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Civilians flee as security forces aim their weapons at the buildings of a hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya, yesterday. Khalil Senosi/AP/Press Association Images

21 people now confirmed dead following Islamist attack on hotel complex in Kenya

Among the dead was an American citizen, a US State Department official said.

LAST UPDATE | 16 Jan 2019

KENYAN POLICE HAVE scoured the rubble of a Nairobi hotel complex for more victims today as the death toll from a jihadist attack jumped to 21 and mourners began to bury the dead.

President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier announced the end of a 20-hour operation at the DusitD2 complex which saw hundreds of people rescued and all five jihadists “eliminated”.

The bloody assault was claimed by the Al-Qaeda-linked Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, which said it was acting to avenge the decision by US President Donald Trump to declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, according to the SITE monitoring group.

Chilling CCTV footage broadcast on local media showed four black-clad, heavily armed men calmly entering the luxury complex yesterday afternoon. A suicide bomb blast signalled the start of the attack.

Police chief Joseph Boinnet revised the death toll to 21 from 14, saying the victims included 16 Kenyans, one American, one Briton and three of African descent.

“Six other bodies were found at the scene and one police officer succumbed very suddenly to his injuries,” he told reporters.

Another 28 wounded people had been admitted to hospital, he said.

As police searched for further victims, bomb disposal experts were looking for any grenades left by the assailants.

“The public must not panic if it hears explosions from the area,” Boinnet said.

As the first explosion and gunfire rang out in the leafy Westlands suburb yesterday, hundreds of terrified office workers barricaded themselves in the complex while others fled.

At least one suicide bomber blew himself up and others traded gunfire with security forces as the assault on DusitD2, a complex which includes a 101-room hotel, spa, restaurant and offices, unfolded.

“There were five terrorists and all of them are no more,” Boinnet told AFP earlier.

“It is a clearing exercise now going on there.”

Al-Shabaab has targeted Kenya since it sent its army into Somalia in October 2011 to fight the jihadist group.

9/11 survivor among dead

Among the dead was an American citizen, identified by his family as Jason Spindler, whose brother said on Facebook that he had been a survivor of 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States.

In London, the Foreign Office confirmed the death of a British-South African dual national and said another British person was injured.

In downtown Nairobi, dozens of people lined up to give blood at a memorial for the US embassy destroyed in an Al-Qaeda attack in 1998 in which 213 people died.

Memories of Westgate massacre

For many Kenyans, news of the attack revived traumatic memories of a 2013 Shabaab raid on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall that left 67 people dead – a siege played out over four days that led to sharp criticism of the authorities’ response.

But this time, local media heaped praise on the security forces for their intervention, which Kenyatta said entailed the evacuation of some 700 civilians.

George Kinoti, the director of criminal investigations, told AFP that “two principal suspects” had been arrested.

One was arrested in the suburb of Eastleigh and the other in Ruaka, northwest of Nairobi, where officers raided a house where one of the attackers lived, he said.

“One of the men was identified by locals, who called police, and they have confirmed that he lived there with his wife,” a police source said on condition of anonymity. 

A police source said two attackers were shot dead today after a prolonged shootout.

“The two have red bandanas tied around their forehead and bullets strapped around their chest with several magazines each,” the senior police officer said. “Each had an AK47 which has been secured.”

Anguish at the morgue

Distraught family members gathered outside a mortuary, where they said they had not been permitted to view the bodies.

“My sister is not in any of the hospitals and the last time we spoke she was a bit calm but suddenly she started crying and shouting and I could hear gunshots and her phone remained on but she wasn’t speaking,” said a woman who gave her name as Njoki.

“We have no doubt her body is here. Let them allow us in”, she said, weeping.

Francis Magutu, 35, said he had been at the morgue since 6am. “I am almost certain that my in-law is dead, but I want us to see his body, because we want to be certain.”

The attack sparked a wave of outrage abroad, from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and African Union chief Moussa Faki to the European Union.

At home, an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper said the attack was a stark reminder that Kenya’s security challenges were far from over.

The last major attack in the country took place in 2015, when Shabaab killed 148 people at the university in Garissa, eastern Kenya.

Since then sporadic attacks have targeted security forces mostly in the remote northeastern parts of the country.

“Just when we thought that things were calm, the gangs unleashed mayhem. For Kenyans the chilling reality is that the attacks are not ceasing,” the editorial said. 

© AFP 2019

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    Mute finbarr walsh
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    Jan 16th 2019, 9:28 AM

    I spent time working all over Africa and the Kenyans are the most friendly people in Africa. A very hard working people who want to prosper. My heart goes out to them this morning. Al shabaab have nothing to gain.

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    Mute Josh Hanners
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    Jan 16th 2019, 9:15 AM

    Peaceful terrorists?

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    Mute Adeel McDangerson
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    Jan 16th 2019, 11:00 AM

    @Josh Hanners: yes very. As peaceful as IRA were

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    Mute Josh Hanners
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    Jan 16th 2019, 11:04 AM

    @Adeel McDangerson: Ah well, that’s alright then, they can carry on!

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    Mute Jim Buckley Barrett
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    Jan 16th 2019, 9:35 PM

    @Josh Hanners: or John you can stop blaming the religion and realise that those types would use any excuse for violence. It’s all a matter of power and control. Some where some one is making a fortune from this.

    17
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    Mute PC Principal
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    Jan 16th 2019, 11:10 PM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: What does Allahu Akbar mean?

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jan 17th 2019, 9:50 AM

    @PC Principal: What does Deus vult mean?

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    Mute Bob McShane
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    Jan 17th 2019, 11:20 AM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: what does Islam mean?

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jan 17th 2019, 1:53 PM

    @Bob McShane: Not able to make the connection between Allahu Akbar and Deus Vult? Islam is not the problem, just as Christianity was not the problem, the problem is people using ‘God’ as an excuse for their repugnant behaviour.

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    Mute Bob McShane
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    Jan 17th 2019, 4:58 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: so the difference between Christianity meaning “in the manner of Christ’, and Islam literally meaning ‘submission to god” willingly or unwillingly, has no bearing on the issue then? Fyi: I’m athiest, kafir, apostate etc. myself.

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jan 17th 2019, 5:36 PM

    @Bob McShane: Christianity demands submission to God, your point is moot.

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    Mute Bob McShane
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    Jan 17th 2019, 9:08 PM

    @Diarmuid Hunt: @Diarmuid Hunt: I think not. Your own attempt at semantic deflection concerning “deus vult” is moot. There is no comparison between the motto of the crusaders, (a minority of Christians at the time) a thousand plus years ago, and “allahu akbar” which is uttered daily dozens of times by moderate believers, and also by fundamentalists (literally literal believers) during an attack. To my own point: islam in it’s very name literally means submission. No other religion is as forthright in it’s imperative to dominate. The word christianity is not an imperative and does not mean “submit”. Literal is defined as “taking words in their most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration”. Literally.

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    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
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    Jan 18th 2019, 11:23 AM

    @Bob McShane: I like your argument. Minority of Christians in the crusades isn’t a great line though as obviously at the time only a minority would’ve been capable of engaging in the crusades. My point was that Islam is not the problem, believing any religion is superior to another is the issue, mono-theistic religions always believe that that is the case, is a problem. Christianity was just as forthright in it’s imperative to dominate, it has already dominated. The Islam rising would not need to happen if it already were the dominant religion. Although religion is a part of the problem the whole situation is a lot more nuanced than that. I just get sick of people blaming Islam when the problem is much more complicated than that.

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    Mute James O Carroll
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    Jan 16th 2019, 2:12 PM

    its interesting when TheJournal does state it was islam extremists attacking a poor country, not many people comment. but if it happens in a european country and its not stated who did it, suddenly the floodgates are opened and comments are flying in with “this country is beyond saving”. i feel bad for Kenya

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    Mute Devilsavocado
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    Jan 16th 2019, 9:41 PM

    @Orla Smith: including the leaders of most African countries,, we go on about how our politicians are corrupt, the levels of corruption in Africa put our guys to shame,, no wonder people want to leave the continent and seek a better life.

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    Mute Toby Fish
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:00 PM

    @Devilsavocado: 50.4%: The percentage of under 14s who will have a migrant background by 2061 in Ireland according to a 2011 Eurostat study. Across all ages the percentage was 45.1%
    — Eurostat | 2011

    They will find peace here

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    Mute BarronVonVaderHam
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:14 PM

    @Toby Fish: and what will the weather be like in 2061?

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    Mute George Salter
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:19 PM

    @Toby Fish: And? Close to a third of current immigrants are from the UK, USA or Australia. Most of the rest are Polish or other EU countries. But I imagine that you’re misinterpreting immigrant as “not white, therefore dodgy”, whether by rabble-rousing design or mere inherent racism.

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    Mute Toby Fish
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:23 PM

    @George Salter: @George Salter: no. Euro stat have said on constant trends by 2061 more than half of the entire population of Ireland who are under 14 will be born to immigrant parents. Half the population. Crazy

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    Mute George Salter
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:36 PM

    @Orla Smith: That really doesn’t change my point, tbh. And, incidentally, if Smith is your surname, there’s some immigrant background in your heritage. Of course, it’s almost certainly white and saxon, so thats ok so.

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    Mute Toby Fish
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:40 PM

    @George Salter: On current trends European populations will become more ethnically diverse, with the possibility that today’s majority ethnic groups will no longer comprise a numerical majority in some countries.
    In 2011, almost a quarter of new EU citizens were Moroccan, Turk, Ecuadorian or Indian. The new citizens in the EU27 in 2011 came mainly from Africa 26% of the total number of citizenships acquired), Asia 23%, non-EU27 Europe 19%, North and South America 17% or another EU27 Member State 11%. In 2011, the largest groups that acquired citizenship of an EU27 Member State were citizens of Morocco 64 300 persons, of which 55% acquired citizenship of France or Spain, Turkey 48 900, 58% acquired German citizenship, Ecuador 33 700, 95% acquired Spanish citizenship and India 31 700, 83%

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    Mute Toby Fish
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    Jan 16th 2019, 10:41 PM

    @George Salter: Euro Stat is full of interesting information. This was 2011 remember. Before the migrant crisis

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    Mute PC Principal
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    Jan 16th 2019, 11:18 PM

    @Orla Smith: Finally, an Orla Smith than I can agree with ; )

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    Mute Jonathan O Connor
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    Jan 16th 2019, 11:47 PM

    @Toby Fish: You are attempting to misrepresent the Eurostat report to create fear and further extreme right agendas. There are 4 models included yet you only reference the one which suits your agenda.

    The report is based on 2008 data and located here for those interested: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3888793/5850217/KS-RA-11-019-EN.PDF/0345b180-b869-4cb0-907b-d755b699a369

    4 models are included with the data sources and assumptions referenced. Model 1 projects 21.5% of 0-14 will have a foreign background.

    On the model you have chosen, the report states “it should be kept in mind that for…Ireland…the same fertility assumptions have been applied for both foreign and national backgrounds, so the outcomes for these countries are not strictly comparable to the others”

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    Mute George Salter
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    Jan 17th 2019, 7:13 AM

    @Orla Smith: Stating that it’s bollox doesnt make it so. Are you unable to point something incorrect out?

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    Mute George Salter
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    Jan 17th 2019, 7:15 AM

    @Toby Fish: Oh, ffs. The migrant crisis has affected the state’s population by a couple of hundred individuals.

    3
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