Terrorism in Nairobi
September 23, 2013 11:23 PM Subscribe
"all we could hear was screaming and shooting." At approximately 11am on Saturday, September 21, terrorists - believed to be 10 to 15 in number, entered one of Nairobi's upscale malls and began killing people. Today, as the 4th day of the siege began, it is believed all the remaining hostages have been freed. Currently the death toll stands at 62 and 175 have been wounded. Al Shabab, a terrorist group based in Somalia, took credit for the attacks via their twitter account, before it was again suspended.
Live updates from Kenya's Daily Nation.
Google's real time coverage.
Terrifying and very graphic images.
Initial reports that the terorrists were lead by the "White Widow" - English widow of a 7/7 bomber, Samantha Lewthwaite.
At least 2 Americans and 1 Briton believed to be among the gunmen.
Early commentary:
Making sense of the chaos in Kenya
Five things the Kenya mall attack tells us about global terrorism
Live updates from Kenya's Daily Nation.
Google's real time coverage.
Terrifying and very graphic images.
Initial reports that the terorrists were lead by the "White Widow" - English widow of a 7/7 bomber, Samantha Lewthwaite.
At least 2 Americans and 1 Briton believed to be among the gunmen.
Early commentary:
Making sense of the chaos in Kenya
Five things the Kenya mall attack tells us about global terrorism
It would be very "Christ, this is a shitty movie" if Lewthwaite has already changed into her white middle-class mom outfit and jogged out of there with everyone else, but that's what I'm half expecting to hear. Or maybe not; they claim to be ready to shoot her on sight.
posted by pracowity at 1:26 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by pracowity at 1:26 AM on September 24, 2013
Nairobi mall attackers could not have picked a better target
posted by Mister Bijou at 1:26 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by Mister Bijou at 1:26 AM on September 24, 2013
Some other background: The Westgate Mall, which is in Nairobi's upmarket Westlands district, was initially reported to have been at least part owned by an Israeli company, although it is unclear if that is a factor or indeed if ownership extends much beyond the ArtCaffe, one of the first sites to be attacked. The primary shareholder is, apparently, businessman/politician John Harun Mwau's Nakumatt group. It is known to be popular with foreign residents and wealthy Kenyans.
Israeli and US "security advisors", generally code for special forces or paramilitary intelligence staff, have been involved in the siege and possibly also the rescue.
What is concerning security folk particularly is that this is an apparent change in tactics for Al Shabaab, previously thought of as a domestic issue for neighbouring Somalia. The heavy presence of non-Somalian fighters and the change in focus has led some to believe the group is splintering or that this attack is a new group appropriating the Al Shabaab 'brand'.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:26 AM on September 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
Israeli and US "security advisors", generally code for special forces or paramilitary intelligence staff, have been involved in the siege and possibly also the rescue.
What is concerning security folk particularly is that this is an apparent change in tactics for Al Shabaab, previously thought of as a domestic issue for neighbouring Somalia. The heavy presence of non-Somalian fighters and the change in focus has led some to believe the group is splintering or that this attack is a new group appropriating the Al Shabaab 'brand'.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:26 AM on September 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
MuffinMan: Maybe I'm missing it in the links, but where exactly is the reporting of Israeli and US special forces / paramilitary intelligence staff specifically? That seems unlikely for Israel, doubly so for the US. I'm interested in the details there.
posted by lazaruslong at 1:31 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by lazaruslong at 1:31 AM on September 24, 2013
Simon Jenkins of the Guardian thinks we should abolish malls:
The modern urban obsession with celebrity buildings and high-profile events offers too many publicity-rich targets. A World Trade Centre, a Mumbai hotel, a Boston marathon, a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them.posted by DreamerFi at 1:41 AM on September 24, 2013
It's not in those links as "special forces" but is in this one. If you read here, for example, ""The Israelis have just entered and they are rescuing the hostages and the injured," a Kenyan security source told Agence France-Presse." - it's pretty clear the Israelis are military or paramilitary. Generally in these situations where "advisors" appear on the scene you may get some specialists in negotiation but you will also get actual hostage rescue experts drawn from or seconded from special forces. Israel, understandably, is keen to downplay its role and so is officially describing its role as that of advising negotiations.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:43 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by MuffinMan at 1:43 AM on September 24, 2013
Israeli and US "security advisors"
Initially, also two members of UK's London Metropolitan Police, based in Nairobi and attached to the British Embassy. And it's now emerging that UK's SAS, which apparently also has a presence in Kenya, also now involved. Indeed, it is currently reported that one off-duty SAS dude was in Westgate when the mayhem kicked off and helped 100 people escape the mall.
posted by Mister Bijou at 1:44 AM on September 24, 2013
Initially, also two members of UK's London Metropolitan Police, based in Nairobi and attached to the British Embassy. And it's now emerging that UK's SAS, which apparently also has a presence in Kenya, also now involved. Indeed, it is currently reported that one off-duty SAS dude was in Westgate when the mayhem kicked off and helped 100 people escape the mall.
posted by Mister Bijou at 1:44 AM on September 24, 2013
DreamerFi: "The modern urban obsession with celebrity buildings and high-profile events offers too many publicity-rich targets. A World Trade Centre, a Mumbai hotel, a Boston marathon, a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them."
Yes you humans, stop gathering into convenient targets.
(To quote from Thomas Pynchon's new novel Bleeding Edge: "But it isn't the whole story. Can't you feel it, how everybody's regressing? 11 September infantilized this country. It had a chance to grow up, instead it chose to default back to childhood.")
posted by chavenet at 1:47 AM on September 24, 2013 [14 favorites]
Yes you humans, stop gathering into convenient targets.
(To quote from Thomas Pynchon's new novel Bleeding Edge: "But it isn't the whole story. Can't you feel it, how everybody's regressing? 11 September infantilized this country. It had a chance to grow up, instead it chose to default back to childhood.")
posted by chavenet at 1:47 AM on September 24, 2013 [14 favorites]
Israel, understandably, is keen to downplay its role
Likewise, the US. But I'd be amazed if US 'special advisors' attached to the US Embassy are not actively involved. Given that Somalia is just on the doorstep. And given that in 1998 the US Embassy in Nairobi was bombed. Massive destruction. 40+ Americans dead. 180+ Kenyans dead. 4,000 Kenyans injured. For what it's worth, last time I looked, 120 US troops were stationed at the Manda Bay Naval Base in Kenya.
posted by Mister Bijou at 1:59 AM on September 24, 2013
Likewise, the US. But I'd be amazed if US 'special advisors' attached to the US Embassy are not actively involved. Given that Somalia is just on the doorstep. And given that in 1998 the US Embassy in Nairobi was bombed. Massive destruction. 40+ Americans dead. 180+ Kenyans dead. 4,000 Kenyans injured. For what it's worth, last time I looked, 120 US troops were stationed at the Manda Bay Naval Base in Kenya.
posted by Mister Bijou at 1:59 AM on September 24, 2013
one off-duty SAS dude
Make that: one armed but off-duty SAS dude.
posted by Mister Bijou at 2:14 AM on September 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Make that: one armed but off-duty SAS dude.
posted by Mister Bijou at 2:14 AM on September 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hey, I made the post but only just now have the chance to jump back in, with more detail.
As some of you might be aware, I lived about a mile from Westgate for most of the last 3 years. The Nakumatt where the attackers holed up is where we did a significant portion of our grocery shopping, usually on Saturday mornings. We are still trying to get news on Patrick, the genial staff member there who hooked me up with a big gift certificate I forgot to collect when I first bought all my appliances there. He is a good, smiley guy, one of my favorite Kenyan friends.
We are also good friends with the Israeli guy who manages the ArtCaffe, as well as the new burger joint and tapas joint on the same floor, and the Onami sushi restaurant upstairs. I can confirm that many of the businesses in Westgate are owned by the Israelis who he works for, if not the mall complex itself (that I'm unsure on).
I have good friends who were trapped inside the mall, their story is pretty haunting (disclaimer, the reporter is also a close friend of mine, the East Africa Bureau chief for Associated Press). As far as we know, none of my personal friends were killed or are still inside, although I know many people who can not say the same. Many friends lost colleagues, friends of theirs, or family members. Nairobi is, at the heart of it, a "small" big town, which is part of why I loved it.
To speak to a few of the questions and comments above, with my own perspective:
How did the people who survived, survive?
People were fleeing the mall from the second the shooting and grenades started (those who were quick about it), until hours after the shooting started - spent in hiding inside (in the case of our friends), and from then until rescued by security forces, in the case of hostages (the ones that were confirmed rescued, in any case). I have it on authority that fleeing for many was very dangerous once the initial police forces arrived given that there may have been "friendly fire" inbound on the victims feared to be perpetrators. Once the better trained military elite arrived this was better controlled.
it is currently reported that one off-duty SAS dude was in Westgate
I hesitated to link to this in my OP. I heard some comments that he's retired SAS, and the claims of lives saved are largely speculative right now, although I'm sure he did the best he could. There seemed to be a lot of plainclothes "folk" (whites, Kenyans, and Indians primarily) around with handguns very quickly, which while unsurprising for Nairobi, was nice to see quick bonding together of those in a position to protect, in a country where the police don't even have cars to drive to the scene.
But I'd be amazed if US 'special advisors' attached to the US Embassy are not actively involved.
Yeah, but good luck proving anything.
they claim to be ready to shoot her on sight.
As a US citizen and former Kenyan resident, I decided to go ahead and include that link, even if it is still basically hearsay at this point (although Al Shabab's twitter has referenced her being there). If you want to google Lewthwaite you can find out a lot more about her.
I believe I saw Lewthwaite twice during my years in Kenya, the first time was at the intersection of Peponi Road and Lower Kabete Road, just as you exit Westgate on Peponi. She was in a car headed towards Westgate, and I remember being kind of surprised to be seeing a white woman in a hijab - I didn't know who she was at the time but found out later that day when I mentioned it to a long-time Nairobi resident.
The second time I saw her was earlier this year, when my wife and I were having dinner at a restaurant in the Lavington area of Nairobi. Her driver drove her car slowly past the restaurant we were sitting outside of, and she and I made eye-contact for more than a couple of seconds. I immediately noticed her from her photo, not just the white-woman in a hijab that time. I ran out of the restaurant and got the vehicle plate number and descriptions, and in turn reported them to the Kenyan police and my own embassy, as well as some UN security contacts of mine. I'm chagrined to say that I received little or no follow-up (I won't say who was little and who was none), I was basically thanked and informed that current intelligence didn't place her as being in Kenya.
I do really hope that she doesn't turn out to be involved, because if she does I'll be forever questioning why I didn't take the risk of following that car.
posted by allkindsoftime at 2:40 AM on September 24, 2013 [46 favorites]
As some of you might be aware, I lived about a mile from Westgate for most of the last 3 years. The Nakumatt where the attackers holed up is where we did a significant portion of our grocery shopping, usually on Saturday mornings. We are still trying to get news on Patrick, the genial staff member there who hooked me up with a big gift certificate I forgot to collect when I first bought all my appliances there. He is a good, smiley guy, one of my favorite Kenyan friends.
We are also good friends with the Israeli guy who manages the ArtCaffe, as well as the new burger joint and tapas joint on the same floor, and the Onami sushi restaurant upstairs. I can confirm that many of the businesses in Westgate are owned by the Israelis who he works for, if not the mall complex itself (that I'm unsure on).
I have good friends who were trapped inside the mall, their story is pretty haunting (disclaimer, the reporter is also a close friend of mine, the East Africa Bureau chief for Associated Press). As far as we know, none of my personal friends were killed or are still inside, although I know many people who can not say the same. Many friends lost colleagues, friends of theirs, or family members. Nairobi is, at the heart of it, a "small" big town, which is part of why I loved it.
To speak to a few of the questions and comments above, with my own perspective:
How did the people who survived, survive?
People were fleeing the mall from the second the shooting and grenades started (those who were quick about it), until hours after the shooting started - spent in hiding inside (in the case of our friends), and from then until rescued by security forces, in the case of hostages (the ones that were confirmed rescued, in any case). I have it on authority that fleeing for many was very dangerous once the initial police forces arrived given that there may have been "friendly fire" inbound on the victims feared to be perpetrators. Once the better trained military elite arrived this was better controlled.
it is currently reported that one off-duty SAS dude was in Westgate
I hesitated to link to this in my OP. I heard some comments that he's retired SAS, and the claims of lives saved are largely speculative right now, although I'm sure he did the best he could. There seemed to be a lot of plainclothes "folk" (whites, Kenyans, and Indians primarily) around with handguns very quickly, which while unsurprising for Nairobi, was nice to see quick bonding together of those in a position to protect, in a country where the police don't even have cars to drive to the scene.
But I'd be amazed if US 'special advisors' attached to the US Embassy are not actively involved.
Yeah, but good luck proving anything.
they claim to be ready to shoot her on sight.
As a US citizen and former Kenyan resident, I decided to go ahead and include that link, even if it is still basically hearsay at this point (although Al Shabab's twitter has referenced her being there). If you want to google Lewthwaite you can find out a lot more about her.
I believe I saw Lewthwaite twice during my years in Kenya, the first time was at the intersection of Peponi Road and Lower Kabete Road, just as you exit Westgate on Peponi. She was in a car headed towards Westgate, and I remember being kind of surprised to be seeing a white woman in a hijab - I didn't know who she was at the time but found out later that day when I mentioned it to a long-time Nairobi resident.
The second time I saw her was earlier this year, when my wife and I were having dinner at a restaurant in the Lavington area of Nairobi. Her driver drove her car slowly past the restaurant we were sitting outside of, and she and I made eye-contact for more than a couple of seconds. I immediately noticed her from her photo, not just the white-woman in a hijab that time. I ran out of the restaurant and got the vehicle plate number and descriptions, and in turn reported them to the Kenyan police and my own embassy, as well as some UN security contacts of mine. I'm chagrined to say that I received little or no follow-up (I won't say who was little and who was none), I was basically thanked and informed that current intelligence didn't place her as being in Kenya.
I do really hope that she doesn't turn out to be involved, because if she does I'll be forever questioning why I didn't take the risk of following that car.
posted by allkindsoftime at 2:40 AM on September 24, 2013 [46 favorites]
Presumably not armed when he went for the coffee, as I'm guessing that's not the normal SAS pistol carrying method.
posted by titus-g at 2:41 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by titus-g at 2:41 AM on September 24, 2013
The British have a training base in Kenya, and the SAS are known to have trained their Kenyan counterparts.
More generally, Kenya is a hub for both diplomatic and intelligence activity - historically because of its ties to Britain and anglophone background, the huge presence of the UN in Nairobi and correspondingly large diplomatic missions, its relative political stability, the quality of life for foreign residents, climate, and generally cordial relations with the US, UK, rest of Europe etc and latterly because of its proximity to places of interest like Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Outside Kenya, for a long time there weren't many places in Africa western countries wanted to put large diplomatic missions (although French interests in West Africa somewhat break that rule and increasingly Chinese interests across Africa are changing the game) - South Africa and latterly Nigeria and perhaps Egypt being notable exceptions. There wasn't a massive trade incentive even accounting for interests in mining or oil, and more stable countries like Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, Morocco or newly stable Sierra Leone or Mozambique are not regional hubs.
That said, if you read things like the Peace Index or rankings on corruption Kenya is only mid table in Africa alongside Nigeria. Liberia, for example, is seen as considerably less corrupt. Former war torn countries like Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Angola, as well as Liberia are now seen as more peaceful in broad terms.
There is a romantic view of Kenya outside Kenya in terms of the Mara and white suited colonials sipping gin at the Muthaiga Club but it is one of the less equal African countries in terms of income and is no less immune than other African countries to either problems coming across the border from less stable neighbours or domestic unrest.
posted by MuffinMan at 2:43 AM on September 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
More generally, Kenya is a hub for both diplomatic and intelligence activity - historically because of its ties to Britain and anglophone background, the huge presence of the UN in Nairobi and correspondingly large diplomatic missions, its relative political stability, the quality of life for foreign residents, climate, and generally cordial relations with the US, UK, rest of Europe etc and latterly because of its proximity to places of interest like Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Outside Kenya, for a long time there weren't many places in Africa western countries wanted to put large diplomatic missions (although French interests in West Africa somewhat break that rule and increasingly Chinese interests across Africa are changing the game) - South Africa and latterly Nigeria and perhaps Egypt being notable exceptions. There wasn't a massive trade incentive even accounting for interests in mining or oil, and more stable countries like Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, Morocco or newly stable Sierra Leone or Mozambique are not regional hubs.
That said, if you read things like the Peace Index or rankings on corruption Kenya is only mid table in Africa alongside Nigeria. Liberia, for example, is seen as considerably less corrupt. Former war torn countries like Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Angola, as well as Liberia are now seen as more peaceful in broad terms.
There is a romantic view of Kenya outside Kenya in terms of the Mara and white suited colonials sipping gin at the Muthaiga Club but it is one of the less equal African countries in terms of income and is no less immune than other African countries to either problems coming across the border from less stable neighbours or domestic unrest.
posted by MuffinMan at 2:43 AM on September 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
this is an apparent change in tactics for Al Shabaab, previously thought of as a domestic issue for neighbouring Somalia.
Aren't these the people who blew up cafes of people watching the World Cup in Uganda?
posted by lullaby at 2:53 AM on September 24, 2013
Aren't these the people who blew up cafes of people watching the World Cup in Uganda?
posted by lullaby at 2:53 AM on September 24, 2013
"I do really hope that she doesn't turn out to be involved, because if she does I'll be forever questioning why I didn't take the risk of following that car."
You did everything you could, allkindsoftime. Thinking of "what ifs" can drive a person crazy, and for all you know if you had followed the car things might have turned out much worse.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:57 AM on September 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
You did everything you could, allkindsoftime. Thinking of "what ifs" can drive a person crazy, and for all you know if you had followed the car things might have turned out much worse.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:57 AM on September 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
Aren't these the people who blew up cafes of people watching the World Cup in Uganda?
Yes.
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:58 AM on September 24, 2013
Yes.
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:58 AM on September 24, 2013
That Al-Jazeera article is great.
...
Al-Shabaab declared, through their Twitter account, "What Kenyans are witnessing at Westgate is retributive justice for crimes committed by their military, albeit largely miniscule in nature[.]" What a load of cack.
Such revealing phrasing. I'm reminded of something Theodore Dalrymple wrote after the horrific hacking death in Woolwich. Dalrymple can be a crank, but when he's right, he's right:
I hate it when an op-ed writer promises to have all the answers to a particular question, and then you get two-thirds of the way through and realise they have no idea what they're talking about. So, to save you from that particular form of torment, allow me to declare up front: I have yet to make sense of the images and stories coming from my home city, Nairobi.It's worth reiterating that Al-Shabaab has had no problem killing Muslims in the past, and doubtless will have no problem doing so again in the future.
[...]
The Westgate Mall wasn't necessarily targeted as some kind of proxy for the US or European interests. An argument is being made that because the mall was popular with expats, then by default, this is an attack on Western interests. Nairobians know that of all the malls in Kenya "popular with expats", Westgate was probably a distant second or third. It is however, popular with Kenyans like me, who reject the cruelty of al-Shabab in Somalia, but also question US security policy in Africa. It's not necessarily about religion either. Westgate, in many ways, was emblematic of the multiculturalism that makes Kenya extraordinary - look at the list of victims so far released; listen to the appeals for unity and from where they come. Terrorists may be simple, but their victims often aren't.
...
Al-Shabaab declared, through their Twitter account, "What Kenyans are witnessing at Westgate is retributive justice for crimes committed by their military, albeit largely miniscule in nature[.]" What a load of cack.
Such revealing phrasing. I'm reminded of something Theodore Dalrymple wrote after the horrific hacking death in Woolwich. Dalrymple can be a crank, but when he's right, he's right:
In his statement, Adebolajo apologized that women “had to see this.” [W]hy should women, but not men, be spared it? (As it happens, women on the scene behaved with conspicuous gallantry, and ironically, it was eventually a policewoman who shot him, not fatally.) The turn of phrase, “had to see,” was telling, considering that Adebolajo spoke English perfectly. His wording could not be the result of a faulty command of the language. By saying that women “had to see this,” he distanced himself from the obvious fact that they saw it because he did it, and that he did it because he decided to do it. He made it sound as if what they saw were a natural disaster, rather than a voluntary act that he performed.posted by Sticherbeast at 3:20 AM on September 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
Al Jazeera ran a startling Q&A yesterday with Sheikh Abulaziz Abu Muscab, Al-Shabab's "military spokesman", about the attack:
AJ: Do you think this attack will make Kenya withdraw its troops from Somalia?
SA: That question is not for us to answer. That is for the Kenyan government to answer. It is up to them to withdraw their soldiers or not. If they don't withdraw, attacks like this will become common in Kenya. It is possible if they don't withdraw attacks like this will happen in Kenyan cities and towns every day.
posted by ryanshepard at 3:45 AM on September 24, 2013
AJ: Do you think this attack will make Kenya withdraw its troops from Somalia?
SA: That question is not for us to answer. That is for the Kenyan government to answer. It is up to them to withdraw their soldiers or not. If they don't withdraw, attacks like this will become common in Kenya. It is possible if they don't withdraw attacks like this will happen in Kenyan cities and towns every day.
posted by ryanshepard at 3:45 AM on September 24, 2013
I have it on authority that fleeing for many was very dangerous once the initial police forces arrived given that there may have been "friendly fire" inbound on the victims feared to be perpetrators.
One of my colleagues had the misfortune to be dining in artcaffe, and then ran to hide in Nakumatt. She also said there was gunfire coming from everywhere when they ran to escape.
I was there myself about six weeks ago. I feel like a fucking tool because I tended to shrug off everything our security advisor was telling us at the the time (I was there for work for five weeks) in favour of "common sense". But not even he said to avoid Westgate, or even seriously entertained the thought that Al-Shabab would attack Nairobi. He mostly just warned us off Lamu Island - hundreds of kilometres away and much, much closer to Somalia.
Two observations:
1) I am not naive, or untravelled, but I found the wealth disparity in Kenya quite keenly when I was there. Really felt there was a vast number of people living on the knife edge of poverty and a wealthy elite, and not a whole lot in between, and not a lot of mixing, either. At least not in comparison with some of the developing countries I've been to in SE Asia, for example. Privileged Kenyans are really privileged, I found. And many are just as sheltered from poverty and issues of their own country as many a Westerner (not every wealthy Kenyan is like this). One of my friends from the office was telling me she's felt that the whole country has changed. I was thinking about all the people that died during the penultimate elections and thinking that less might have changed than she thought. I wholly acknowledge that people with more experience like allkindsoftime may disagree with this assessment.
2) I hope this doesn't result in more stigma and prejudice for the large Somali refugee population in Kenya - or the Kenyans that are culturally and ethnically Somali. I saw some real vitriol and racism directed at Somalis from many Kenyans during my time there - when most of them are victims of Al Shabab, warloards etc.
posted by smoke at 4:09 AM on September 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
One of my colleagues had the misfortune to be dining in artcaffe, and then ran to hide in Nakumatt. She also said there was gunfire coming from everywhere when they ran to escape.
I was there myself about six weeks ago. I feel like a fucking tool because I tended to shrug off everything our security advisor was telling us at the the time (I was there for work for five weeks) in favour of "common sense". But not even he said to avoid Westgate, or even seriously entertained the thought that Al-Shabab would attack Nairobi. He mostly just warned us off Lamu Island - hundreds of kilometres away and much, much closer to Somalia.
Two observations:
1) I am not naive, or untravelled, but I found the wealth disparity in Kenya quite keenly when I was there. Really felt there was a vast number of people living on the knife edge of poverty and a wealthy elite, and not a whole lot in between, and not a lot of mixing, either. At least not in comparison with some of the developing countries I've been to in SE Asia, for example. Privileged Kenyans are really privileged, I found. And many are just as sheltered from poverty and issues of their own country as many a Westerner (not every wealthy Kenyan is like this). One of my friends from the office was telling me she's felt that the whole country has changed. I was thinking about all the people that died during the penultimate elections and thinking that less might have changed than she thought. I wholly acknowledge that people with more experience like allkindsoftime may disagree with this assessment.
2) I hope this doesn't result in more stigma and prejudice for the large Somali refugee population in Kenya - or the Kenyans that are culturally and ethnically Somali. I saw some real vitriol and racism directed at Somalis from many Kenyans during my time there - when most of them are victims of Al Shabab, warloards etc.
posted by smoke at 4:09 AM on September 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
The modern urban obsession with celebrity buildings and high-profile events offers too many publicity-rich targets. A World Trade Centre, a Mumbai hotel, a Boston marathon, a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them.
Yes, let's stop creating landmarks and monuments, because they might be attacked by terrorists.
Wait, what?
posted by sonic meat machine at 4:10 AM on September 24, 2013 [12 favorites]
Yes, let's stop creating landmarks and monuments, because they might be attacked by terrorists.
Wait, what?
posted by sonic meat machine at 4:10 AM on September 24, 2013 [12 favorites]
The Guardian reports that Leithwaite's husband was involved in the 7/7 bombings too.
posted by ellieBOA at 4:30 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by ellieBOA at 4:30 AM on September 24, 2013
Lewthwaite's husband was Germaine Lindsay. His bomb killed 26 people on July 7th 2005. Lewthwaite was 21 at the time, and pregnant with her second child with Lindsay. After his death she apologised for his actions and denounced him. She is then believed to have married Habib Ghani, also a British islamic extremist, who died earlier this month in an ambush in Somalia, apparently after having fallen out with Al Shabaab. Lewthwaite appeared back on the public radar in early 2012, with news she was being hunted in east Africa as a terrorist suspect. A profile on her is here. Somewhere there are three kids, two from Lewthwaite's marriage to Lindsay and at least one more from her marriage to Ghani.
posted by MuffinMan at 4:55 AM on September 24, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by MuffinMan at 4:55 AM on September 24, 2013 [5 favorites]
More detail on the SAS hero with a concealed handgun
posted by Renoroc at 5:23 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by Renoroc at 5:23 AM on September 24, 2013
Somewhere there are three kids, two from Lewthwaite's marriage to Lindsay and at least one more from her marriage to Ghani.
Those are going to be some interesting kids.
posted by pracowity at 5:40 AM on September 24, 2013
Those are going to be some interesting kids.
posted by pracowity at 5:40 AM on September 24, 2013
Indeed. From the link in the post above:
"Notebook found: A notebook found by police at the Kenyan house rented by Lewthwaite, and allegedly written by her, contained the framework for a guide to Jihad. The handwritten document said the inspiration for the book was given by Lewthwaite's two children, five and eight, who told their mother they wanted to be holy warriors when they grew up."posted by MuffinMan at 6:01 AM on September 24, 2013
Hey, yo; I wrote a bit about this here.
I'm just now back in Canada after spending a year in Kenya. I was mainly in rural areas near Kisumu, in Western Kenya, but did spend a fair amount of time in Nairobi. The mall I ended up at most often wasn't Westgate, but a somewhat smaller mall nearer to the part of town where I usually had business to attend to.
As I mention in the link, I agree that there's pretty massive inequality in Kenya, but I felt that it was beginning to change a bit: the middle class is certainly expanding, and the emphasis on tech has made for some interesting opportunities for people who might not otherwise have them. The tech community also seems to be a place where skills are valued higher than connections, which is rare in Kenya, and I hope that the ethos spreads out from there.
The malls were one of the places where the class walls were a bit more permeable, a public space without a door charge or membership policy. I think they're serving an important social role in Kenya, in a way that almost requires having shitty security. But that's the nature of terrorist attacks, right? To make you doubt the structure and safety of the places you inhabit.
posted by kaibutsu at 7:31 AM on September 24, 2013 [5 favorites]
I'm just now back in Canada after spending a year in Kenya. I was mainly in rural areas near Kisumu, in Western Kenya, but did spend a fair amount of time in Nairobi. The mall I ended up at most often wasn't Westgate, but a somewhat smaller mall nearer to the part of town where I usually had business to attend to.
As I mention in the link, I agree that there's pretty massive inequality in Kenya, but I felt that it was beginning to change a bit: the middle class is certainly expanding, and the emphasis on tech has made for some interesting opportunities for people who might not otherwise have them. The tech community also seems to be a place where skills are valued higher than connections, which is rare in Kenya, and I hope that the ethos spreads out from there.
The malls were one of the places where the class walls were a bit more permeable, a public space without a door charge or membership policy. I think they're serving an important social role in Kenya, in a way that almost requires having shitty security. But that's the nature of terrorist attacks, right? To make you doubt the structure and safety of the places you inhabit.
posted by kaibutsu at 7:31 AM on September 24, 2013 [5 favorites]
The modern urban obsession with celebrity buildings and high-profile events offers too many publicity-rich targets. A World Trade Centre, a Mumbai hotel, a Boston marathon, a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them.
This is basically the most depressing thing I've ever read.
posted by naoko at 7:43 AM on September 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
This is basically the most depressing thing I've ever read.
posted by naoko at 7:43 AM on September 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
The modern urban obsession with celebrity buildings and high-profile events offers too many publicity-rich targets. A World Trade Centre, a Mumbai hotel, a Boston marathon, a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them.
Better to treat everyone kindly and with compassion and address grievances before they become the seeds of extreme actions like assaulting high-profile events and locations.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:24 AM on September 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Better to treat everyone kindly and with compassion and address grievances before they become the seeds of extreme actions like assaulting high-profile events and locations.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:24 AM on September 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Mod note: Folks, please consider discussing the topic at hand and not derailing this into an immediate game of blame-the-westerners? Thank you.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:14 AM on September 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:14 AM on September 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
AP Update: Three floors collapsed, President Uhuru Kenyatta declares terrorists defeated
"A government official told The Associated Press that the morgue was preparing for up to an additional 60 bodies, though the official didn't know an exact count. The government official insisted on anonymity so he would not face retribution from government officials."
posted by madamjujujive at 11:39 AM on September 24, 2013
"A government official told The Associated Press that the morgue was preparing for up to an additional 60 bodies, though the official didn't know an exact count. The government official insisted on anonymity so he would not face retribution from government officials."
posted by madamjujujive at 11:39 AM on September 24, 2013
allkindsoftime, thank you for this informative post.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:40 AM on September 24, 2013
posted by madamjujujive at 11:40 AM on September 24, 2013
Better to treat everyone kindly and with compassion and address grievances before they become the seeds of extreme actions like assaulting high-profile events and locations.
Is that really the takeaway? These don't seem like people who identify with "compassion" (but neither do governments, either).
posted by KokuRyu at 11:55 AM on September 24, 2013
Is that really the takeaway? These don't seem like people who identify with "compassion" (but neither do governments, either).
posted by KokuRyu at 11:55 AM on September 24, 2013
Witnessing the Nairobi mall massacre, Goran Tomasevic, Reuters.
mall worker tells of grenade assault as teams aid survivors, Afua Hirsch, The Guardian.
posted by nangar at 12:20 PM on September 24, 2013
mall worker tells of grenade assault as teams aid survivors, Afua Hirsch, The Guardian.
posted by nangar at 12:20 PM on September 24, 2013
The modern urban obsession with celebrity buildings and high-profile events offers too many publicity-rich targets. A World Trade Centre, a Mumbai hotel, a Boston marathon, a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them.
I'm not a huge fan of malls either but that makes it sound like the guy wants to get rid of big buildings, hotels, and basically any kind of public event too. Which... not going to happen, shouldn't happen.
posted by kmz at 12:43 PM on September 24, 2013
I'm not a huge fan of malls either but that makes it sound like the guy wants to get rid of big buildings, hotels, and basically any kind of public event too. Which... not going to happen, shouldn't happen.
posted by kmz at 12:43 PM on September 24, 2013
Kofi Awoonor, a Ghanaian poet, was killed in this. Here is one of my favourite of his poems:
The Cathedral
On this dirty patch
a tree once stood
shedding incense on the infant corn:
its boughs stretched across a heaven
brightened by the last fires of a tribe.
They sent surveyors and builders
who cut that tree
planting in its place
A huge senseless cathedral of doom.
for him: .
for the others dead: .............................................................
posted by joannemerriam at 1:43 PM on September 24, 2013 [8 favorites]
The Cathedral
On this dirty patch
a tree once stood
shedding incense on the infant corn:
its boughs stretched across a heaven
brightened by the last fires of a tribe.
They sent surveyors and builders
who cut that tree
planting in its place
A huge senseless cathedral of doom.
for him: .
for the others dead: .............................................................
posted by joannemerriam at 1:43 PM on September 24, 2013 [8 favorites]
Unsurprisingly, Australian news organisations are focusing on the Australian victim, and his Dutch partner. They were expecting their first child in the next couple of weeks.
Another thank you for this post allkindsoftime.
posted by Hello, I'm David McGahan at 8:58 PM on September 24, 2013
Another thank you for this post allkindsoftime.
posted by Hello, I'm David McGahan at 8:58 PM on September 24, 2013
[...] a Nairobi shopping mall are all enticing to extremists. Defending them is near impossible. Better at least not to create them.
I'd rather defend a shopping mall that was built to be defended (limited access points, blast-limiting walls, bullet-stopping barriers, vehicle-stopping bollards, metal detectors, security access points unknown to the public, etc.) than try to defend all the existing public places such as city squares, which are never going away.
posted by pracowity at 12:18 AM on September 25, 2013
I'd rather defend a shopping mall that was built to be defended (limited access points, blast-limiting walls, bullet-stopping barriers, vehicle-stopping bollards, metal detectors, security access points unknown to the public, etc.) than try to defend all the existing public places such as city squares, which are never going away.
posted by pracowity at 12:18 AM on September 25, 2013
than try to defend all the existing public places such as city squares, which are never going away being privatised and closed off to commerce-unfriendly activities.
posted by acb at 4:25 AM on September 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by acb at 4:25 AM on September 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
Make that: one armed but off-duty SAS dude.
If they're armed, methinks they're never really off duty - like cops.
posted by MILNEWSca at 9:29 AM on September 25, 2013
If they're armed, methinks they're never really off duty - like cops.
posted by MILNEWSca at 9:29 AM on September 25, 2013
Interpol issues Red Notice for Samantha Lewthwaite
posted by Cash4Lead at 12:39 PM on September 26, 2013
posted by Cash4Lead at 12:39 PM on September 26, 2013
It's not related to the mall shooting, I should add, but the timing is rather convenient.
posted by Cash4Lead at 12:41 PM on September 26, 2013
posted by Cash4Lead at 12:41 PM on September 26, 2013
Horrifying.
Kenya shopping mall attack: Nairobi hostages were tortured before they were killed, says police doctor
posted by BobbyVan at 6:36 AM on September 27, 2013
Kenya shopping mall attack: Nairobi hostages were tortured before they were killed, says police doctor
posted by BobbyVan at 6:36 AM on September 27, 2013
I've watched a lot of horror films in my life, and I was completely unprepared for the details in that Independent story. I can't even wrap my mind around that. And that they were live-tweeting the whole thing.
posted by Mezentian at 4:53 AM on October 1, 2013
posted by Mezentian at 4:53 AM on October 1, 2013
U.S. Says Navy SEAL Team Stages Raid on Somali Militants
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 6:49 PM on October 5, 2013
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 6:49 PM on October 5, 2013
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This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
While we were in Kenya we got the impression from all the locals that Al Shabab was very much a local problem, with Somalian terrorists angry at Kenya's involvement in the region. Al Quaeda is involved in name only.
posted by Silentgoldfish at 12:43 AM on September 24, 2013