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Somali MPs held in Kenyan swoop | Somali MPs held in Kenyan swoop |
(30 minutes later) | |
Kenyan police have arrested 16 Somali MPs and other government officials in a raid on suspected illegal migrants in the capital, Nairobi, officials say. | Kenyan police have arrested 16 Somali MPs and other government officials in a raid on suspected illegal migrants in the capital, Nairobi, officials say. |
About 300 people were picked up in the raid in the Eastleigh district, home to a large ethnic Somali population. | About 300 people were picked up in the raid in the Eastleigh district, home to a large ethnic Somali population. |
Prominent Kenyan Muslim leader Al-Amin Kimathi has also been arrested. | |
The raid follows violent clashes on Friday between police and groups protesting at plans to deport a controversial Muslim cleric. | The raid follows violent clashes on Friday between police and groups protesting at plans to deport a controversial Muslim cleric. |
Kenyan Internal Security Minister George Saitoti has accused Somali militant Islamist group al-Shabab of links to the clashes, which left at least five people dead. | |
But an al-Shabab spokesman told the BBC this was not true. | |
Kenya has played host to many rounds of talks aimed at bringing peace to Somalia and many Somali officials are based there. | Kenya has played host to many rounds of talks aimed at bringing peace to Somalia and many Somali officials are based there. |
Al-Amin Kimathi helped organised Friday's protests | |
Muslim groups have long complained that they are being unfairly targeted by Kenyan police, with many Muslims arrested and accused of terrorist offences before being released for lack of evidence. | |
Officials at Somalia's embassy in Nairobi confirmed that government officials, including former army General Yusuf "Dumal" Hussein, had been arrested. | Officials at Somalia's embassy in Nairobi confirmed that government officials, including former army General Yusuf "Dumal" Hussein, had been arrested. |
They are due to appear in court later on Monday. | They are due to appear in court later on Monday. |
The officials stressed that those arrested held valid visas but this was disputed by a senior police official who spoke to the AFP news agency. | The officials stressed that those arrested held valid visas but this was disputed by a senior police official who spoke to the AFP news agency. |
"The security operation is part of the investigation going on after Friday's demonstrations by Muslim youths in the city centre," the unnamed officer said. | "The security operation is part of the investigation going on after Friday's demonstrations by Muslim youths in the city centre," the unnamed officer said. |
Mr Kimathi heads the Muslim Human Rights Forum, which helped organised the protest that called for the release of Jamaica-born Abdullah al-Faisal. | |
Faisal has been jailed in the UK for calling for the murder of Jews and Hindus. | |
He was arrested on 31 December but Kenya has been unable to deport him because few countries are unwilling to host him. | He was arrested on 31 December but Kenya has been unable to deport him because few countries are unwilling to host him. |