Two senior officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have arrived in Kenya for consultation with the government on countering transnational crimes.
FBI’s Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division Robert R. Wells, based at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C paid a courtesy call to the Director of Criminal Investigations Amid Mohamed on Friday morning.
Wells, who was accompanied by his colleague Leonard Williams, visited the DCI boss at his Mazingira complex offices along Kiambu Road.
In a statement, Amin said the conversation between the three focused on enhancing the relationship between the two agencies in the fight against transnational organized crimes and more specifically terrorism and violent extremism.
“While exploring ways in which we can further strengthen our collaboration, the high-ranking FBI officials also acknowledged the country’s efforts in the fight against organized crimes not only in Kenya but across the African region,” DCI said.
On his part, Amin thanked the FBI for the long-standing relationship enjoyed by the two agencies that had benefited both agencies in the execution of their mandates.
Amin noted that FBI had previously sponsored and facilitated capacity development programmes aimed at improving the investigative and professional capacity of DCI officers in dealing with transnational organised crimes.
The two FBI directors also visited the DCI National Forensic Laboratory launched in June last year.
Kenya has in recent months heightened surveillance to counter terrorism in the country.
Last month, DCI published names of four wanted terror suspects, who the directorate said are “armed and dangerous”.
The agency said the suspects are linked to the Alshabab terror network and responsible for the recent attacks in Lamu county.
The four are Abdullahi Banati, Maalim Ayman, Ramadhan Kioko, and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir.
“The DCI is appealing to members of the public to volunteer information that may lead to the arrest of the following terror suspects, linked to the Alshabab terror network and responsible for the recent attacks in Lamu County.
“The suspects who are trained, armed and dangerous have been linked to several acts of terror that have occurred in the country in the past.
“Members of the public are asked to provide information that may lead to their arrest through our #FichuakwaDCI HOTLINE number 0800 722 203,” DCI said in a statement on Friday, January 13.
US and DCI announce Ksh1.2B bounty
At the same time, the United States and the DCI placed a Ksh1.2 billion bounty on one of the masterminds of the 2019 DusitD2 terror attack.
US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman and DCI boss Mohammed Amin released the photo of Mohamoud Abdi Aden, a leader of the terrorist group al-Shabaab, said to be part of the cell that planned the attack on the hotel.
“The US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to USD10 million for the information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country.
“The Department of State designated al-Shabaab as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in March 2008,” the ambassador said.
