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Panic over suspect explosive material

Details

Published on Sunday, 21 October 2007 05:18

Panic, confusion and anxiety rocked Kisii town yesterday after police found suspected explosive materials at a business stall. Five businessmen of Somali origin were arrested from the business stall situated at Uhuru Plaza in the middle of the town.

The town was thrown into confusion as the officers led the five to Kisii police station where they were held. Four were later released while one was retained in custody.

Security was beefed up with GSU officers keeping guard at the Kisii police station as investigations got under way. Yesterday afternoon bomb experts from Nairobi ruled out the possibility that the items recovered were explosives but ferried them to Nairobi for further tests.Uranium and a metal container resembling a grenade were found in the stall by police acting on a tip-off. The uranium was in a small cooking oil container with the writing: “Warning! Don’t open, dangerous fire stone inside, highly flammable, high evaporation, casing dangerous. Poison of Uranium.”

The container was covered with aluminium foil. The Nairobi team was led by a senior officer at the Anti- Terrorism Squad who identified himself as Mr Mwaniki. Mr Mwaniki said: “We can’t rule out anything as of now. Results will tell whether the materials had the strength of a bomb.” 

Kisii police chief Augustine Kimantiria confirmed that his officers were holding one suspect for interrogation. Mr Kimantiria declined to divulge more details to journalists, referring them to Mr Mwaniki.