Prominent city lawyer arrested over terror financing

A prominent city lawyer has been arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) over terrorism links after they dismantled a terror facilitation.

Police claimed that their investigations had linked the lawyer to financing and facilitation of youths to cross over to Somalia before moving to Yemen to join the Islamic State (Isis) or Daesh.

The lawyer who was arrested in Mombasa County is being held over his financing role that targeted over 17 people.

The finances which was to aid the movement of recruits as well as legal fees, came in cryptocurrency form through several countries, but a bulk was through neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania.

The cell was described by a senior officer within ATPU who sought anonymity as one of the most sophisticated terrorism facilitation networks that have ever been uncovered in Kenya.

Eight other people were arrested alongside the lawyer and are expected to be presented at the Kahawa Law Courts on Monday.

The breakthrough in the case that has been on the ATPU desk was hailed a major win in Kenya’s long-running battle against extremism.

The ATPU-led probe and a series of raids in several parts of the country saw officers remain on standby Friday evening following anticipation over the breakout of violence once reports got out that they had been apprehended.

The breakthrough in the case came from a group of 10 recruits who were intercepted as they tried to cross over to Puntland, Somalia.

Their final destination was Yemen where they were to join established Isis cells.

Through several interviews during their detention period, the young men gave ATPU detectives crucial leads that opened up the investigation into the Isis wider network.

The radicalization of the youths is believed to have taken place online and also through local contacts who were key to the logistics of their movement.

The lawyer who received the finances then facilitated their movements to Yemen.

Somalia and Yemen due to their instability are easy waypoints for the movement of the recruits due to the crackdown of Isis in other parts of the world that traditionally served as waypoints.

“It is a conveyor belt,” a senior ATPU officer explained.

The officer added, “Kenya is used as a corridor. Once they reach Puntland, arrangements are made to move them across the Gulf of Aden into Yemen, where they connect with established IS cells.”

The lawyer is prominent for representing terror suspects and detectives believe he was radicalized in his line of work after he came into contact with extremist networks while representing his ‘clients’.

“He initially appeared as defence counsel in a number of terrorism cases,” the officer said.

“Over time, he is believed to have moved from professional legal representation into active participation in the facilitation network.”

According to police sources, the people behind his legal fees were paid by key ISIS financiers, and they saw the advocate as a perfect cover for their actions.

The lawyer is alleged to have agreed to help coordinate the ISIS efforts in East Africa, including their operations to recruit more youth.

“It appears he was gradually recruited into the wider facilitation structure; from there, his role expanded beyond the courtroom.”

Detectives on the case said that they had “overwhelming” evidence linking the suspects to the financing, logistical support and movement of recruits to Isis cells abroad.

ATPU officers told The Saturday Standard that they spent months on the probe, and they have a detailed financial trail that allegedly links the suspects to the recruitment and movement recruits to conflict zones.

“Our message is that Kenya is not a soft route for terror logistics. We will follow the money, wherever it leads – even into the digital shadows of cryptocurrency,” said a senior officer.

There are bank transfers, hotel booking records, cross-border travel manifests and a series of digital transactions routed through cryptocurrencies.

“This is a structured facilitation network, we have financial experts, advocates, tour operators, hoteliers and boda boda operators working in concert to move money, people and information. The documentary evidence in our custody is overwhelming.”