Kenya Cabinet Was 'Warned Of Westgate Attack'

Kenyan government ministers received warnings of a possible attack before al-Shabab gunmen stormed the Westgate shopping centre, reports say. Four cabinet ministers and the head of Kenya's defence forces are said to be in the know.

Leaked intelligence briefings detailed plans for attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa, a Kenyan media reported.

At least 67 people were killed after al-Shabab stormed the mall on 21 September.

Briefings were given to the ministers "informing them of increasing threat of terrorism and of plans to launch simultaneous attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa around September 13 and 20, 2013", Kenya's Daily Nation quotes counter-terrorism reports as saying.

According to the newspaper, the warnings were first made in January, and again from the beginning of September.

The Daily Nation reports that Kenyan intelligence had established that al-Shabab leaders had begun singling out Westgate and the Holy Family Basilica for attack early this year.

Government figures said to have received the intelligence briefings include Treasury Minister Julius Rotich, Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku, Foreign Affairs Minister Amina Mohammed, Defence Minister Raychelle Omamo and Kenya Defence Forces chief Julius Karangi.

The head of the National Intelligence Service, Michael Gichangi, is due to be questioned by Kenyan Members of Parliament on Monday.

An unnamed senior intelligence official told the AFP news agency that the government had been casual in its approach to the briefings it received.
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