Suspected Kenyan ISIS sympathizer arrested

Anti-Terror Police are holding a Kenyan believed to be a sympathizer of the Islamic State terror group.  The suspect identified by police as Amina Mwaiz Muange was handed over to anti-terror detectives after being deported by Indian authorities on December 12.

Police took her to court on Tuesday December 15th and obtained orders to detain her for 30 days as they investigate her activities. A senior detective confirmed Muange’s arrest saying cooperation between Kenya and India’s security agencies led to her arrest and subsequent deportation. The source said the suspect had been trailed from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where she worked.

Security monitored her movements to India where she had accompanied her employers for a visit. Authorities started monitoring her in Abu Dhabi when she allegedly started visiting social media sites with links to ISIS.

It is claimed she planned to cross into Syria. Said the source, “in the process of this search she got in touch with ISIS supporters in India, Afghanistan, Burundi, Kenya and South Africa with whom she kept contact with”. 

Detectives are also trying to establish what job Muange was engaged in while in UAE. There are concerns that ISIS is increasing recruiting in East Africa.

Recently for example, several Al Shabaab members have been killed after defecting from the Al Qaeda- affiliated terror group to pro-ISIS factions. The split has forced dozens of pro-ISIS militants to surrender to the Somalia security forces to escape death from Al-Shabaab militants allied to the Al Qaeda terror group. 

Among those who escaped and surrendered to the Somalia security forces are two Americans and pro-ISIS jihadists within Al-Shabaab. One of the escapees was identified as Abdul Malik Jones who was captured near Barawe after fleeing from Al-Shabaab’s targeted killings of ISIS supporters.

Intelligence reports indicate that Kenyan-born Mohamed Kuno alias Gamadhere who mastermind the massacre of 148 people in at Garissa University is among militants who have defected to pro-ISIS faction. Kuno who was previously Al Shabaab lower Juba commander, is said to have joined the more extremist and violent faction in early last month.