Horror at Westgate Updated 26 Sept

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Horror at Westgate

Special report

By Chris Kumekucha

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Horror at Westgate

A beginning to answers to numerous questions

that Kenyans and the world have had since

Saturday 21st September 2013 that have

largely remained unanswered

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What is going on?

On Saturday 21st September 2013 shortly before 1 pmterrorists numbering between 10 and 18 attacked theWestgate Mall in Westlands, Nairobi. The impact of thatattack will be felt for a long time.

But as write this 3 days later Kenyans have many unansweredquestions. Who were these terrorists? Why Kenya? Why now?

It is highly unlikely that any information will be forthcoming fromthe government whom all Kenyans are looking up to. Thereason is simple. When you have an army operation by theKenya Defence forces, then you can only expect half truths atbest and propaganda at worse and this is exactly what wehave gotten. And in many ways you cannot blame them.Propaganda is part of battle strategies all over the world, hasbeen for centuries. How do you announce your defeat andsetbacks to the people? That would have a devastatingimpact and cause your soldiers to lose any edge that they arestill clinging to.

During the operation linda nchi in Somalia in 2012, the KDFhad many setbacks which were never reported. On the otherhand successes were over-magnified. That is the military wayof disseminating information. But what has gone wrong thistime is that this unexpected war that has been brought to our

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motherland is being fought at the heart of our capital citywhere it is easy to question doubtful information.

But fortunately you have this special report where you will readshocking things and at the end of it get a much clearer pictureof precisely what went down. I will update it regularly until theend of this whole saga.

Is this just thebeginning?The last major terrorist attack on Kenya soil was in 1998 whenthe American embassy then at the corner of Haile SelassieAvenue and Moi Avenue was attacked resulting in the death of

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over 200 Kenyans. Before that attack few people had had ofthe name Osama Bin Laden, the man who was responsible.

All indications are that the Westgate attack will launch thename of a new much more brutal terrorist leader. His name isAhmed Abdi Godane. This is a name that you are bound tohear of a lot in future and associated to other attacks all overthe world. Some experts think that this could be a new AlQuaeda that funds and uses eager affiliates to fulfill theirobjectives all over the world.

It would seem that Kenya is the launching pad for major worldterrorists. But this time Kenyans have to be much more wearybecause wherever else the man operates he is unlikely tocompletely forget his backyard.

The other fascinating fact that I would like to mention here ishow dates seem to be so important to terrorists especiallywhen they launch major attacks.

The embassy bombing in Nairobi was on August 7th 1998 (7th

day of 8th month 1998. Terrorists are religious fanatics andvery spiritual in their own way despite the mass murders ofinnocent people that they undertake. 8 is the number of newbeginnings.

The Westgate attack happened on 21st September 2013. Theninth month is significant in Islam because it is usually themonth after the holy month of Ramadhan. 21 is a multiple of 7(you multiply 7 by 3 to get 21. 7 is the number of perfectionand resurrection and 3 is the number of perfection. Yes, it was

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a Saturday when the terrorists knew that they would getmaximum casualties from the crowded mall but you can besure that it was no accident that it was executed on the 21st

and not just any random Saturday.

What really happened onSaturday 21st September2013?

Heavily armed attackers (said to be numbering between 10-18) arrived at Westgate Mall shortly before 1 PM Kenyan timeyesterday, lobbied grenades around the entrance andspraying bullets all over the place.

This is how they easily gained entrance into Westgate. Onceinside, they then profiled shoppers sparing Muslims and killingnon-Muslims. Eyewitnesses say that they were asking peoplethe name of Prophet Mohamed’s mother.

The very well organized attack saw the gang split into two, onegroup went in through main entrance while the other went inthrough the parking bay entrance which leads to the roof. Newinformation suggests that they may have had more than twogroups because the entire four floors of the mall were coveredvery quickly.

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They left dozens of shoppers dead or injured in their wake.They also took hostages whom they are still holding (at thetime of writing this book) as they engage Kenyan soldiers insporadic but fierce gun battles. An eye witness who was in acar on the roof at the time the terrorists came in says that hesaw one man with several magazines of bullets slung over hisshoulders. This would suggest that at this juncture theattackers already knew that they were going to spend severaldays in the mall and therefore carried enough ammunition tolast for the planned duration.

It is believed that the terrorists set themselves up in a strongroom in the building, either the one belonging to NakumattSupermarket (who handle more cash than most banks in thisparticular branch) or one belonging to any of the several banksat Westgate. They also grabbed plenty of food and water fromthe Nakumatt supermarket in the building. These criticaldecisions are what has enabled them to hold off the KenyaDefence forces for several days.

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There is a lot more to suggest that this was a very wellcoordinated attack that must have been planned for a longtime and by very experienced hardened operatives. Like thefact that all CCTV cameras in the building were disabled andpower was also switched off. These are two things you cannotdo without extremely detailed knowledge of a building andwhere the main switches are.

How stage was set forWestgate siege in June2013

An eventful June 19th 2013 night in far away remote ruralSomalia would never have attracted any attention from mediahouses in Kenya even if they had the information. But that isthe night that laid the ground for the horrifying attack onWestgate.

In southern Somalia a fierce gun fight with automatic weaponserupted amongst foot soldiers close to the Al Shabab highcommand.

Rival factions divided by personal, clan and ideologicaldifferences opened fire with automatic weapons in Barawe, inthe Lower Shabelle region. The locals cowered as the bulletsflew.

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The truth is that trouble had been brewing for several months.Within days, al-Shabaab, Somalia’s most feared Islamistmilitia had split into two different factions. The nationalist wingwas defeated, and the so-called global jihadists, led by thegroup’s hardline emir, Ahmed Abdi Godane (aka SheikhMukhtar Abu Zubeyr), was victorious and took full control aftera power struggle that had lasted for about 2 years.

The brutal coup confirmed Godane’s position as al-Shabaab’s pre-eminent leader, but it was clear he would haveto swiftly demonstrate his power if his control of al-Shabaabwas to endure.

Experts believe that this is why he quickly came to therealization that he needed a big operation to make his reallyestablish and solidify his position. Analysts of the terror groupare now convinced that this is precisely what directly led to theWestgate attack in Nairobi, for which al-Shabaab were quickto take responsibility.

Godane has now emerged as Africa and the world’s mostwanted man. When the dust finally settles in Nairobi, theimmediate focus will shift to the al-Shabaab perpetrators ofthe atrocity – and the hunt for Godane will be on, big time. Forall intents and purposes he will be the new Osama Bin Ladenbecause western nations including the United States have noillusions about what he is planning next.

One of the founder members of al-Shabaab, Godane wasborn in July 1977, in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and belongs to theIsaaq clan. He studied at a madrassa in Pakistan fully

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financed by a Saudi millionaire and is said to be an Afghanwar veteran. He returned to Somalia in 2001. He started histerror activitiesin Somalia right away recruiting andradicalizing a small group who would later carry out attacksincluding the killing of Analena Tonelli, an Italian aid workerworking in Borame hospital, the killing of British couples inSheikh and hijacked a vehicle belong to WFP.

After working in 2006 as secretary-general of the IslamicCourts Union, a more moderate predecessor to al-Shabaab,Godane rose steadily in the increasingly militant militia afterthe ICU was suppressed. He became emir in 2008 after hispredecessor was killed in a US air strike. That year the USnamed him a “specially designated global terrorist”, and in2012 placed a $7m bounty on his head.

According to Nathaniel Horadam at the American EnterpriseInstitute, Godane is a shadowy figure who keeps a low profile

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and there are hardly any photographs of him. A 2010International Crisis Group report described him asuncharismatic and reclusive. He makes the majority of hisstatements in recorded audio messages distributed throughonline jihadist forums.

Somali media reports say that Godane has a home inSharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, where his wife andchildren have lived since 2008. The reports also claim that hevisited them twice in 2010, using a Kenyan passport with adifferent name to enter the country.

In his first statement as head of al-Shabaab, Godane pledgedallegiance to Osama bin Laden and vowed to launch a directattack on the US. He has consistently rejected negotiationswith what Somalia’s government stressing that it must eithersurrender or face destruction.

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In 2012, completing his personal ideological journey to theviolent extreme, he formally affiliated al-Shabaab to al-Qaida.Godane has since expressed solidarity with the Islamic Stateof Iraq, an al-Qaida franchise. And he claimed responsibilityfor the 2010 World Cup bombings in Kampala that killed 74people, a strike mounted in retaliation for Uganda’sparticipation in the Amisom peacekeeping mission inSomalia. At the time he warned in his audio messages thatthat was just the beginning.

Analysts are all but certain that Godane masterminded theWestgate attack. Clearly every major Westren power will nowbe looking for him but with the appetite the Al Shabab highcommand has for killing each other there is also the possibilitythat he could be finished off from within his organization.

One of the very few

available images of

Godane sketched from

a rare photograph. It

has always been

claimed that he has

never been

photographed. This is

evidnce that he has, but

I guess you still get the

point, a very private,

elusive character.

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Westgate has demonstration the resurgence of al-Shabaaband the group’s ability to mount large-scale operationsbeyond Somalia’s borders.

The sheer surreal horror at Westgate looks like a chillingstatement of intent by Ahmed Abdi Godane. The June internalcoup within al Shabaab was extremely brutal. Among four topcommanders who were executed by Godane were two of thegroup’s co-founders, known as al-Afghani and Burhan. Al-Shabaab’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, fledfor his life, and was later detained by Somali governmentforces where he definitely feels much safer.

But the infighting continues. Earlier this month, the Alabama-born al-Shabaab commander Omar Hammami, known as AbuMansoor al-Amriki or “the American”, and a British nationalknown as Usama al-Britani, were shot dead in a dawn raid ontheir hideout by Godane’s allies. Hammami, who was onWashington’s most wanted list, had previously accusedGodane of behaving like a dictator.

Godane, also known as Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, was behind al-Shabaab’s decision in 2011 to affiliate to al-Qaida and adoptits global jihadist outlook. This was before he ordered the2010 bombings in Kampala that killed 74 people – in protestat Uganda’s participation in Amisom. In 2011 he published ajihadist video entitled “At your service, Osama”. In it he vowedthat “the wars will not end until sharia [law] is implemented inall continents in the world”. Even before Westgate, he was oneof the world’s most wanted terrorists.

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Sheikh Aweys, the face of the other al-Shabaab faction incontrast, is seen as a Somali Islamist nationalist opposed toforeign intervention of any kind, be it jihadist, western orAfrican, a position he has steadfastly held to. His vanquishingwas a victory for the hardliners, who are now in full control ofthe al-Shabaab.

What makes Al-Shabaab even more dangerous to the worldat large and not just Kenya is the fact that the group is underpressure on a number of other fronts. Having been ejected

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from the capital Mogadishu two years ago, it is facing arenewed campaign to retake key towns in central Somalia.Last week the central town of Mahadeey was overrun bySomali troops backed by Amisom. Although it still controlsmuch of the south, loss of territory means loss of revenue andinfluence for the group. The fact that 150 leading clerics havesigned a government-supported fatwa asserting that al-Shabaab under Godane has strayed from the true path ofIslam will definitely not stop the man.

The apparent decision by Godane and fellow hardliners toagain take the fight beyond Somalia’s borders looks like a bidto regain the initiative in the face of these setbacks anddisagreements. In addition, the group’s occasional bombattacks in Mogadishu keep the government on the back foot.

The infighting within al-Shabaab was fascinatingly triggered inDecember 2010 when al-Qaeda attempted to replace MoktarAli Zubeyr “Godane” with Ibrahim al-Afghani, also known asIbrahim Haji Jama Mee’aad. However al Shabaab refused tocomply, and Godane continued to function as its Emir. Thegroup was originally run by Aden Hashi Farah “Ayro”, who wasappointed by Hassan Dahir Aweys, one of the leaders of ICUat the time of the organization’s founding. After the death ofAyro, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow (also known as Abu Mansur)became leader until he was succeeded by Godane.

It is important to note that in August 2011, Godane was heavilycriticized by Al-Shabaab co-founder Hassan Dahir Aweys andothers for not letting aid into the hunger stricken parts ofsouthern Somalia. This merciless ruthlessness clearly came

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out in the Westgate attack where eyewitnesses say theterrorists showed no mercy and even slit open somechildren’s throats.

Godane has also been linked to unconfirmed reports that heordered the execution by beheading of American-born Islamistradical Abu-Mansoor Al-Amriki (Omar Hammami); as well asthe infighting between Al Shabab leaders, most notably thegroup’s military commander in the south Sheikh Hassan Dahir“Aweys”.

Although not formally announced, it was around this time ofthis criticism against Godane that al Shabaab was effectivelysplit up into a “foreign legion”, led by Godane and a coalitionof factions forming a “national legion” under Aways. The lattergroup often refused to take orders from Godane and the twogroups hardly talked to each other. In February 2012, Godanemade a ba’aya statement, swearing full allegiance to Al-Qaeda. With it he likely hoped to reclaim and extend hisauthority, and to encourage foreign fighters to stay.

Just last year, Godane) was named to TIME magazine’sannual list of 100 most influential people in the world.

Time Magazine said he is driven by a “hypnotic appeal ofestablishing God’s kingdom on Earth”.

Apparently Godane has a big family and a lot of influence inhis place of birth Somaliland (which has seceded fromSomalia and is peaceful). He is believed to have radicalizedmany of the youth in Somaliland, taking full advantage of the

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fact that the unemployment rate there is currently over 80 percent. Also many disapprove of the current administration andthe strong Ethiopian ties it has.

Overview

I had prepared some prose for this last section but whilereading through excerpts of an online chat I had withsomebody I realized that it was much more entertaining andhad more details that had been omitted from my originalwriting.

I therefore decided to include it in this special report.

My friend: I am confused that there are no freed hostagesbeing shown on TV to boost the national morale and show offthe capacity of our security forces

Kumekucha: They don’t exist.

Al Shabab have denied that all hostages have been freed.What Kenyans have forgotten is that when you allow the armyto control information it will always be propaganda. It’s alwaysa key part of every war and battle strategy anywhere in theworld. No military organization in the world can afford to reportsetbacks. It is as simple as that.

The position is that the terrorists still have hostages and mygut feeling is that they are gathering an audience for their bigshow which could involve blowing up the building with themand the hostages inside.

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Remember that this is also a big recruitment advertisementfor the Al Shabab as they rapidly expand worldwide.

Osama had his start here in 98. I fear that Ahmed AbdiGodane will have his at Westgate as we watch. He’s aruthless and nasty piece of work and his specialty is killing aidworkers and blocking them from reaching starving fellowSomalis. It seems that slitting children’s throats is also his newsignature.

Two of the terrorists caught on CCTV camera.

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There is only one way this thing can end my friend.

My friend: Absolutely terrible

Kumekucha: I can’t get mind off a desperate man whosewife and child are still inside Westgate. He tried several timesto rush to the entrance to go look for them but was stopped bysecurity forces. I can’t imagine what relatives of the hostagesinside are going through just now.

My friend: When was this? How come the local media arenot reporting on these people?

Kumekucha: I saw that on some foreign media can’tremember which one.

My friend: ok

Kumekucha: And so as usual I would love to be wrong abouthow this will end.

My friend: So any idea how many Kenyan soldiers have beenkilled so far?

Kumekucha: It could be as many as 13 Kenyan soldierskilled.

My friend: Oh dear. So do you believe that they are incommunication with whoever is inside Westgate?

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Kumekucha: It seems so because they are giving detailsthey would not know any other way.

My friend: How on earth did they get in unnoticed? And allthat artillery they seem to have, how?

Kumekucha: The Somali border is especially pourous,everybody knows that.

You know these days you can dis-assemble weapons so thatthey come in small pieces of metal that an immigration officerwould have no idea about. In any case you may have had thestory about heavy weapons being smuggled inside carcassesof goats in a lorry. If you look inside you see live goats andmany dead ones. The weapons are inside the dead ones.

My friend: No, I mean inside Westgate. They seem to have alot of weapons in there.

Kumekucha: Again they can be brought into a buildingdisguised as something else and those sleepy watchmen atthe gates will have no idea, and probably stored somewherein readiness for assembly.

My friend: But how did they get so much ammunition in thereto keep fighting all these days.

Kumekucha: Yeah, that is still a big puzzle.

My friend: Na hawachoki and they’re not eating or drinkingama they have supplies? Water, food, toilets, etc?

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Kumekucha: Food is no problem. They can’t finish the foodthat’s available in the Nakumatt supermarket and food court.They would have had plenty of time to carry supplies to theirhideout before the KDF arrived. And so they only needed toworry about weapons.

My friend: So where in the building do you think they are andwhy has it taken such a long time to flash them out? Tena theyare so few?

Kumekucha: It is believed that they are in some bank orbullet proof place like the vault belonging to Nakumatt that isbelieved to be somewhere in the building. Am told that theNakumatt branch in Westgate handles more cash than most

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banks daily and that was the reason for the vault. In any casewherever they are, they are not easy to get to.

My friend: Hostages? They’re feeding them?

Kumekucha: There is very little information about thecondition of the terrorists. There were unconfirmed reports thatthey may have had explosives strapped on them. Otherunconfirmed reports indicated that they may have been in aseparate room from where the terrorist were holed up. I havealso received a report from at least two independent sourcesthat possibly the third and fourth floors were wired withexplosives.

My friend: So they don’t intend to leave that place alive?

Kumekukucha: That is NOT the terrorist way is it?And it will certainly not get them the recruits they seek will it?

My friend: ghai

Kumekucha: Apart from everything else, this is also a big ADfor recruitment for major international operations in future.

My friend: wooi… so how long will they be holed up in therebefore they get tired?

Kumekucha: They are not getting tired remember? In factthey are having massive orgasms enjoying all the attentionthey are getting… and possibly receiving calls from all overthe world praising their heroism.

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My friend: True.

Kumekucha: And their ma-fans of course.

My friend: they have fans? You are not serious!!

Kumkucha: of course they do, how do u think terrorismworks and attracts recruits?

My friend: …so we brace for a final showdown?

Kumekucha: Am afraid so. Really hope am wrong

My friend: …but what other outcome can there be?

Kumekucha: Who can be happy being right about a thinglike this with those poor innocent people dying after days offear? Really terrible experience. I pray for a miracle that willprove me sooo wrong.

Updates to follow every two days or so.

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Emerging newinformationWhat would you do if you were faced with a situation where

you have terrorists holed up in a building and you are not quite

sure what further damage and killing they are planning to do

next? And all this in the wake of information that they may be

planning other attacks or that even the current siege you are

faced with could be a diversion for yet another more serious

attack? The answer is obvious, you would do everything in

Update 26/09/2013

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your power to take the initiative from the terrorists. Emerging

information is that the KDF assisted by Israeli commandos

did just that.

Highly credible sources now reveal that a decision was made

to use heavy weapons/explosives to bring down a section of

the Westgate mall where the terrorists were holed up killing

them and the hostages they had with them. This was after

consultations at the highest level including calls to President

Barack Obama and the Israelis. As horrifying as this may

sound those familiar with the way terrorists operate say that

although this must have been a very difficult decision to make,

in the circumstances it was the only option under the

circumstances. More so because it took the initiative away

from the terrorists. There were reports that in any case the

hostages were already wired to explosives and it was clear

that the terrorists intended to blow them up together with

themselves. What the KDF did was necessary damage

control, security experts have told this blogger. Although the

terrorists achieved their evil objectives, the grand finale big

horror show (that they had probably hoped to execute before

TV cameras and the press) was taken away from them.

Al Shabab claims can hardly be taken for gospel truth

because they too have their propaganda objectives. However

there seems to be some element of truth in what officials of

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the terror gang have to say about what really went down. They

claim that the attackers held hostage 137 people inside the

building (this contradicts the figures availed by the Red Cross

and the Kenyan government). Al Shabab say that KDF fired

“chemical projectors” where the hostages and attackers were

holed up, killing them all. They further claim that KDF then blew

up the building, bringing down several floors “to hide and clear

their mess”. The Al Shabab terrorists therefore declare that it

is the Kenyan government that should be held liable for the

loss of lives.

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It is difficult at this juncture to verify the Al Shabab version of

events but the fact that KDF have reported that they detonated

several bombs and “bobby traps” in the building begs the

question of how they managed to get the terrorists out of the

way to do this. Everybody knows that terrorists always have

their fingers close to the trigger of such devices and detonate

them at the slightest provocation. This is what has caused

many experts to believe that the Al Shabab verison of events

may be close to the truth of what really transpired at the

doomed building in the final moments of the conflict between

the KDF and terrorists.

Meanwhile further information from sources close to the

Kenyan government seem to confirm the rumour that the

terrorists had hired a shop inside Westgate mall and used this

vantage position to not only plan their attack but to also

smuggle weapons and arms into the building.