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Two bodies found at Kenyan mall probably attackers, says MP Two bodies found at Kenyan mall probably attackers, says MP
(35 minutes later)
Two charred corpses recovered from Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall are highly likely to be two of the gunmen who killed at least 67 people last month, a Kenyan MP investigating the attack has said.Two charred corpses recovered from Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall are highly likely to be two of the gunmen who killed at least 67 people last month, a Kenyan MP investigating the attack has said.
Ndung'u Gethenji, chairman of the Kenyan parliament's defence and foreign relations committee, said the corpses had been pulled from under rubble on Thursday in a part of the mall that had collapsed.Ndung'u Gethenji, chairman of the Kenyan parliament's defence and foreign relations committee, said the corpses had been pulled from under rubble on Thursday in a part of the mall that had collapsed.
"All the indications are that they are the attackers," Gethenji told Reuters. "The area they were excavating is consistent with the area [the gunmen] were trapped in during the operation.""All the indications are that they are the attackers," Gethenji told Reuters. "The area they were excavating is consistent with the area [the gunmen] were trapped in during the operation."
Automatic AK-47 rifles of a model not used by Kenyan security forces and a rocket-propelled grenade were found close to the two bodies, said Gethenji, who is co-chairing the parliamentary investigation into possible intelligence failures before the attack.Automatic AK-47 rifles of a model not used by Kenyan security forces and a rocket-propelled grenade were found close to the two bodies, said Gethenji, who is co-chairing the parliamentary investigation into possible intelligence failures before the attack.
"Personally I don't have conclusive information as to how many attackers' bodies we are expecting to look for," he added."Personally I don't have conclusive information as to how many attackers' bodies we are expecting to look for," he added.
CCTV footage from the first day of the four-day standoff with Kenyan security forces shows four gunmen calmly shooting panicked shoppers as others hide behind pillars or scramble along the floor towards exits.CCTV footage from the first day of the four-day standoff with Kenyan security forces shows four gunmen calmly shooting panicked shoppers as others hide behind pillars or scramble along the floor towards exits.
At one point a gunman walks up to a wounded man bleeding heavily as he tries to pull himself to safety and shoots him at close range, apparently killing him. The attackers are also seen taking turns to pray in what looks to be a store room.At one point a gunman walks up to a wounded man bleeding heavily as he tries to pull himself to safety and shoots him at close range, apparently killing him. The attackers are also seen taking turns to pray in what looks to be a store room.
The discovery of the body parts came as a 23-year-old Norwegian citizen of Somali origin was identified by the BBC as a suspect in the attack, for which the al-Qaida-linked group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.The discovery of the body parts came as a 23-year-old Norwegian citizen of Somali origin was identified by the BBC as a suspect in the attack, for which the al-Qaida-linked group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.
The man, who reportedly arrived in Norway with his family as a refugee in 1999, is said to be one of four men seen in CCTV footage released by Kenyan authorities.The man, who reportedly arrived in Norway with his family as a refugee in 1999, is said to be one of four men seen in CCTV footage released by Kenyan authorities.
BBC's Newsnight on Thursday said it had spoken to a relative of the Norwegian man, who said the man had left the town of Larvik for Somalia in 2009. The relative, who spoke to the programme on condition of anonymity, said the 23-year-old had made infrequent but increasingly erratic phone calls to the family. The most recent had been in the summer when he said he was in trouble and wanted to return home.BBC's Newsnight on Thursday said it had spoken to a relative of the Norwegian man, who said the man had left the town of Larvik for Somalia in 2009. The relative, who spoke to the programme on condition of anonymity, said the 23-year-old had made infrequent but increasingly erratic phone calls to the family. The most recent had been in the summer when he said he was in trouble and wanted to return home.
On being shown the CCTV footage, the relative told Newsnight: "I don't know what I feel or think … If it is him, he must have been brainwashed." On being shown the CCTV footage, the relative told Newsnight: "I don't know what I feel or think … if it is him, he must have been brainwashed."
The programme said a former neighbour of the family in Larvik said the man had been "pretty extreme, didn't like life in Norway … got into trouble, fights, his father was worried". He said one person seen in the CCTV footage wearing a black shirt or jacket could be the man he had known.The programme said a former neighbour of the family in Larvik said the man had been "pretty extreme, didn't like life in Norway … got into trouble, fights, his father was worried". He said one person seen in the CCTV footage wearing a black shirt or jacket could be the man he had known.
Stig Hansen, an expert on security and political Islam based in Norway, told Newsnight that an estimated 20-30 Norwegians had gone to Somalia to sign up for al-Shabaab.Stig Hansen, an expert on security and political Islam based in Norway, told Newsnight that an estimated 20-30 Norwegians had gone to Somalia to sign up for al-Shabaab.
"The biggest problem is the so-called Generation 1.5, those who weren't born in Norway but came when they were quite young, falling between two cultures," he said. "[Al-Shabaab] need people who are quite ignorant about Somalia. That is in their interest because that will give them a more internationalist agenda. And it might also make them more dangerous when they return back to their home countries.""The biggest problem is the so-called Generation 1.5, those who weren't born in Norway but came when they were quite young, falling between two cultures," he said. "[Al-Shabaab] need people who are quite ignorant about Somalia. That is in their interest because that will give them a more internationalist agenda. And it might also make them more dangerous when they return back to their home countries."
Last week Norway's intelligence agency, the PST, said it was attempting to verify reports that a Norwegian citizen had been involved in the assault on the shopping centre, which lasted four days.Last week Norway's intelligence agency, the PST, said it was attempting to verify reports that a Norwegian citizen had been involved in the assault on the shopping centre, which lasted four days.
"We have lately seen an increase in the number of persons leaving Norway to take part in acts of war, attend training camps or join terrorist networks abroad," the Norwegian authorities said. "We are concerned that this development may have an increasingly negative impact on the threat situation in Norway.""We have lately seen an increase in the number of persons leaving Norway to take part in acts of war, attend training camps or join terrorist networks abroad," the Norwegian authorities said. "We are concerned that this development may have an increasingly negative impact on the threat situation in Norway."
A Kenyan al-Shabaab leader whom US commandos targeted in a raid in Somalia on 5 October, but failed to capture, reportedly may have spent time in Norway, according to the Norwegian station TV2. It said Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir, also known as Ikrima, had travelled to Norway and applied for asylum in 2004 but left in 2008 before receiving a decision on his application. Norwegian officials have not commented on the claims.A Kenyan al-Shabaab leader whom US commandos targeted in a raid in Somalia on 5 October, but failed to capture, reportedly may have spent time in Norway, according to the Norwegian station TV2. It said Abdukadir Mohamed Abdukadir, also known as Ikrima, had travelled to Norway and applied for asylum in 2004 but left in 2008 before receiving a decision on his application. Norwegian officials have not commented on the claims.
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