Kenya government faces questions over siege – Africa – Al Jazeera English.

Kenya’s government is facing questions over whether it ignored warnings about last week’s siege on a shopping centre.

A leaked intelligence report obtained by Al Jazeera says security agencies were alerted about a possible attack on Westgate mall about a year ago.

According to the report, officers were warned that al-Shabab was planning suicide attacks on the Westgate shopping centre and the Holy Family Basilica, a church in Nairobi, in September last year.

In January this year, the report looked at the possibility of attackers storming a building and holding hostages, much like the siege last week.

Earlier this month, the Israeli embassy in Nairobi raised concerns about a possible attack on Israeli citizens during the Jewish Holiday period in September, and also revealed that a number of Somalia-based al-Shabab fighters were apparently given refugee cards to enter Kenya.

Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri, reporting from Nairobi, said the end of the report is also quite damaging to the Kenyan government as it lists recipients of the intelligence document, which includes top cabinet officials.

Related articles

• Kenya FM says al-Qaeda behind mall attack (aljazeera.com)
• Kenya Westgate missing drops to 39 (bbc.co.uk)
• Al-Shabab: Kenya Mall Attack is Just ‘Act 1’ (newsy.com)
• New Arrest in Kenya Mall Siege (voanews.com)