Trials of Somali pirates are putting Kenya at risk

An agreement between Kenya and the US to try pirates arrested in the Indian Ocean in Kenyan courts could have unwittingly exposed the country to terror attacks. The risk of Somali-based terrorists, including al Qaeda-affiliated groups, launching attacks against Western interests in Kenya has risen significantly. The agreement, announced by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, will see dozens of Somali pirates transported to Mombasa, before being arraigned in Kenyan courts. Over the past three weeks alone, more than 30 pirates have been apprehended. A Kenyan court in Mombasa is already trying eight pirates apprehended last year by the British navy. “The active involvement of Kenya in the anti-piracy campaign will strengthen perceptions among Somali extremists of Kenya as an ally of the Americans and the West in the so-called war on terror,” Dr Adams Oloo, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi’s political department, told The EastAfrican. “Because the extremists cannot reach the US directly, they could settle for a symbolic attack on its interests in the region,” he added.
Over the past year, the pirates are thought to have made about $100 million in ransom after hijacking nearly 50 ships. ..more..http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/2558/535926/-/rk8kexz/-/index.html
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