Court Convicts Doctor For Planning Deadly Terror Attack in Kenya

A medical doctor has been convicted for working with extremist groups to plan a deadly attack in Kenya.

Mohamed Abdi Ali alias Abu Fidaa, a medical doctor by profession, was convicted at the Milimani Chief Magistrate Court for being a member of a terrorist group, namely the ISIS terror group, organizing a meeting in support of terrorist groups, recruitment of members to a terrorist group, collection of information, and possession of articles connected with the commission of terrorist acts.

Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku based her judgement on statements and reports from 26 witnesses including the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), FBI from US and Uganda Police.

The testimonies helped the magistrate to prove the case against Mohammed Abdi Ali beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court, however, acquitted Nuseibah Mohamed Haji, Alias Umm Fidaa, and Alias Ummu Fidaa who had been charged together with the convict.

According to a report filed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, the convict was arrested on April 29, 2016, at his residence in Wote Town within Makueni County, while Nuseibah Mohamed Haji was arrested at the Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.

Investigations revealed that they were planning to establish an ISIS caliphate in Kenya and East Africa.

"During sentencing submission, the prosecution led by SPPC Duncan Ondimu, OGW, sought a custodial sentence of up to 90 years due to the seriousness of the offences and the impact they would have had on the country, the defenseless nature of the victims, the intelligence of the convict, who is a medical doctor, implying that he knew what he was doing, and the fact that he would have used technology to perpetrate the crimes," ODPP's statement read in part.

However, the Convict is set to be arraigned on April 22, this year for sentencing.