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Nairobi attack: UK woman and Americans 'among militants' | Nairobi attack: UK woman and Americans 'among militants' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A British woman is thought to be among militants who killed at least 67 people at a Kenyan shopping centre, the country's foreign minister has said. | |
Amina Mohamed said the woman had "done this many times before" and "two or three" Americans were also attackers. | Amina Mohamed said the woman had "done this many times before" and "two or three" Americans were also attackers. |
Earlier, Kenya's interior minister said all of the militants were men although some may have been dressed as women. | |
Six British nationals are confirmed dead in the attack on the Westgate centre in Nairobi. | Six British nationals are confirmed dead in the attack on the Westgate centre in Nairobi. |
The Foreign Office (FCO) said the next of kin of the six had been informed and were being offered consular support. | The Foreign Office (FCO) said the next of kin of the six had been informed and were being offered consular support. |
It also said it was aware of the comments by Kenya's foreign minister, but officials refused to speculate on the identity of any of the perpetrators. | |
In a televised address to the nation, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said the four-day siege was over and declared three days of national mourning starting on Wednesday. | |
Mr Kenyatta said intelligence reports suggested a British woman and "two or three" Americans citizens may have been involved in the attack. | |
He added: "We cannot confirm the details at present but forensic experts are working to ascertain the nationalities of the terrorists." | |
He confirmed 61 civilians and six soldiers had died, and five attackers were shot dead by troops and 11 suspects were in custody. | |
At a press conference in Pakistan, Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I'm aware that there have been reports of a British woman being involved, but until we have seen the investigations completed it is not possible to give further details to confirm or deny that issue." | |
Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by al-Shabab - an Islamist group based in neighbouring Somalia which is part of the al-Qaeda network. | |
'Animals' | 'Animals' |
Ms Mohamed told the PBS NewsHour programme on Monday: "From the information that we have, two or three Americans [were involved] and I think, so far, I have heard of one Brit... a woman... and I think she has done this many times before." | |
The Americans are believed to have been aged about 18 or 19, of Somali or Arab origin and lived in "Minnesota and one other place", she said. | The Americans are believed to have been aged about 18 or 19, of Somali or Arab origin and lived in "Minnesota and one other place", she said. |
The comments have fuelled speculation about the possible involvement in the attack of British terror suspect Samantha Lewthwaite - the widow of 7 July suicide bomber Germaine Lindsay. | |
She is known to be in East Africa and is wanted by Kenyan police over alleged links to a terrorist cell that planned to bomb the country's coast. | |
The Metropolitan Police said a team of officers had travelled to Nairobi to help with "post-incident procedures" including gathering scientific evidence and supporting the work of British coroners. | |
'Bad man' | 'Bad man' |
A UK man, who lost his young daughter, told the Daily Telegraph she was killed by "animals" who were using "religion as an excuse". | |
Louis Bawa, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, said he had spoken to his daughter Jennah, eight, and Kenyan-born wife Zahira on Friday but "didn't get a chance to catch up with them" again. | Louis Bawa, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, said he had spoken to his daughter Jennah, eight, and Kenyan-born wife Zahira on Friday but "didn't get a chance to catch up with them" again. |
He said they had gone on a regular Saturday shopping trip to the Westgate centre, but added: "This time they didn't come home." | He said they had gone on a regular Saturday shopping trip to the Westgate centre, but added: "This time they didn't come home." |
Architect Ross Langdon - who had British-Australian citizenship - has also been named as one of the UK victims, although the Foreign Office is still not confirming identities. | |
Mr Langdon's company, Regional Associates, issued a tribute to him and said he had died alongside his pregnant partner, Elif Yavuz, a Dutch citizen. | Mr Langdon's company, Regional Associates, issued a tribute to him and said he had died alongside his pregnant partner, Elif Yavuz, a Dutch citizen. |
British woman Lynsey Khatau, 23, from south Wales, managed to flee from the attack with her young son and husband. | |
She said: "It was really horrific. My son is really traumatised. We were going to die, that was the only thing I was thinking, we're going to die. There were people just falling everywhere." | |
A Leicester man brought up in Kenya told BBC Radio Leicester that four of his family members had been killed in the attack. | |
He said that he had spoken to his brother in Nairobi but "contact is difficult because they're in a balance between trying to find out if other people are still inside because we don't know where they are. It's just a really bad time." | He said that he had spoken to his brother in Nairobi but "contact is difficult because they're in a balance between trying to find out if other people are still inside because we don't know where they are. It's just a really bad time." |
According to the Sun newspaper, a four-year-old British boy was among the survivors of the atrocity. | According to the Sun newspaper, a four-year-old British boy was among the survivors of the atrocity. |
His mother was reportedly shot in the leg, but was able to escape with her son and his six-year-old sister after the boy told one of the gunmen: "You're a very bad man." | His mother was reportedly shot in the leg, but was able to escape with her son and his six-year-old sister after the boy told one of the gunmen: "You're a very bad man." |
The Daily Mail reported that an off-duty British Special Air Services (SAS) soldier who was in the shopping centre at the time of the attack saved at least 100 lives. | |
The newspaper reported that the unnamed man went in and out of the Westgate centre a dozen times to rescue people. | The newspaper reported that the unnamed man went in and out of the Westgate centre a dozen times to rescue people. |
British nationals concerned about friends or family can contact the Foreign Office on +44 (0)20 7008 0000. | British nationals concerned about friends or family can contact the Foreign Office on +44 (0)20 7008 0000. |