Garissa massacre planner Mohamed Kuno joins ISIS

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Mohamed Kuno alias Gamadheere. Photo/Courtesy

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The Kenyan-born mastermind of the massacre of 148 people in Garissa has defected from al Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab to a pro-ISIS faction, intelligence reports indicate.

Mohamed Kuno alias Gamadhere, previously al Shabaab Lower Juba commander, joined the more extremist and violent faction in the last week of November.

Kuno defected with 1,200 fighters, who include Jaysh Ayman.

They hide in Boni Forest in Kenya and the Ras-Kamboni areas in Somalia.

Intelligence operatives warn he may take up the role of ISIS leader in Kenya.

Victims of the April 2 terror attack on Garissa University College included 142 students.

Kenya recently offered a $215,000 (Sh21.9 million) reward for any information that may lead to Kuno’s capture.

He is a close confidant of Sheikh Muumin, the self-declared Somali leader of an al Shabaab faction that joined an ISIS faction in Somalia.

It is feared Kuno will establish a working link with Sheikh al Somali, a pro-ISIS radical preacher in Kenya.

Recently, al Shabaab warned that it will behead any members who defect to ISIS after Muumin and some fighters pledged allegiance to the Syria and Iraq-based terror group.

Consequently, al Shabaab’s amniyaat wing is reported to be hunting down Kuno and other defectors.

According to online newsletter intelligencebriefs.com, al Shabaab has in the past few weeks executed “more than five pro-ISIS commanders”.

The commanders were killed alongside their fighters who shifted loyalty together with Sheikh Muumin in Somalia, the newsletter says.

Fearing execution, a Minnesota man who joined al Shabaab in Somalia seven years ago turned himself in to the Somalia government.

The US State Department says the jihadist identified as Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan surrendered to the federal government of Somalia in November.

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