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| Africa Horn |
| Israeli "Advisers" At Nairobi Mall Siege: Latest |
| 2013-09-22 |
| Gunfire erupted briefly on Sunday inside the Nairobi shopping mall where Islamist militants are holed up with about 30 hostages, a day after at least 59 people were killed in an attack carried out by the Qaida-linked al Shabaab group. More than a dozen security personnel dressed in green camouflage were seen moving into the building. One police helicopter and one with military camouflage swooped low over the Westgate Mall in the late afternoon, a Reuters witness reported. Kenyan television reporters said they had been told by officials that they could soon be asked to move further back from the mall. Minutes earlier, President Uhuru Kenyatta said security forces had "as good a chance to successfully neutralize the terrorists as we can hope for." "The criminals are now located in one place within the building. With the professionals on site, I assure Kenyans that we have as good a chance to successfully neutralize the terrorists as we can hope for," he said in an address. He also said that while Somali al Shabaab militants had claimed responsibility for the attack, the government was undertaking investigations to "conclusively establish" who was responsible. Israelis reportedly join efforts to break siege An Israeli security source said earlier Sunday that Israeli advisers were helping Kenya formulate a strategy to end the siege at the upscale shopping center, which is partly owned by Israelis. "There are Israeli advisers helping with the negotiating strategy, but no Israelis involved in any imminent storming operation," said the source, who declined to be identified. The source said only a "handful" of Israelis, "purely in an advisory role," were on scene at the mall, which has several Israeli-owned outlets and is frequented by expatriates and Kenyans. An Israeli source in Nairobi said all Israelis who were in the mall at the time of the attack had made it out safely, with the last three rescued overnight. Israeli President Shimon Peres posted on to his Twitter account on Sunday: "I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the people of #Kenya on the horrific terror attack in #Nairobi." There were conflicting reports from other security sources in Nairobi about the part Israel was playing. One Kenyan security source, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters that the Israeli military was involved in the operation, while a private security official also said they were helping comb the mall. But the Kenyan Interior Minister insisted it was a national operation, despite offers of foreign support. The attack by Al-Qaida-linked militants at the Nairobi also wounded 175, Kenya's interior cabinet secretary said earlier Sunday. Multiple barrages of gunfire erupted over the course of the morning from inside the building where the hostage standoff with Islamic extremists continued more than 24 hours after they attacked using grenades and assault rifles. "The priority is to save as many lives as possible," the cabinet secretary, Joseph Lenku said, reassuring the families of the hostages in the upscale Westgate mall. Kenyan forces have already rescued about 1,000 people, he said. Lenku said that there are 10 to 15 attackers involved, including women, and Kenyan forces have control of the security cameras inside the mall. Combined military and police forces surrounded the building. Police said the standoff was focused on the mall's Nakumatt supermarket, one of Kenya's biggest chains. The Somali Islamist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack. Several foreigners, including two French citizens, a Canadian civilian and diplomat and three Britons, were among the dead. Nationals from Kenya, India, South Africa, Ghana and The Netherlands were also killed im the attack. Israel's Foreign Ministry said that Israelis were not the target of the attack. Officials in the Foreign Ministry said three Israeli citizens that were in the mall at the time of the attack were able to escape unharmed and were collected by the Deputy Israeli Ambassador to Kenya Yaki Lopez and the embassy security officer that were present on the scene. A senior official at the foreign ministry said that the families of the Israelis that escaped the incident were informed. The ministry said that beyond these persons it is believed that no other Israelis were present. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there were no Americans among the dead but that several U.S. citizens had been hurt and the wife of a U.S. diplomat working for the U.S. Agency for International Development was killed. Al-Shabab appeared to taunt the security forces, saying on its official Twitter handle aHSMiPress that there would be no negotiations whatsoever with Kenyan officials over the standoff. "10 hours have passed and the Mujahideen are still strong inside iWestgate Mall and still holding their ground. All praise is due to Allah!," the group said. |
| Posted by:Grunter |
| #7 The big news is how the Israeli involvement have been blacked out of ALL American medias...even Drudge been bought out? Remember how the massive car burning riots by muslims in Europes were also blacked out? Seem the 'slimes are REALLY, but really controlling the brainwashing in the USA...even Fox is owned by the same sheikh, bin talal, that tried to buy Giuliani right after 9/11...you know, the scum trying to build a mosque right next to the WTC... |
| Posted by: Bob Snore6814 2013-09-22 21:57 |
| #6 Start using a little napalm against al-shanoboobs, and watch the situation change radically. No leniency for any captured: if they're muslim extremists, they get a bullet to the brain -- no arrest, no trial, no fuss, the only bother is disposing of the body. I recommend cremation. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2013-09-22 21:03 |
| #5 Coming soon to a Starbucks near you perhaps? After Howie's capitulation to the no gun coffee buying group earlier this week it is only a matter of time. Also went to a movie at a mall last night; on the doors to the theater ( AMC chain thank you) were 'no weapons allowed' stickers. did not see same on the non theater doors. can we look for more cinematic shoot outs that aren't on the screen? |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2013-09-22 18:17 |
| #4 ...and focus on 'low hanging fruit'. Easy marks. Cause, you know going up against the hard boys for Allen has been a bit of a bummer the last decade or so. Nothing much different than what they're already doing to women and children back home. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-09-22 15:39 |
| #3 This is the scenario that scares the piss outta me. Easy, little planning, low cost all ya need is committed turbans and a few decent rifles. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2013-09-22 15:16 |
| #2 Murcek, and their enablers in Mecca and Medina who preach jihad and sharia daily to the masses. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2013-09-22 14:03 |
| #1 "They all need to meet their maker, that is my advice..." |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2013-09-22 12:04 |