Two people accused of being part of an Islamic State group extremist cell of medics attempting to launch an anthrax attack in the country have been arrested, Kenyan police said today.
A statement from the Anti-Terror Police Unit said police yesterday arrested Mohamed Shukri Yerrow, an intern doctor at Malindi sub-county hospital, along with Abdulrazak Abdinuur following a tip-off from members of the public.
The alleged leader of the cell, Mohammed Abdi Ali, a medical intern in Makueni county, and his wife, a medical student in Uganda, were arrested in May.
Police say two other medics are missing. However some rights activists have suggested that police could be involved in their disappearance.
Kenya is struggling to battle the Islamic State group's recruitment of some of the country's youths. At least 20 young Kenyans have travelled to Libya to join the extremist group, according to police.
Authorities fear that the Islamic State is trying to establish a presence in Kenya, East Africa's biggest economy and telecommunications and transport hub. Al-Qaida has long had a presence in Kenya through its affiliation with neighbouring Somalia's extremist group al-Shabab.
There is concern that those who join IS and al-Qaida will be used to launch attacks on Western targets in Kenya and neighbouring countries.
Al-Shabab has used the hundreds of Kenyan youths in its ranks to launch attacks like the April 2015 attack at Garissa University which killed more than 148 people.
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