Interpol operation nabs 17 terror suspects in Kenya

An international anti-terrorism operation in East Africa arrested 37 suspects and seized both small arms and heavy weapons.

Of those arrested, 17 were caught in Kenya.

According to Interpol, those arrested include suspected members of ISIS, al-Shabaab and several foreign terrorists.

A statement said arrests were made in eight East African countries between November and December 2024 as part of a joint operation by Interpol and AFRIPOL aimed at identifying and arresting suspects with links to terrorism and strengthening key border controls.

“In Kenya, police have arrested 17 people, including two suspected ISIS members, several foreign terror fighters and others involved in financing, radicalizing and propaganda of terrorism,” the statement said.

Kenya has been the victim of terrorist attacks in the past, leaving dozens dead and many more injured.

Last year, Kenya said the number of terrorism and crime cases across the country had declined in the recent past thanks to cooperation between local and international security agencies.

Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Acting Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, said 27 terrorist attacks were foiled across Kenya between January 2022 and November 2024.

“Several terrorists were neutralized during this period. The government has also pushed for 11 successful convictions. Our success is due to collaboration with international agencies,” Mudavadi told reporters in Nairobi.

“It is noteworthy that our success is also due to collaboration with other international agencies to prevent crime through training and equipment support,” he added.

In the Interpol operation, police in the Democratic Republic of Congo arrested four suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and two associates.

The armed forces also seized and destroyed a missile and an anti-tank device left behind by suspected terrorists.

In Somalia, authorities arrested three people, including a suspected bomb maker from Al-Shabaab’s Amniyaat unit, who planted improvised explosive devices against law enforcement and the military.

Another detained suspect was an Al-Shabaab operative who is believed to have attacked several police checkpoints with hand grenades.

Law enforcement authorities in Tanzania arrested a suspected member of ISIS in Mozambique and a Ugandan national who attempted to join a terrorist group in Mozambique as a foreign terrorist.

Before the operation, each participating country prepared an operational plan and collected information on terrorist targets, including individuals and their known locations.

Interpol and AFRIPOL consolidated and analyzed this information and shared it with all participating countries, enabling a comprehensive exchange of criminal intelligence.

During the tactical phase of the operation, each country conducted strategic surveys and raids.

Police received on-site support from INTERPOL and AFRIPOL officers, who provided coordination, logistics and real-time data analysis.

Cyril Gout, Acting Executive Director of INTERPOL Police Services, said East Africa’s complex landscape, characterized by political instability, porous borders and socio-economic challenges, continued to provide an environment conducive to terrorist activities.

“As these groups seek to expand their reach beyond traditional operational areas, it is important that law enforcement agencies work together to stay ahead of these evolving threats. These positive results demonstrate the power of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.”

Ambassador Jalel Chelba, Acting Executive Director of AFRIPOL, said combating terrorism and organized crime requires a unified and forward-looking strategy that takes into account both immediate risks and the deeper vulnerabilities that enable them.

“This operation highlights the critical role of international cooperation and information sharing in dismantling criminal networks and limiting their reach. AFRIPOL is dedicated to supporting Member States, strengthening regional partnerships and promoting resilience to promote lasting security and stability across Africa.”

To enhance border security, frontline officers at land, air and port border points were trained and equipped with Interpol Mobile Devices (IMDs), giving them real-time access to Interpol’s databases.

These contain personal and criminal history information as well as details of around 135,000 foreign terrorist fighters, as well as millions of records of lost and stolen travel documents, which are crucial to terrorist mobility.

Over the course of the five-day border security operation, more than 88,000 checks were carried out against Interpol databases, discovering 15 individuals who were the subject of reports and disclosures related to crimes such as fraud, rape, murder, armed robbery, money laundering and crimes against children.

In total, the increased border controls resulted in 32 arrests for a wide range of crimes.

The successful cooperation between eight countries, Interpol and AFRIPOL underlines the importance of a comprehensive approach to combating terrorism, a threat that remains a major problem for the region’s security.