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| Westgate siege: Trial of accused starts in Kenya | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The trial of four men charged over the Westgate shopping centre siege in Kenya has started in the capital, Nairobi. | The trial of four men charged over the Westgate shopping centre siege in Kenya has started in the capital, Nairobi. |
| The four suspected foreigners deny charges of aiding a "terrorist group" and being in Kenya illegally. | The four suspected foreigners deny charges of aiding a "terrorist group" and being in Kenya illegally. |
| The court heard testimony from security guards who saw what happened when the gunmen launched the attack in September, killing at least 67 people. | The court heard testimony from security guards who saw what happened when the gunmen launched the attack in September, killing at least 67 people. |
| Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group said one of its suicide brigades carried out the siege. | Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group said one of its suicide brigades carried out the siege. |
| The four are the first to be charged over the attack - the worst in Kenya since 224 people were killed in the 1998 bombing of the US embassy. | The four are the first to be charged over the attack - the worst in Kenya since 224 people were killed in the 1998 bombing of the US embassy. |
| 'Black headscarves' | 'Black headscarves' |
| None of the men - named as Mohammed Ahmed Abdi, Liban Abdullah, Adnan Ibrahim and Hussein Hassan - are accused of being the gunmen who carried out the attack. | None of the men - named as Mohammed Ahmed Abdi, Liban Abdullah, Adnan Ibrahim and Hussein Hassan - are accused of being the gunmen who carried out the attack. |
| Their nationalities have not been disclosed, but they are said to be ethnic Somalis. | Their nationalities have not been disclosed, but they are said to be ethnic Somalis. |
| Guard Stephen Juma told the court he was directing traffic outside the upmarket shopping centre when a car pulled up and three men jumped out. | Guard Stephen Juma told the court he was directing traffic outside the upmarket shopping centre when a car pulled up and three men jumped out. |
| One of them immediately shot dead a shopper, he said, the Associated Press news agency reports. | One of them immediately shot dead a shopper, he said, the Associated Press news agency reports. |
| Mr Juma said he could not identify any of the gunmen because their heads and faces were covered with black headscarves. | Mr Juma said he could not identify any of the gunmen because their heads and faces were covered with black headscarves. |
| "I began to hear gunshots, I made a radio call for help while running to the main entrance," he is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying. | "I began to hear gunshots, I made a radio call for help while running to the main entrance," he is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying. |
| "I took shelter in a residential compound until when I saw policemen come." | "I took shelter in a residential compound until when I saw policemen come." |
| False ID charges | False ID charges |
| The police say the four accused had sheltered the attackers in their homes in Eastleigh - a Somali neighbourhood in Nairobi - and that they were in contact with the gunmen four days before the siege. | The police say the four accused had sheltered the attackers in their homes in Eastleigh - a Somali neighbourhood in Nairobi - and that they were in contact with the gunmen four days before the siege. |
| The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include entering Kenya illegally and obtaining false identification documents. | The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include entering Kenya illegally and obtaining false identification documents. |
| The BBC's Mark Lowen in Nairobi says 40 witnesses are expected to give evidence in the trial, which is likely to last around a week. | The BBC's Mark Lowen in Nairobi says 40 witnesses are expected to give evidence in the trial, which is likely to last around a week. |
| The Kenyan army has said that all four of the attackers died during the siege. | The Kenyan army has said that all four of the attackers died during the siege. |
| One of the suspected attackers has been named as 23-year-old Somalia-born Norwegian national, Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow. | One of the suspected attackers has been named as 23-year-old Somalia-born Norwegian national, Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow. |
| Al-Shabab is fighting for an Islamic state in Somalia. | Al-Shabab is fighting for an Islamic state in Somalia. |
| It said it carried out the attack to avenge the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia to bolster the UN-back central government. | It said it carried out the attack to avenge the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia to bolster the UN-back central government. |