KENYA: Attacker hurls explosive device into police van in Nairobi, killing one officer

Record ID: 352623

  • Title: KENYA: Attacker hurls explosive device into police van in Nairobi, killing one officer
  • Date: 4th December 2010
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (DECEMBER 03, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CROWD LOOKING AT SCENE OF BLAST CLOSE BLOOD ON GROUND
  • Embargoed: 19th December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Police
  • Reuters ID: LVAAG16PNW5XN5AQJT54Y58ZQ8VD
  • Story Text: An attacker hurled an explosive device into a police van in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Friday (December 03), killing one officer in what a Kenyan police commander said was a terror strike.
    The attack took place in Eastleigh, a predominantly Somali suburb of the capital city during morning rush hour.
    "There was heavy traffic and the vehicles were moving slowly, then there was an explosion from the vehicle, the two officers in front of the cabin were injured and the OCPD (refers to: Officer Commanding, Police Division) and his team did respond immediately, took the officers to hospital but unfortunately one of them who was undergoing the treatment, that is the escort, who was seated on the passenger seat, passed away," said Administration Police commandant, Kinuthia Mbugua.
    Police said the explosive device could have been a grenade.
    "From the debris, that we have seen, it is definitely we think grenade class because we have already seen some of the debris," Said Kinuthia.
    Analysts said the attack could have been carried out to settle a grudge against the Kenyan authorities who routinely conduct raids in the area to weed out illegal Somali immigrants in an area of the city police say is awash with small arms.
    Foreign investors in Kenya -- east Africa's largest economy which shares a largely porous border with Somalia -- cite the Islamist insurgency as a serious concern.
    Eyewitnesses said three men lay in wait for the Land Rover and launched the device inside before running into an alley.
    "Those people were about 4 or 5 and they were dressed in Muslim attire, two of them were men dressed in Muslim attire and the third was dressed as a woman," Said Salim Sangoro, an eyewitness.
    The second officer was released from hospital after being treated of minor bruises. He blamed the Somali terror group and said he was lucky to be alive.
    Twice hit by al Qaeda-linked attacks, Kenya has long cast a wary eye at its lawless neighbour Somalia, where first warlords and now Islamist insurgents have reduced government to haplessness.
    Al Shabaab militants in that country have been waging a three-year insurgency against the Western-backed government.
    Analysts said the strike could have been carried out by al Shabaab sympathisers because it was not in the realm of the spectacular attacks associated directly with the rebel group, which claims links to al Qaeda.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register