Terrorism in Africa

Kenya: 2 Found Guilty of Conspiracy in Westgate Mall Terrorist Attack

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 08:21 am

Two of the three suspects — Mohamed Ahmed Abdi and Hassan Hussein Mustafa, were found guilty on Tuesday magistrate Francis Andayi, of “conspiracy” for terrorist action and “support” after aiding five now-deceased gunmen in a violent attack launched on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya in 2013.

The third suspect has been acquitted.

Seven years ago on September 21, four Islamist extremists hailing from al-Shabab — the rebel group linked to al-Qaida, which vowed retribution on Kenya in 2011 for sending troops to Somalia, stormed the luxury Nairobi mall guns blazing and grenades in hand as they went on a killing spree turned 4-day siege that resulted in the death of around 67 people with numerous others both injured and traumatised before Kenyan security forces eventually took the attackers down in a terrifying standoff.

This marks the end of a long and unpleasant trial that began in January 2014.

(AFP)