Kenya attack: three Britons confirmed dead

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/22/kenya-attack-britons-confirmed-dead

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Three British nationals have been confirmed dead after the terror attack in Nairobi, with the Foreign Office warning the number could rise.

David Cameron described the assault on the Westgate shopping centre as an "absolutely sickening and despicable act of appalling brutality". He said people in the UK should prepare for "further bad news" as the situation developed.

UK staff from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia have travelled to assist with the efforts in Nairobi and a rapid deployment team has been sent from London, the Foreign Office said.

The foreign secretary, William Hague, has chaired a meeting of the government's emergency committee Cobra to co-ordinate the response to the situation.

A sombre Cameron said: "It is an absolutely sickening and despicable attack of appalling brutality. What we know is that three British nationals have been killed."

He added: "Because the situation is ongoing we should prepare ourselves for further bad news. Our thoughts also should be with the Kenyan government and the Kenyan people at this time."

Cameron said he had offered the Kenyan authorities "every assistance" in a call to the president, Uhuru Kenyatta. He also indicated that British intelligence assistance could be provided.

Cameron said: "These appalling terrorist attacks that take place, where the perpetrators claim they do it in the name of a religion, they don't. They do it in the name of terror, violence and extremism and their warped view of the world. They don't represent Islam or Muslims in Britain or anywhere else in the world.

"Obviously the first priority is to make sure we do everything for the British nationals caught up in this, so we're strengthening the consular services that we have and the people that we have to look after our people.

"We've also offered the Kenyans help in terms of policing and advice and intelligence collaboration and other areas which we will be able to help with.

"The situation is ongoing and, as I say, that's why I think we have to brace ourselves for more bad news as this continues. It's an extremely difficult situation but we're doing everything we can to help the Kenyans in their hour of need."

A day after 10 to 15 gunmen – believed to be Islamic extremists – stormed the Westgate mall, attacking shoppers with guns and grenades, an unknown number of hostages remained in the building.

Government officials said at least 59 people had been confirmed dead and 175 others were wounded in the atrocity, while about 1,000 were rescued from the upmarket mall.

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