Kenya's 70 radical Muslim youths deny terrorism-related charges

Some 70 radical Muslim youths, who were arrested last week during four days of violent protests in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, on Wednesday denied seven counts of terrorism related offences. The suspects, who also denied being members of the Al-Shabaab terror group, appeared before Shanzu Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo and pleaded not guilty to the seven charges. The charges include being in possession of firearm without a certificate and, incitement. Other charges include robbery with violence of a G-3 rifle from a police officer, being in possession of materials that propagated terror that included four flags linked with Al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based group linked to Al-Qaida. One suspect Suleiman Sheikh Ali was charged for incitement to cause violence. The prosecution opposed the release of the suspects on bond. "The suspects were arrested as they planned to perform a terrorist act, releasing them might accomplish what they had intended to commit," Prosecutor Onesmus Toyot told the magistrate. Through their lawyers, the accused requested the court to grant them cash bail or an alternative bond. "The constitution allows the accused to be released on a bond, the prosecution has failed to substantiate that the suspects are flight risk as earlier stated and we hereby urge your honor to release the accused," the defense lawyer Mbugwa Mureithi said. "The court can attach condition on the bail for the accused to continue cooperation with the court," he added. Odenyo remanded the accused until Feb 26 for determination of the bond. Security was tightened at the court when they suspects were escorted from prison by police officers The suspects were arrested two weeks ago after police raided the infamous Masjid Mosque where they were attending jihad convention with intention of planning terror attack. The suspects had hosted Al-Shabaab mosques at the Mosque. Police officers were forced to storm the mosque and arrested the suspect and recovered confidential documents including laptops suspected to contain Al-Shabaab operatives in the country. During the raid at least five people were killed among a police officer that resulted to four day street protests where several people were injured and motorists vandalized by the Muslim youths. On Monday, suspected Somali militants shot and wounded a police officer before stealing his AK-447 rifle in Ukunda town. Mombasa Regional Police Coordinator Aggrey Adoli said the police officer was shot at close range by a gunmen suspected to be radical youths. The police suspects the attackers are radical Muslim youths from Majid Mosque in Mombasa city, a hotbed for Al-Shabaab funding and training. Sources within the police told Xinhua that the Monday attack was retaliation over the raid at Masjid Musa where several Muslim youths were arrested by the security officers who conducted a raid on Feb. 7.