Al Qaeda Attacks Mall In Nairobi, Kenya

[Mehtab Singh]

The attack by al Qaeda-linked militants at an upscale mall in Nairobi killed at least 59 people and wounded 175, Kenya's interior Cabinet secretary said Sunday.

Multiple barrages of gunfire erupted Sunday morning from inside the building where there is a hostage standoff with Islamic extremists nearly 24 hours after they attacked using grenades and assault rifles.

"The priority is to save as many lives as possible," Joseph Lenku said, reassuring the families of the hostages in the upscale Westgate mall. Kenyan forces have already rescued about 1,000 people, he said.

Lenku said that there are 10 to 15 attackers involved, and Kenyan forces have control of the security cameras inside the mall. Combined military and police forces surrounded the building.

Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga told reporters at the mall that he has been told officials couldn't determine the exact number of hostages inside the mall.

"There are quite a number of people still being held hostage on the third floor and the basement area where the terrorists are still in charge," Odinga said.

Al-Shabab told the BBC it carried out the attack in response to Kenyan military operations in Somalia. Kenya has for several years now had a few thousands troops in southern Somalia near their shared border battling militants.

Kenyans and foreigners were among those confirmed dead, including French, Canadians and Chinese.

The Chinese Embassy in Kenya said in a statement Sunday that a 38-year-old Chinese woman had been killed in the shopping mall "terror attack." Her son was injured in the attack and in a stable condition in hospital, according to the statement posted on the embassy's website.

Kenya's presidential office said that one of the attackers was arrested on Saturday and died after suffering from bullet wounds.

Trucks brought in a fresh contingent of soldiers from the Kenya Defense Forces early Sunday.

"Violent extremists continue to occupy Westgate Mall. Security services are there in full force," said the United States embassy in an emergency text message issued Sunday morning.

Daylight brought some good news, as Kenyan media reported that several people in hiding in the mall escaped to safety, suggesting that not everyone who is still inside is being held by al-Shabab.

Cecile Ndwiga said she had been hiding under a car in the basement parking garage.

"I called my husband to ask the soldiers to come and rescue me. Because I couldn't just walk out anyhow. The shootout was all over here left, right- just gun shots," she said.

Nairobi resident Paolo Abenavoli said he is holed up in his apartment only 100 meters from the mall with a direct view of the entrance. He said he could see a dozen or more security forces inside a first floor restaurant.

"The battle is on now," Abenavoli told The Associated Press by telephone as the fresh gunfire broke out Sunday.

Security forces had pushed curious crowds far back from the mall. Hundreds of residents gathered on a high ridge above the mall to watch for any activity.

Four American citizens were reported injured in the attack. The wife of a foreign service national working for the U.S. Agency for International Development was killed, U.S. officials said. No details about the injured Americans were released by the State Department, which cited privacy concerns. Consular officers were in contact with the injured and were providing appropriate assistance, a State Department official said.

Secretary of State John Kerry called the attack "a heartbreaking reminder that there exists unspeakable evil in our world which can destroy life in a senseless instant."

"Attacks like this can't change who we are, a people committed to peace and justice for all, but rather must reaffirm our determination to counter extremism and promote tolerance everywhere," Kerr said in a statement. "As we prepare to bring the world's leaders together at the United Nations next week, we are reminded again in tragedy of our common humanity."

Noting the death of the wife of the USAID worker, Kerry commended agency workers for their efforts around the world and said the U.S. pledged "our commitment to do whatever we can to assist in bringing the perpetrators of this abhorrent violence to justice, and to continue our efforts to improve the lives of people across the globe."

In a statement from the White House, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council said the U.S. would help bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice.

A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi told CBS News that all American embassy personnel were safe and all but a handful of Kenyans who work for the embassy were accounted for.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57604047/kenya-westgate-mall-hostage-standoff-continues-59-dead-so-far-minister-says/

[sat]

A 17 year old Sikh youth and his grandmother die in this horrific attack (reported by sikh channel), my heart felt condolences to the family at this tragic time, may Guru ji give you bal to accept his pana ji . :no: :sad2: And also to all the others killed in this attack and their families.

[Mehtab Singh]

http://www.sikh24.com/2013/09/sikh-youth-killed-by-islamist-terrorists-in-kenya-massacre/#.UkApJYY72Nd

UPDATE: 22/9/2013 18:45 GMT Reports are coming in that as many as 5 Sikhs were killed by the Terrorists and many more injured including Satpal Singh, quoted in our article, and Pavraj Singh’s cousin.

Sikhs from Kenya have asked for all Sikhs worldwide to do simran for the large number of fatalities in this weekends terrorist attack which is still ongoing.

NAIROBI, KENYA (September 22, 2013)—A Sikh youth named Pavraj ‘Pablo’ Singh Ghataurhae has been reported as one of the victims killed by al Qaeda linked Somalian terrorist group al-Shabab during their attack on Westgate Mall in Nairobi Kenya today.

Armed gunmen faced off with Kenyan police and soldiers inside an upscale Nairobi shopping mall early Sunday, hours after brazenly gunning down shoppers, diners and more. On Saturday afternoon, the terrorists had freed all Muslims and began killing the non-Muslims present.

Satpal Singh, 36, another Sikh who was in a cafe on the mall’s top floor, said he ran downstairs when he heard the gunfire and was shot at near the mall’s main exit.

“A Somali guy shot at me. The guy who shot me was carrying a rifle, an AK-47.”

39 people, including Pavraj Singh, women, and other children were declared dead while another 293 people were injured.

Shocked people could be seen running away from the Westgate centre clutching children, while others crawled along walls to avoid bullets. “The gunmen tried to fire at my head but missed. At least 50 people were shot. There are definitely many casualties,” mall employee Sudjar Singh said.

“I saw a young boy carried out on a shopping cart, it looked like he was about five or six. It looked like he was already dead, he was not moving or making any noise.”

Vehicles riddled with bullet holes were left abandoned in front of the mall as police instructed local residents to stay away.

[Jonny101]

Vahiguru. This is pure evil. How can they hope to gain Jannat after killing innocent civlians who have nothing to do with politics? These terrorists will go straight to hell for this.

[singh135]

Why is the Singh in the photo laughing over the dead bodies. Very poor pr.

[VanHelsingh]

Why is the Singh in the photo laughing over the dead bodies. Very poor pr.

He appears to be distraught.

[Jonny101]

Why is the Singh in the photo laughing over the dead bodies. Very poor pr.

I don't think that's a laugh. Some people's face looks like a laugh when they cry since similar facial muscle groups are being used to express both contrasting emotions.

Indian shot in Nairobi mall for failing to answer query on Islam

ABUJA: An Indian man was shot when he failed to answer a question on Islam asked by Somalian terrorists who were holding hostages after killing 68 people at an upmarket mall in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

The heavily armed gunmen belonging to al Qaida-linked Somali militant group al Shabab, reports said, were trying to weed out non-Muslims for execution by interrogating people on their faith or asking them to recite the 'Shahada'.

On the second floor of Westgate, Nairobi'sswankiest shopping mall, Joshua Hakim saw gunmen, some of whom looked to be teenagers, strapped with ammunition belts, carrying AK-47 assault rifles. "They were firing indiscriminately, they shot a lot of people," he said.

During a lull in the firing, the attackers called out for Muslims to identify themselves and leave, British newspaper The Guardian quoted Hakim as saying.

Covering the Christian name on his ID with his thumb, Hakim approached one of the attackers and showed them the plastic card.

"They told me to go. Then an Indian man came forward and they said, 'What is the name of Muhammad's mother?' When he couldn't answer they just shot him."

It was not clear from the report whether the Indian was injured or fatally shot.

Some Indians were among 68 people killed by the Islamist terrorists in the packed mall. Five Indians, including two women and a girl, were among nearly 200 people injured in the brazen attack on the part Israeli-owned mall.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Indian-shot-in-Nairobi-mall-for-failing-to-answer-query-on-Islam/articleshow/22937955.cms

[GPS]

These people are not human.They are evil.Evil need to be eliminated.

[proactive]

Both the UK and US governments are importing lakhs of these Somalis into their countries.

[DailyMail]

Utter senseless madness.

There is not a country in the world where muslims haven't caused pain, misery, death and destruction.