US reinforces Kenya’s fight against terror

Federal Bureau of Investigation

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from MARIA MACHARIA in Nairobi, Kenya
NAIROBI, (CAJ News) UNITED States (US) agencies have partnered to assist Kenya create the first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to be located outside America.

The Department of State and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the latest security partnership.

The initiative to establish the JTTF-K began after the al-Shabaab terrorist attack on the DusitD2 Hotel in the Kenya capital, Nairobi, in January last year.

“There was a pressing need for a JTTF (Joint Terrorism Task Force) that could be met through FBI’s training expertise combined with the State Department Bureau of Counter terrorism’s (CT Bureau) capacity building efforts,” the US agencies jointly stated.

The 42 selected Kenyan investigators will receive a 12-week intensive counter-terrorism training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

The FBI will administer the curriculum and provide training with assistance from other agencies, as applicable. FBI and the CT Bureau will collaboratively assess the program.

The team will adopt methodologies used by JTTFs and be trained to handle sensitive counter-terrorism intelligence shared with the Kenyan government.

The investigators will be trained and equipped to investigate all terrorism matters deemed of significant importance to Kenya’s National Security Council.

Upon completion of the course, the JTTF-K officers will return to Kenya, where they will be assisted by an FBI Special Agent mentor.

Investigations conducted by JTTF-K will be carried out in accordance with international law enforcement standards and in comportment with human rights. Legal authorities will be derived from the Kenyan Constitution and International Treaties.

Cases will be prosecuted in Kenya’s courts, which promotes the US goal of enabling foreign partners to successfully counter terrorist threats.

Kenya is under threat from the al-Shabaab terror group, which has been active in East Africa since 2006.

– CAJ News

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