Islamists 'plotted to kill Clinton in Nairobi hotel'

RADICAL Islamist al-Shabaab militants linked to al-Qa'ida and based in Somalia plotted to kill US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her trip to Africa last month, it was disclosed yesterday.A planned series of bomb attacks set to take place in Nairobi, the capital of neighbouring Kenya, while Mrs Clinton was there - one in the hotel where she was staying - was foiled at the last minute, media reports, citing senior security officials, said.
"Al-Qa'ida wanted to strike at the heart of Nairobi (while Mrs Clinton was here)," the senior security official was quoted as saying, adding that Kenyan authorities intercepted communications between the plotters in war-ravaged Somalia and their operatives in Nairobi, which has a large emigre Somali population. Five suspected al-Shabaab terrorists were arrested, including a man believed to be a Somali carrying a Danish passport. The four other suspects seized, including a woman, had what appeared to be false Kenyan identity documents, according to the reports. Disclosure of the foiled bomb plot coincided yesterday with claims by a spokesman for al-Shabaab - which was listed last month as a terrorist organisation by the Australian government after an alleged plot to attack Sydney's Holsworthy army barracks was discovered - that it was reinforcing its positions around Mogadishu in anticipation of a major battle. Al-Shabaab spokesman Sheik Ali Mohamoud Rage said the Islamists were preparing to defend themselves against an expected "major aggression" from Somali government forces and peacekeepers from the African Union. Al-Shabaab ahttp://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,26039422-26397,00.htmlnd its allied Hezbul Islam group already control much of what remains of Mogadishu. ..more..