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The revelation that some of the gunmen and facilitators of terrorist acts in Kenya are actually Kenyans has caused great concern in the country.
Up to now, investigations reveal that most perpetrators and coordinators of the dusitD2 Hotel's terrorist incident were actually Kenyan-born activists who had joined Al Shabaab.
The revelation that some of the gunmen and terrorists in Kenya are actually Kenyans has raised serious concerns in this country, which has always been targeted because of its anti-terror policy against Al Shabaab.
Up to now, investigations reveal that most perpetrators and coordinators of the dusitD2 Hotel's terrorist incident were actually Kenyan-born activists who had joined Al Shabaab. The largest shopping center
For example, security agencies reported that the kamikaze who blew himself up at the evening hotel was a Kenyan, born in Mombasa, in the Majengo region. He was reportedly recruited from the Musa Mosque in Mombasa, accused at a time of radicalization of youth by the Kenyan government. Forensic studies of other terrorists killed are in progress and the report will reveal their nationality and origin.
Ali Salim Gichunge aka Farouk, who would be an architect and organizer of this terrorist act alongside his love Violet Kemunto Omwoyo, is also a Kenyan-born citizen who was living in the Kiambu region at the time of the attack.
Ali Salim would have grown up in Nyeri while his lover was a Kisii. The detectives also revealed a complex set of networks of individuals and groups of Kenyans who, in one way or another, facilitated the attack.
A suspect fired at people inside the hotel from DIDD2 in Nairobi before being killed by police on January 15, 2019. At least four Alshabaab members were killed by the police. [Courtesy]
During the terrorist attack against the University of Garissa in 2015, during which students lost their lives, one of the architects and badailants was a son of a government representative Kenyan who had law degree at the University of Nairobi. Abdirahim Abdullahi was allegedly missing by his father, a Mandera-based council official who feared his son would be radicalized by militants based in Somalia.
According to a Garissa-based official who had spoken to the media at the time, the government had established that "Mr. Abdullahi joined the Alshabaab group in 2013 ". He had also added that "despite himself (Abdullahi) as a brilliant student, he nevertheless had these crazy ideas to join the militant group".
Although the army has eliminated the Westgate badailants, no information on their identity or origin has been provided to date. However, an independent investigation by New York intelligence revealed that the gunmen disguised themselves as victims and snuck in with others. Despite this, some of the facilitators currently being tried in court would be Kenyans.
So what attracts Kenyans to Alshabaab and why are they used as scapegoats to commit heinous acts?
According to a survey conducted by Aljazeera in 2015, youth unemployment in Kenya is a source of major concern, with nearly three-quarters of the population under 30 years of age. The report also says that poverty and despair have pushed thousands of Kenyans to join illegal groups to end their desperation.
Rowbow Ochola, an activist and radio DJ whose job is to rehabilitate veterans, told Al Jazeera that since Al Shabaab views Kenya as his enemy; he has increasingly targeted his recruitment initiatives in the country in order to have as many Kenyans as possible in his network.
"Desperation and lack of opportunity are among the main reasons why young Kenyans join Al-Shabaab," Ochola said.
Fatuma, an Alshabaab veteran who is now a social worker and a taxi driver rehabilitated by Rowbow Ochola, told him that circumstances force young people to engage in terrorist activities.
"If I had a job that would allow me to put food on the table as I do now, I would not have seen the need to join Al-Shabaab."
Ochola says that al Shabaab is using Kenyans to dispel the suspicions of the security apparatus and to facilitate their work. Women are also used to collect information, gather information and as spies.
"Clearly, Kenyans holding an identity card and speaking Kiswahili will raise less suspicion among security authorities during the organization of the attacks," he said. .
By making his recruiting game attractive, Al Shabaab normally distributes huge sums of money to interested members while promising them gifts when they become members.
A BBC survey that managed to gain access to and interact with an active Kenyan Al Shabaab fighter in 2014 confirmed that unemployment and monetary rewards were the main motivators for joining the group.
"The problem was the money, I was unemployed, and when they approached me with huge sums of money they were willing to give, I could not do it any other way." said the Kenyan fighter at the BBC.
"Most of us young people join Al Shabaab not as Islam or Jihad, but because we want something to do for money."
However, as found a returnee, things are not going as well as expected at al Shabaab camp in Somalia. The veteran now reformed and interviewed by the BBC at the National Counter-Terrorism Center (NCTC) revealed that the majority of Kenyans who joined Al Shabaab were used as sacrificial lambs.
The fighter who returned to the country in 2013 because of what he called "frustrations" claimed that many of the group's foreign fighters were discriminated against.
According to this returnee, Al-Shabaab's Jabha (infantry component) and Istishadi (Explosives Unit) mainly use foreign fighters to prove their loyalty while reducing their influence within the group. In addition, they have no option to refuse the mission, while being promised huge sums if they succeed in the mission.
"You go to the mission where you are killed," said the returnee.
The returnee explained that mistrust between Somali fighters and foreign fighters within the group was obvious.
This mistrust of Kenyans and other foreigners would have caused a significant number of Kenyan members to sneak into the country.
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