Summary of Terrorist Incidents and CT Operations: September 2013

This month’s report covers terrorist incidents throughout the world, with special emphasis on events in Africa, specifically Kenya. On 21 September, 68 people were killed and 200 others were injured when a team of armed Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen militants stormed the upscale Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi. The multi-storey mall, which was part-owned by an Israeli businessman, housed restaurants, cafes, banks, a large supermarket and a cinema. It was popular with expatriates and wealthy Kenyans. At least 18 foreigners were among the dead, six of them Britons and others of them from France, Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China. Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia.September 2013 was also marked by terrorist incidents in Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel and the West Bank, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia and Yemen.

This month’s report also covers counter-terrorist incidents throughout the world, with particular emphasis on events in the Middle East, specifically Tunisia. On 9 September, two suspected Ansar al-Sharia militants were killed and two others, Mohammed al-Awadi and Mohamed Aouadiare, both senior leaders of the group, were arrested on the outskirts of Tunis. The killings and arrests were part of a large-scale anti-terrorism operation in a northern suburb of Tunis. According to authorities, the militants were involved in the transfer of weapons from Libya to Tunisia. They added that Mohammed al-Awadi and Mohamed Aouadiare were suspected of involvement in the assassination of opposition legislators Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi. Of the two militants killed, only one –Adel Saidi – was identified. September 2013 also saw counter-terrorist efforts in Ceuta, Egypt, France,India, Israel and West Bank, Kenya, Lebanon, United Kingdom, United States of America and Venezula.