Kenya denies it issued terror alert on US establishments in Nairobi

NAIROBI—The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has denied a security circular doing round on social media where the agency was wrongfully quoted for issuing attack alert on US establishments in Nairobi as likely targets for Shabab attacks.

Denying the letter, the DCI accused the authors of ill-intent saying such directives were not part of the agency’s mandate.

“Our attention has been drawn to a security brief allegedly from the office of the RCIO Nairobi Area and signed by Mr. Ben Nyakwaka. It is circulating in the social media. It names a number of installations,social and worship places and purports to issue security alert,” the agency said on Twitter Sunday afternoon.

The fake travel advisory came hot on the heels of another genuine  advisory by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The warning has listed north eastern counties of Garissa, and Mandera as well as section of Tana River and Lamu counties as areas where British nationals should not go unless it is essential to do so.

“(FCO) advises against all but essential travel to areas within 60km of the Kenya-Somali border, Garissa County, Lamu County (excluding Lamu Island and Manda Island), areas of Tana River County north of the Tana River itself and within 15km of the Coast from the Tana River down to the Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) river,” the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said in a statement.

The Somalia based militant group, Al Shabab had in the last weeks increased its attack in Kenya, particularly towns and villages along the porous border with Somalia. Western intelligence in Kenya believe the attacks are likely retaliations for the US killing of Iranian general, Soleimani last weekend at Baghdad airport.