is not clear if the suspect has dual citizenship given that many Canadians are of Somali origin.

"We need more time to interrogate the respondent since we believe him to have been radicalized into jihadist and extremist beliefs," read the application.

The police said his past associations with terror groups led them to believe he was still active in militant operations.

"Recent intelligent reports indicate that the respondent was arrested in Egypt in 2019 while trying to join ISIS terrorist group," the police stated. Abdulhamid also attempted unlawful entry into the US but was turned away.

"Abdulhamid was traveling to Somalia," Rosemary Nandi from the office of the director of public prosecutions informed the court. She added Abdulhmid planned to join the Al Shabaab terrorist organization as a trainer and eventually carry out terror operations in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Reports from Kenya Police indicate that the suspect was cleared of previous terror accusations in Egypt and the US due to a lack of evidence. However, he also asked the Kenyan authorities not to deport him to Canada because he is wanted for terror-related activities.

The court sitting in Diani, Kwale County will continue with the hearing on January 3, 2023. The Al-Shabaab militants have suffered heavy losses in the last four months following a collective operation involving Somali National Army, the US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS], and local militia.

GAROWE ONLINE