Nairobi (DIPLOMAT)- Kenyan Police are puzzling over how a senior Al-Shabaab commander, Hassan Hanafi Haji, who was arrested in Nairobi, was found with a Kenyan identity card.
An ID that he was allegedly found with showed he is Yusuf Hassan and was born in Mandera County, officials handling the case revealed.
“We do not know if it is genuine and that is what we are still investigating. The picture on the ID almost resembles him as much as it is showing some scars,” said a senior official who did not want to be quoted.
Another official said he may have obtained the document to help him move around because of the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants in Eastleigh.
Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo declined to comment on the matter.
Hanafi arrived in Nairobi on undisclosed dates to seek treatment for injuries he sustained in Somalia when he was arrested. He was arrested in Eastleigh last week and is being held by the Anti-Terror Police Unit.
Somalia’s Information minister Mustafa Duhulow said Hanafi, who is also a journalist, will be extradited to his country to face charges there.
“As a result of surveillance by the Somalia security apparatus, the Kenyan security forces captured Hassan Hanafi Haji, wanted for the killing of a number of Somalia journalists and other citizens,” Mr Duhulow said in a statement.
“It is also alleged that he was deeply involved in Al-Shabaab’s propaganda machine,” Duhulow added, claiming Hanafi was a senior member of the Islamist group.
Counter-terrorism detectives had marked Hanafi as a “high value” suspect after his arrest. Sources said they were investigating if his accomplices are here. He was trying to seek medical attention in one of the clinics in Eastleigh when he was nabbed.
Hanafi has been accused of killing colleagues and working for the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab. The terror group continues to launch attacks in Mogadishu including recent commando raids on the presidential palace and Parliament in a bid to topple the internationally-backed Government.
The group operates its own radio station and regularly releases propaganda videos, and was previously active on Twitter before their accounts were shut down. It is believed Hanafi was a propagandist for the station.
Somalia has asked Kenya to hand Hanafi over to face trial, Duhulow said.