Two jailed for 30 years over 2019 Kenya hotel attack

In a significant ruling, a Kenyan court sentenced two men, Hussein Mohammed Abdile and Mohamed Abdi Ali, to 30 years in prison for aiding members of the armed extremist group al-Shabab in carrying out the deadly 2019 DusitD2 hotel complex attack in Nairobi. The attack, which took place in January 2019, resulted in the deaths of 21 people and caused widespread fear and outrage in the country. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Kenya since the 2013 Westgate mall siege.

Judge Diana Kavedza Mochache, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, stated that the two convicts played a critical role in facilitating the attack. They assisted two of the attackers in fleeing from a refugee camp by helping them acquire fake identity documents. Furthermore, the two men also provided financial support to the group, enabling the attackers to carry out their plan. The court found sufficient evidence to prove that Abdile and Ali were not only aware of the plot but were actively involved in aiding the perpetrators.

Al-Shabab, a Somalia-based militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the DusitD2 complex assault. In a statement, the group declared that the attack was in retaliation for then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move that was widely condemned in various parts of the Muslim world. Al-Shabab has consistently targeted Kenya since the country deployed troops to Somalia in 2011 as part of a regional military effort to defeat the militant group.

The 2019 DusitD2 hotel siege was the first major terrorist attack in Nairobi since the 2013 Westgate shopping mall attack, in which 67 people were killed. In 2015, al-Shabab also carried out another devastating attack at Garissa University in eastern Kenya, resulting in the deaths of 148 people, most of whom were students. These attacks demonstrated al-Shabab’s ability to strike high-profile targets far from their base in Somalia.

In response to such attacks, Kenya has significantly increased security measures, especially in the capital city of Nairobi. High-end venues, which are frequently visited by affluent Kenyans and foreign nationals, have been under tighter security surveillance. These measures include thorough vehicle and pedestrian checks, as security forces work to prevent similar incidents.

The DusitD2 hotel complex, much like the Westgate mall, catered to elite clientele and foreign diplomats, making it a symbolic target for al-Shabab, which often aims to strike locations that represent Western influence and affluence. The group's consistent focus on Kenya is primarily aimed at pressuring the Kenyan government to withdraw its troops from Somalia, where they are part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), now transitioning to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Kenya’s involvement in Somalia has made it a frequent target of al-Shabab attacks both along the border and in urban areas.

This case highlights Kenya’s continued battle against terrorism and the government's efforts to bring to justice those who support or facilitate such acts. The sentencing of the two men is seen as a message to potential accomplices that the justice system will take a firm stance against terrorism and its enablers.