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| Kenyans Identify Relatives Killed at College | Kenyans Identify Relatives Killed at College |
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| NAIROBI, Kenya — They gathered in the hundreds outside the Chiroma Funeral Parlor, a morgue where the bodies of their loved ones had been brought. Some sat waiting for their turn to go inside, while others stood in a long line. Their faces went pale and their eyes teared up every time someone re-emerged wailing, weeping or being carried. | NAIROBI, Kenya — They gathered in the hundreds outside the Chiroma Funeral Parlor, a morgue where the bodies of their loved ones had been brought. Some sat waiting for their turn to go inside, while others stood in a long line. Their faces went pale and their eyes teared up every time someone re-emerged wailing, weeping or being carried. |
| “Why?” one man cried, moving his hands up and down, as Kenya Red Cross workers held him by both arms and took him to a tent to meet a counselor. | “Why?” one man cried, moving his hands up and down, as Kenya Red Cross workers held him by both arms and took him to a tent to meet a counselor. |
| Scores of families were waiting at the morgue on Saturday to identify relatives who died on Thursday when armed men belonging to the Shabab, the Somali Islamist extremist group, stormed a university campus and killed nearly 150 students in Kenya’s worst terrorist attack since the 1998 bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi. | Scores of families were waiting at the morgue on Saturday to identify relatives who died on Thursday when armed men belonging to the Shabab, the Somali Islamist extremist group, stormed a university campus and killed nearly 150 students in Kenya’s worst terrorist attack since the 1998 bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi. |
| Global leaders have condemned the attack, including the pope and President Obama. | Global leaders have condemned the attack, including the pope and President Obama. |
| Mr. Obama called President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on Friday to express condolences and emphasize his support for the country in the aftermath of what the White House called “despicable attacks.” Mr. Obama reassured Mr. Kenyatta that he still planned to visit Nairobi in July on his first trip to his father’s homeland since taking office. | Mr. Obama called President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on Friday to express condolences and emphasize his support for the country in the aftermath of what the White House called “despicable attacks.” Mr. Obama reassured Mr. Kenyatta that he still planned to visit Nairobi in July on his first trip to his father’s homeland since taking office. |
| In a statement afterward, the White House said the two leaders would use the July visit to “discuss how to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and continue to work together to build a safer and more prosperous future for Kenya and the broader region.” | In a statement afterward, the White House said the two leaders would use the July visit to “discuss how to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation and continue to work together to build a safer and more prosperous future for Kenya and the broader region.” |
| The Shabab said on Saturday that the attack on the university was in retaliation for killings carried out by Kenyan troops fighting the rebels in Somalia and warned of more attacks, The Associated Press reported. | |
| “Kenyan cities will run red with blood,” said a statement that appeared on Shabab-affiliated websites and Twitter accounts, according to the SITE intelligence monitoring group. Five people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack, The A.P. reported, citing a Twitter post from an Interior Ministry spokesman, Mwenda Njoka. Those arrested included three people trying to cross into Somalia and two others at the university, he said. | “Kenyan cities will run red with blood,” said a statement that appeared on Shabab-affiliated websites and Twitter accounts, according to the SITE intelligence monitoring group. Five people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the attack, The A.P. reported, citing a Twitter post from an Interior Ministry spokesman, Mwenda Njoka. Those arrested included three people trying to cross into Somalia and two others at the university, he said. |
| Psychologists, welfare workers and volunteers were also at the morgue on Saturday, trying to help. | Psychologists, welfare workers and volunteers were also at the morgue on Saturday, trying to help. |
| “They are in grief, traumatized,” said Terry Wachira, from the Kenya Counselors and Psychologists Association. “Some have broken down.” | “They are in grief, traumatized,” said Terry Wachira, from the Kenya Counselors and Psychologists Association. “Some have broken down.” |
| Simon Karanja’s sister-in-law, Anna, was a business student at Garissa University College, the scene of last week’s carnage. She was a Christian who enjoyed gospel music and hoped to get a degree that would guarantee her a job in the corporate world. | |
| On Friday, Mr. Karanja, along with other relatives, was still hopeful she would turn out to be alive. On Saturday afternoon, they identified her body at the morgue. | On Friday, Mr. Karanja, along with other relatives, was still hopeful she would turn out to be alive. On Saturday afternoon, they identified her body at the morgue. |
| “We were in shock,” said the soft-spoken Mr. Karanja. | “We were in shock,” said the soft-spoken Mr. Karanja. |
| Some have expressed frustration with the Kenyan government. | Some have expressed frustration with the Kenyan government. |
| “These guys were playing with the students,” Samuel Moroto, a lawmaker, said of the attackers. “Where was security all this time?” | |
| The attackers had ordered some of the students to lie on the floor, taunted them and told them to call their parents and let them know that the assault was payback for Kenya’s involvement in Somalia. Then they were shot. | The attackers had ordered some of the students to lie on the floor, taunted them and told them to call their parents and let them know that the assault was payback for Kenya’s involvement in Somalia. Then they were shot. |
| “The government needs to improve security,” said Alex Kangethe, 50, a taxi driver. | “The government needs to improve security,” said Alex Kangethe, 50, a taxi driver. |
| The Kenyan Army entered Somalia in 2011 after a series of kidnappings that targeted tourists along the coast. The forces are now part of an African Union mission that is fighting the Shabab. A debate is raging among Kenyans about whether their country should remain in Somalia. | The Kenyan Army entered Somalia in 2011 after a series of kidnappings that targeted tourists along the coast. The forces are now part of an African Union mission that is fighting the Shabab. A debate is raging among Kenyans about whether their country should remain in Somalia. |
| “The Kenyan Defense Forces should stay in Somalia,” said Mr. Kangethe. “Imagine if they were not there.” | “The Kenyan Defense Forces should stay in Somalia,” said Mr. Kangethe. “Imagine if they were not there.” |
| Paul Okiring, 25, disagreed. | Paul Okiring, 25, disagreed. |
| “The Kenyan Defense Forces should leave Somalia,” he said. “It could help.” | “The Kenyan Defense Forces should leave Somalia,” he said. “It could help.” |
| Last year, after a number of attacks by the Shabab that rocked the country, the government launched a counterterrorism operation known as Operation Usalama, or Operation Peace. | Last year, after a number of attacks by the Shabab that rocked the country, the government launched a counterterrorism operation known as Operation Usalama, or Operation Peace. |
| Mr. Kangethe believes it should be revived. | Mr. Kangethe believes it should be revived. |
| “They need to clean the houses one by one,” he said. “It is not harassment, but to check.” | “They need to clean the houses one by one,” he said. “It is not harassment, but to check.” |
| Human rights groups had criticized the operation last year, saying it discriminated against refugees and Kenyans with ethnic Somali backgrounds. | Human rights groups had criticized the operation last year, saying it discriminated against refugees and Kenyans with ethnic Somali backgrounds. |
| There is concern here that this latest attack may fuel tensions in Kenya along ethnic and religious lines. | There is concern here that this latest attack may fuel tensions in Kenya along ethnic and religious lines. |
| “Unless government acts swiftly, we will have a social problem,” said Mr. Moroto, the lawmaker. | “Unless government acts swiftly, we will have a social problem,” said Mr. Moroto, the lawmaker. |
| Another member of Parliament, Sabina Chege, agreed, saying, “We cannot allow this to divide us by ethnicity or religion.” | Another member of Parliament, Sabina Chege, agreed, saying, “We cannot allow this to divide us by ethnicity or religion.” |
| A spokesman for the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Adan Wachu, condemned the attackers. | A spokesman for the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Adan Wachu, condemned the attackers. |
| “My utmost condolences to the families of the innocent children,” he said tearfully. “If they were men enough, they would have faced men in uniform, not students.” | “My utmost condolences to the families of the innocent children,” he said tearfully. “If they were men enough, they would have faced men in uniform, not students.” |
| At the Nyayo National Stadium, in Nairobi, families and friends waited on Saturday for the arrival by bus of survivors from Garissa. “I called him immediately after the attack, but he did not pick up the phone,” Mr. Okiring said of his younger brother, Obeddy. “Then the phone stopped ringing.” | |
| Obeddy, his brother said, was a math and business student and wanted to be a teacher. | |
| “He loves soccer,” he said, adding, “His Facebook nickname is Jelavic Deco,” after the last names of the Croatian soccer player Nikica Jelavic and the Portuguese player Anderson Luís de Souza, known as Deco. | |
| “He is a big Chelsea fan.” |