Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the SOG elite unit say they have foiled a planned major terror attack in Nairobi on Thursday.
NIS which linked the abortive plot to the Somalia-based militant group al-Shabaab, indicates that some terror suspects were arrested at a hideout in the Kenyan capital late on Tuesday.
They were allegedly finalising plans for a coordinated strike, NIS said in a statement.
Officials said the raid followed weeks, possibly months, of intelligence gathering, including intercepted communications and surveillance.
Authorities say they seized a cache of weapons and supplies, including five AK-47 rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, six hand grenades, a Makarov pistol, medical supplies, and food provisions.
According to security officials, the arsenal demonstrated al-Shabaab’s readiness to carry out unrelenting violence against Kenya.
“This cache is chilling in its scope. Neutralising it before it could be deployed was critical to saving lives,” says a senior security official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the investigation.
Security sources said intelligence also pointed to plans for kidnappings and other attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Authorities are now analysing seized electronic devices and documents to trace the network’s financing, recruitment channels, and possible foreign connections.
The operation is the latest in Kenya’s ongoing efforts to prevent terror attacks stemming from instability in neighbouring Somalia.
In the past al-Shabaab had targeted Nairobi, the deadliest being the Westgate Shopping mall attack in 2013 in which 67 people were killed and another on Garissa university which led to the death of at least 140.
The militants said those attacks were in retaliation for Kenya contributing troops to a hybrid African Union peacekeeping mission to Somalia.
Since then Kenya had unilaterally shut the border with Somalia as a precautionary measure following al-Shabaab’s threats of more attacks.
President William Ruto last week announced the reopening of the border with Somalia in April.
A similar announcement made in 2023 never came to pass as the insurgents issued threats of further attacks inside Kenya.
MG/as/APA