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Briton 'killed fighting for al-Shabaab' Briton 'killed fighting for al-Shabaab'
(about 3 hours later)
A British extremist is believed to have been killed while fighting for the al-Qaida-linked terror group al-Shabaab, according to Kenyan defence officials. The mother of a British extremist believed to have been killed while fighting for al-Shabaab in Somalia has said she is awaiting confirmation of her son’s death.
Thomas Evans, in his mid-20s, fled to Somalia to join al-Shabaab in 2011, two years after converting to Islam and changing his name to Abdul Hakim. Thomas Evans, in his mid-20s, fled to join the al-Qaida-linked group in 2011, two years after converting to Islam and changing his name to Abdul Hakim.
Eleven Somali militants and two Kenyan soldiers were killed when the Islamist group launched an attack on a military base in Kenya’s northern coastal region of Lamu County over the weekend, defence officials said. Evans, from Wooburn Green in Buckinghamshire, is thought to be one of at least 15 al-Shabaab militants killed when the group launched an attack on a military base in Kenya’s northern coastal region of Lamu County over the weekend, defence officials said.
Colonel David Obonyo, a Kenyan military spokesman, told Reuters that Evans, from Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire, is thought to be among the dead but his identity cannot be confirmed until forensic tests are completed. In a brief statement, Evans’s mother Sally said: “My son, Michael, and I are currently awaiting official confirmation regarding the death of my son Thomas. We cannot comment any further at this time and request the press respect our privacy.”
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: “We’re aware of reports of the death of a British national, we can’t confirm these at this time.” If confirmed, Evans’s death will be the first reported case of a British Islamist militant being killed on Kenyan soil.
Evans’s reported death come after it emerged that Talha Asmal, 17, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, had become Britain’s youngest suicide bomber following an Isis-led attack in Iraq. Colonel David Obonyo, a Kenyan military spokesman, told reporters that tests were being undertaken to confirm the identity of the deceased.
Evans’ mother, Sally Evans, told MPs on the home affairs select committee in February that she felt “let down” by authorities that failed to stop him travelling to conflict-torn Somalia. “All the available data, including photographs, points to it being Thomas Evans. There is an investigation going on with forensics and DNA to confirm his identity,” he said.
In February 2011, aged 21, Evans attempted to fly to Kenya but was stopped by counter-terrorism police at Heathrow. But just a few months later he flew to Egypt, telling his family he was going to learn Arabic. Evans’s mother told MPs on the home affairs select committee in February that she felt let down by authorities that failed to stop him travelling to Somalia.
He contacted his mother in January 2012 to reveal he had travelled on to Somalia to join al-Shabaab, the jihadist group behind atrocities in Kenya including the Westgate shopping mall attack that killed nearly 70 people. Evans attempted to fly to Kenya in February 2011, when he was 21, but was stopped by counter-terrorism police at Heathrow. He flew to Egypt a few months later, telling his family he was going to learn Arabic.
At her home in Wooburn Green on Monday, Sally Evans was too upset to comment. He contacted his mother in January 2012 to reveal he had travelled on to Somalia to join al-Shabaab, the jihadi group behind atrocities in Kenya, including the Westgate shopping mall attack in which nearly 70 people were killed and 175 injured.
More details to follow... A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We’re aware of reports of the death of a British national. We can’t confirm these at this time.”