Eleven African Nations Agree to Form Terrorism Task Force

Sixth Man Charged Over Kenya Blasts

From correspondents in Nairobi
19sep03

A KENYAN man was charged overnight with 15 counts of murder over his alleged role in the bombing last year of a hotel near the port city of Mombasa.

Omar Said Omar pleaded not guilty to all counts when he appeared in Nairobi's High Court together with five previously charged suspects in the blast at the Mombasa Paradise Hotel that killed 12 Kenyans and three Israeli tourists on November 28.

The five other suspects had already pleaded not guilty.

Court prosecutor John Gachivi asked High Court Judge John Osiemo to consolidate Omar's case with the rest "because it is under similar circumstances".

All six were remanded in custody until the October 27 start of their trial.

Omar was arrested in Mombasa on August 1. After his family insisted he be released or charged, as per Kenyan law, the high court in Mombasa ordered police to free him on bail.

But instead of being released, Omar was brought to Nairobi where he was charged.

Police in Nairobi declined to say exactly what role Omar had played in the events of November 28 last year, when, in addition to the hotel bombing, a botched attempt was made to shoot down an Israeli passenger jet as it took off from Mombasa airport.

Mombasa police sources have alleged that Omar helped others involved in the attacks to escape to neighbouring Somalia.

Sources close to the case say Omar is also accused of playing a role in the actual attacks, not just their aftermath.

Following his arrest, Omar reportedly led police to two other suspects, one of whom, Feisal Ali, detonated a grenade outside a Mombasa police station, killing himself and a policeman.

The fugitive suspect was later identified as Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, a key suspect in the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, in which more than 200 people were killed.
This man had been indicted in the United States over his role in the 1998 attack and carries a $US25 million bounty on his head.

Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network has claimed responsibility for all these attacks in Kenya.

Earlier this month, Kenyan police said they had detained about 1,200 people, mostly foreigners, as part of wider efforts to identify terror suspects.

The move drew criticism for its alleged targeting of Muslims, ethnic Somalis and Arabs.

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