KENYA: Interior Minister Joseph ole Lenku says forensic experts will investigate whether one of the attackers of the Westgate mall was a woman and that he mainly expects to find the bodies of militants under the rubble

Record ID: 353994

  • Title: KENYA: Interior Minister Joseph ole Lenku says forensic experts will investigate whether one of the attackers of the Westgate mall was a woman and that he mainly expects to find the bodies of militants under the rubble
  • Date: 25th September 2013
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (SEPTEMBER 25, 2013) (REUTERS) STREET IN FRONT OF WESTGATE MALL WITH PODIUM SET UP FOR STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYAN INTERIOR MINISTER JOSEPH OLE LENKU, SAYING: "I want to indicate that a number of our friends have joined our team and specifically from the following countries - the U.S., Israel, Britain, Germany, Canada and other agencies including
  • Embargoed: 10th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA3378R3YVKGOPBQAUG5ZVM7IOI
  • Story Text: Kenya has begun a forensic investigation into the weekend attack on a Nairobi shopping mall with the help of the United States, Israel, Britain and others, the interior minister told a news briefing on Wednesday (September 25).

    "I want to indicate that a number of our friends have joined our team," Joseph ole Lenku said, adding agencies from Germany and Canada as well as the police agency Interpol were also assisting.
    Speculation has abounded about the identity of the attackers and, despite earlier saying they were all men, Ole Lenku now said forensic teams would investigate whether a woman was involved.

    "Regarding the presence of a woman terrorist... We are all hearing possibilities and information, including volunteers from the public. We want you to again request you to allow the forensic experts to determine whether that is true."
    He said he did not expect the death toll, now at 72, to rise significantly and mainly expected to find more bodies of slain assailants.

    "We are convinced there will be an insignificant [number], if any, bodies still holed up there, except for the terrorist," he said.
    Three floors in a part of the mall had collapsed near the end of the operation, leaving an unknown number of bodies under steel and concrete.
    afr/lw/jrc
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