Report By Leo Odera Omolo
The Somali terror suspect who had escaped from custody at the Kenya-Uganda Busia border point has been recaptured by the security network while trying to sneak into Somalia.
Hashi Hussein Farah, said to be a member of al-Shaabab militants linked to al-Qaeda, was arrested with two other terror suspects in the North Eastern part of Kenya, Uganda Peoples Defense Force {UPDF}spokesman Lt Col Kulayigye has told the government-owned NEWVISION.
He added that Farah, who has an Australian passport, was in the company of two other Somalis of Canadian and American origin.
There was, however, no confirmation or denial from the Kenyan police about this report which appeared in the NEWVISION this morning.
The suspect had caused security panic between Kenya and Uganda when he was first arrested by the Kenyan police on March 13 as he was trying to cross the border from Uganda into Kenya at the Busia border point.
Suspicion arose that the suspect who had in his possession large sums of money in US dollars might have sneaked back to Uganda. But this provoked a sharp reaction from the Ugandan military, promptly denying he was back in that country.
The Kenya Anti Terrorism Police Unit had established that Farah was wanted in Australia for planning suicide attack on a Sidney army base in August last year.
The suspect mysteriously disappeared from the police custody hours later while he and other suspects were being booked at the Busia Police Station after being handed to the police by the Kenya immigration official at the border post in what the authorities now believe to be collusion with police officers. Three Kenyan policemen have been suspended over the incident pending further investigations.
After his escape, it was alleged that prior to his arrest at the Busia border post, Farah had lived in Uganda for more than one year.
Lt Col Kulayigye acknowledged that had lived in Uganda for more than a year. But wondered why their Kenyan counterpart did not alert them that the man was a terrorism suspect.
“For more than one year, this man has been living in Uganda and we did not have this kind of in information on him,” Kulayigye told the NEWVISION
He added, if what is now coming out is true, then why did our Kenyan brothers notify us in time? What happened to our information sharing arrangements? He asked.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com