By Yassin Juma
MOGADISHU
Kenya on Tuesday extradited a top Al-Shabaab official wanted by the Somali government for the killing of at least seven Somali journalists.
"The man is now in the hands of the Federal Government of Somalia after he was handed over to us by the Kenya government," National Security Ministry spokesman Mohamed Osman told The Anadolu Agency.
"He is currently been detained and interrogated by the Somalia Intelligence Agency after which he will face trial to determine his fate," he said.
Hassan Hanafi, described as head of Al-Shabaab's propaganda machinery, was arrested on August 3 in Nairobi's Eastleigh, a neighborhood known as "Little Mogadishu" due to its large number of Somali residents.
Kenya police sources said Hanafi had sneaked into the East African country seeking treatment for injuries sustained in a battle in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region.
The Somali government had demanded his extradition to face trial on charges of killing at least seven Somali journalists.
Kenyan government officials declined to comment on the details of the extradition.
Somalia has remained in the grip of on-again, off-again violence since the outbreak of civil war in 1991.
Earlier this year, the country had appeared to inch closer to stability after government troops and African Union forces – deployed in the country since 2007 – drove the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab group from most of its strongholds.
www.aa.com.tr/en
