INTERPOL operation arrests 14 terror suspects

A counter-terrorism operation coordinated by INTERPOL with the support of AFRIPOL has resulted in the arrest of 14 terror suspects by frontline police across Central and Eastern Africa.

Tripartite Spider, a month-long operation, was organized to support the ability of national Counter-Terrorism (CT) investigation teams to identify suspected terrorists and disrupt the financial networks behind them. The operation was carried out in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.

The 14 people arrested during the operation were linked to the terror groups ADF, Al-Shabaab and ISIS.

Of those arrested arrested, two are suspected members of Al-Shabaab, and another was arrested for his alleged links with the 2022 Oicha (DRC) suicide bomb attack attributed to ADF. One suspect was arrested for terrorism financing through a huge money transaction scheme disguised as a flowers business, with alleged links to an ISIS suspect tied to the 2017 attack on the International Village Hotel in Bosaso, Somalia.

Four people were arrested for suspected links to ISIS activities in Southern Africa and another was reportedly found in possession of a significant quantity of explosives.

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