Four Al-Shabaab women charged with planning terror attacks

Ms Ummulkheir Sadri Abdalla, Ms Khadija Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ms Maryam Said Aboud and Ms Halima Adan Ali are suspected of being members of Al-Shabaab and could face new terror-related charges. FILE PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP  

In Summary

• The accused opposed the new charges, claiming they are similar to the ones they are already facing.
• Three of the women were arrested at the El Wak border point in Mandera County on March 27 last year.

By BRIAN OCHARO
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Four women suspected of being members of Al-Shabaab were on Friday charged afresh with counts that include plotting to carry out attacks in Kenya.

Ms Ummulkheir Sadri Abdalla, Ms Khadija Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ms Maryam Said Aboud and Ms Halima Adan denied the charges.

The suspects were charged that on March 26, 2015, they organised a meeting in Nairobi County to plan on how to cross into Somalia to support Al-Shabaab.

Another charge states that they conspired with another woman, Ms Ummulkheir Sadri, and others abroad to carry out terrorist acts inside Kenya. They are alleged to have committed the offence in El-Wak, on the Kenya-Somalia boarder

Prosecutors allege that the suspects and some foreigners outside the country, including Ms Abdalla, who is a Tanzanian, conspired to carry out terrorist attacks in the country.

Three of the women were arrested at the El Wak border point in Mandera County on March 27 last year while allegedly trying to sneak into Somalia.

The accused, however, opposed the new charges, claiming they are similar to the ones they are already facing.

However, Prosecutor Daniel Wamotsa said the High Court had ordered the accused to plead to the charges.

He said Senior Principal Magistrate Simon Rotich had no jurisdiction to counter High Court orders.

The magistrate directed that the women be remanded at Shimo la Tewa Maximum Security Prison.

The case will be heard on March 9 and 10.