Kenyan security officials (Photo : Reuters)
One of the four gunmen that launched an attack at the Garissa University College in Kenya has been identified as the son of a government official in the country, which has again highlighted homegrown extremism.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Interior Ministry of Kenya identified the gunman as Abdirahim Abdullahi and he was killed by the security forces that tried to ward off these extremists during the tragic incident. The father of Abdullahi reported that he has been missing since last year and is now cooperating with the officials handling the case. The three other gunmen were also killed but the identities remain unknown.
Reportedly, the 20-year-old was a top student at a law school but started to behave strangely months before he completely vanished from the area. Abdullahi even criticized how his family behaved and worshipped as they are Muslims.
Kenyan authorities believe that Abdullahi is one of the many young Kenyan men and women who have been radicalized and were drawn into battling security forces and taking lives of innocent people. An al-Qaeda affiliated group called al-Shabaab that was formed in Somalia is being blamed for such extremism as they promise these young men and women a meaningful life.
The group also claimed responsibility for taking 148 lives on the said university last week. Al-Shabaab published a statement online saying that the group will attack more areas in Kenya as they retaliate against the Kenyan military and government.
According to Fox News, the report that one of the gunmen was Kenyan was released on Easter Sunday when the Kenyans, mostly Christians, sang and prayed over the death of the innocent people in the said university. Due to the threats of al-Shabaab, Kenyan security forces secured the church where the Easter Sunday mass was being held.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed during a press conference that he and his government will make harsh punishments to the extremists responsible for the deadly attack.
