November 18, 2004
The Nation (Nairobi)
November 19, 200
Stephen Muiruri
Nairobi
Three men have been arrested over the gun battle at the Nairobi home of Somalia's newly elected president.
Police said yesterday they were also following the lead that the attack was masterminded by Islamic fundamentalists opposed to President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and his government.
The three were picked up a few hours after two gunmen sneaked into the president's home and engaged GSU officers in a fierce shootout.
They are being held at an undisclosed city police station for security reasons.
A security source told the Nation: "Intelligence information received by our officers shows that the attack might have been plotted by Islamic fundamentalists opposed to the return of the rule of law in the war-torn Somalia."
The police, he added, were convinced that the gunmen who went to Mr Abdullahi's home at Kitisuru, were part of a hit squad hired to eliminate him. "Police are convinced that the gunmen were assassins because if they were ordinary robbers, they would have taken off when they were confronted by the the GSU men. But they bravely engaged the officers in a fierce gun battle and only fled when they were overpowered."
Mr Abdullahi, who is putting together a government while preparing to move back to Mogadishu, was unharmed, but badly shaken in the Tuesday night attack.
The president was in bed as the gunmen dug a hole through the hedge at the back of the house and raced across the compound towards the mansion. They were intercepted by GSU officers.
They exchanged fire with the guards for more than five minutes before fleeing into the nearby Karura forest.
Security at the home was tight yesterday as armed GSU personnel stood guard at the gate and patrolled the compound. Only visitors with appointments were allowed in, but after a thorough security check.
The Somali president's family moved into the home a week ago and it was his first night in the mansion, having just returned from a foreign trip.
He arrived back at 4.30pm on Tuesday accompanied by prime minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi, who left soon afterwards.
A police source said: "The two men were brandishing AK-47 rifles. They opened fire when they were ordered to identify themselves. The guards then engaged them in a gun battle for about five minutes. "
On Wednesday, Somalia's head of presidential Press service, Mr Yusuf Mohammed Ismail, said President Abdullahi was happy with the security given to him and his family in Nairobi.
The president, a former army colonel, has been provided with state security since he was elected.