Kenya police probe death of Muslim youth

Kenya police said Tuesday they have launched investigation into the murder of a middle-aged Muslim youth, who was allegedly executed by an extremist in the coastal town of Malindi. Mombasa anti-terror police officer Kiprono Langat said Ahmed Bakhshwein was slain for working with both foreign and local security agencies. Langat said the unknown gunman shot the deceased and escaped using a motorbike. "We are investigating the shocking murder. The motive behind the incident remains mystery but we have launched thorough investigations," Langat told Xinhua by telephone. "Ahmed was a very innocent man well known to many Malindi residents. It's not clear who might have killed him and why," Langat added, noting that the assailant had trailed the deceased before shooting him at close range. Langat said the deceased was alone in the car when he was attacked. On Dec. 3, 2013, a madrasa teacher was allegedly beheaded by radical Muslim youths in the coastal town of Malindi. According to police, Faiz Rufai was abducted from his home by youths who brutally murdered him by chopping off his head using sharp knife and dumped his body in the Indian Ocean. His body was discovered floating in the Indian Ocean with the head missing by resident. He was allegedly killed for collaborating with the moderate Muslim group allied to the government. Reliable sources indicate that Faiz was mujahedeen accused of being a traitor and government sympathizer. Highly placed security sources revealed he had returned from Somalia and secretly abandoned the group's activities and worked as double agent. Langat said detectives from anti-terror police unit and scene of crime visited the scene as they launched investigation. His body was moved to a private hospital waiting to be conducted postmortem. Police in the coastal region have stepped up surveillance following reports of impending terror attacks by dozen of Al- Shabaab returnees. Anti-terror police officers have also launched a manhunt for the wanted terror suspect who escaped police dragnet when police raided his house in Kwale on Monday. During the operation police recovered an AK-47 rifle, 38 rounds of ammunition, two magazines and military uniforms from the house situated four km from Msambweni town. Police suspected the firearms were part of arms he smuggled from Somalia to Kenya. The officers have released the identity of the man as Ali Mohammed Delawa. Msambweni Police commander Jack Ekakuro said police have intensified the manhunt for Mohammed and his accomplices accused of being behind recent terror attacks in south coast. Police heightened security to avert any terror attack following the killing of a key Al-Shabaab commander in Somalia.