# Terror at Nairobi Mall Leaves at Least 30 Dead



## Kraut783 (Sep 21, 2013)

Dang....RIP to the victims.

"Somali's rebel group al-Shabab vowed in late 2011 to carry out a large-scale attack in Nairobi in retaliation for Kenya's sending of troops into Somalia to fight the Islamic insurgents."

http://abcnews.go.com/International/nairobi-kenya-mall-shooting-30-dead-attack/story?id=20328346


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 21, 2013)

The news is not encouraging. 
http://news.msn.com/world/39-dead-in-kenya-mall-attack-hostages-still-held?gt1=51501&stay=1



> At least 39 people were killed and more than 150 wounded in the assault, Kenya's president announced on national TV, while disclosing that his close family members were among the dead.





> Early Sunday morning, 12 hours after the attack began, gunmen remained holed up inside the mall with an unknown number of hostages. President Uhuru Kenyatta called the security operation under way "delicate" and said a top priority was to safeguard hostages.


----------



## tova (Sep 21, 2013)

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....


----------



## Ooh-Rah (Sep 21, 2013)

Fucking incredible that this is not happening here.  File this under "why I carry" everywhere I go...


----------



## Kraut783 (Sep 21, 2013)

This is what's scares the crap out of me, can you imagine this happening in the US? Total melt down.  I'm with you ooh-rah....I carry 24/7.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 21, 2013)

> The Prime Minister's Office released a statement identifying 29-year-old Annemarie Desloges, an official in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration who served in Canada's High Commission to Kenya, as one of those killed.



http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canadi...aimed-by-al-qaeda-linked-group-1.1863137?cid=


----------



## JHD (Sep 22, 2013)

Since the targets were Christian, I think we are safe from POTUS issuing another red line threat.    RIP to the deceased.


----------



## Ooh-Rah (Sep 22, 2013)

Fuck. I can only try to imagine the terror these families went through. 

Recite some prayer and you may leave. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. 

9-11 aside, we are so insulated  as a country.  As @Kraut783 said, we would have a complete national meltdown as a country if something even remotely similar were to happen here. 

BUT...would our police response be different than what happened over there?  In the day of cell-phones on every hip, (instead of a SIG) would the Bad Guys have time to do this before a million SWAT teams rained down on them?


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 22, 2013)

Just heard a report on the TV that Israel is sending "negotiators" to help.


----------



## RackMaster (Sep 22, 2013)

I wouldn't be surprised if we had a "Crisis Team" on its way.


----------



## TheSiatonist (Sep 22, 2013)

Fucking cowards targeting women and children.

They'd be so naive to think that the "fear" the sow is still effective in pushing their agenda. Personally, I think these acts of terror solidify the resolve of more people to hunt these fuckers to the ground.

RIP to those who perished.


----------



## Dame (Sep 22, 2013)

Ooh-Rah1069 said:


> Fuck. I can only try to imagine the terror these families went through.
> 
> Recite some prayer and you may leave. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
> 
> ...



I think this happening here would indeed break the camel's back. It would take everything I had in the way of self control NOT to head to the mall with a rifle and a 1K round box of ammo. All my LE friends on here know they are the only reason I wouldn't. I respect the job and wouldn't interfere but I would goddamn motherfucking want to.


----------



## Kraut783 (Sep 22, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> Just heard a report on the TV that Israel is sending "negotiators" to help.


 
Indeed...

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/09/22/325379/israeli-forces-enter-nairobi-mall/

THAT's really gonna piss off al-Shabab


----------



## pardus (Sep 22, 2013)

This is a big move if the Israelis are indeed there. 

Here's to them cleaning up these Al Shabab cowards.


----------



## AWP (Sep 22, 2013)

Dame said:


> It would take everything I had in the way of self control NOT to head to the mall with a rifle and a 1K round box of ammo. All my LE friends on here know they are the only reason I wouldn't. I respect the job and wouldn't interfere but I would goddamn motherfucking want to.


 
Do you have any idea how ridiculous this sounds?


----------



## SpitfireV (Sep 22, 2013)

One sliver of light from this incident is that it points to the Kenyan work against Al-Shabab working effectively.


----------



## Dame (Sep 22, 2013)

Freefalling said:


> Do you have any idea how ridiculous this sounds?



You are right. It is. And I appologize for my temper.


----------



## pardus (Sep 22, 2013)

SpitfireV said:


> One sliver of light from this incident is that it points to the Kenyan work against Al-Shabab working effectively.



It does?


----------



## SpitfireV (Sep 22, 2013)

pardus said:


> It does?



I think so. At the least it would show that they're feeling some pressure over it all. After all, why would they wait nearly two years after making the threat? To me the use of what I presume to be not-unlimited resources* for this attack, rather than Somalia operations shows they want to force the Kenyan hand into stopping the Kenyan African Union contingent. 

That said, after I wrote this, I see on the BBC that the border is still porous, which isn't unexpected. 

*I assume they don't have unlimited operational capacity but I'm not totally sure.


----------



## pardus (Sep 22, 2013)

SpitfireV said:


> I think so. At the least it would show that they're feeling some pressure over it all. After all, why would they wait nearly two years after making the threat? To me the use of what I presume to be not-unlimited resources* for this attack, rather than Somalia operations shows they want to force the Kenyan hand into stopping the Kenyan African Union contingent.
> 
> That said, after I wrote this, I see on the BBC that the border is still porous, which isn't unexpected.
> 
> *I assume they don't have unlimited operational capacity but I'm not totally sure.



I'm sure they are pissed at the Kenyans. There has been cross border naughtiness going on for decades there, and it won't stop anytime soon.


----------



## SpitfireV (Sep 22, 2013)

pardus said:


> I'm sure they are pissed at the Kenyans. There has been cross border naughtiness going on for decades there, and it won't stop anytime soon.



Oh for sure.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 22, 2013)

Oh neat.  Some of the mall attackers are from the US. 
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/09/22/cnn-some-of-the-kenya-mall-attackers-are-from-u-s/



> #cnn has learned from sources that two of the Kenya mall attackers are from Minnesota and one from Missouri.





> The nationalities of the attackers originated from a now-suspended Twitter account, where their sources confirmed nine names listed were among the alleged hostage takers.
> Three of the alleged attackers are from the U.S., two are from Somalia and there is one each from Canada, Finland, Kenya and the United Kingdom, according to the list.


----------



## SpitfireV (Sep 22, 2013)

I'm willing to bet cash monies that while they might be citizens of those countries they're originally Somali.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 22, 2013)

SpitfireV said:


> I'm willing to bet cash monies that while they might be citizens of those countries they're originally Somali.


And you would most likely be right.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/ken..._mail_job=1538617_09222013&promo_code=14F53-1



> Two of the Americans are from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and the other is from Kansas City, Missouri. Minneapolis has a large Somali community that in the past has been linked to recruitment efforts by al-Shabab as well as al-Qaida.


----------



## CQB (Sep 23, 2013)

SpitfireV said:


> I'm willing to bet cash monies that while they might be citizens of those countries they're originally Somali.



I saw a pic on the news of a white woman (what's the Arabic fem form of jihadi?) whose hubby was a London bomber. Sadly, there was an Aussie and his pregnant Dutch wife who ate it.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 23, 2013)

This is pretty upside down and backwards.  But....



> Judges at the International Criminal Court have excused Kenya's deputy president from his crimes against humanity trial for a week so he can return home to help deal with the mall hostage crisis.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/23/kenya-hostage-crisis_n_3974026.html?ncid=webmail1


----------



## RackMaster (Sep 23, 2013)

Reported a 24  y/o male from Ontario, Canada as part of the fuckers.  Wouldn't surprise me, it's becoming a common factor lately...  

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...ege-says-canadian-man-is-one-of-their-gunmen/


----------



## ManBearPig (Sep 23, 2013)

Bunch of savages. 

Rest In Peace to the innocent who have died.


----------



## hoepoe (Sep 23, 2013)

pardus said:


> This is a big move if the Israelis are indeed there.
> 
> Here's to them cleaning up these Al Shabab cowards.


Advisory capacity only i understand, but new details are emerging all the time.


----------



## pardus (Sep 23, 2013)

hoepoe said:


> Advisory capacity only i understand, but new details are emerging all the time.



Roger. Shame, that would be the hostages best chance of survival.
Do you still have any "Black Is Beautiful"?


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 23, 2013)

A little bit of good news out of this mess.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...duty-SAS-soldier-handgun-saved-100-lives.html



> An off-duty member of the SAS emerged as a hero of the Nairobi siege yesterday, after he was credited with saving up to 100 lives.
> 
> The soldier was having coffee at the Westgate mall when it was attacked by Islamists on Saturday.
> 
> ...


----------



## Ooh-Rah (Sep 23, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> A little bit of good news out of this mess.
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...duty-SAS-soldier-handgun-saved-100-lives.html



See also....my reply at the beginning of this thread...miss it? 
Here it is again..."
Fucking incredible that this is not happening here. File this under "why I carry" everywhere I go..."

Outstanding...hoping the Brits (and the rest of the media) do not go out of their way to unmask this man.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 23, 2013)

Ooh-Rah1069 said:


> Outstanding...hoping the Brits (and the rest of the media) do not go out of their way to unmask this man.


That pic showing his face is all over the net, sadly.


----------



## TheSiatonist (Sep 23, 2013)

^^That pic of him with the two girls has his face edited out already.

I hope he had the opportunity to kill a few of these multinational terrorists in the process:

From Chops link:


> He is said to have returned to the building on a dozen occasions, despite intense gunfire.
> 
> A friend in Nairobi said: ‘What he did was so heroic. He was having coffee with friends when it happened.
> 
> ...


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 24, 2013)

TheSiatonist said:


> ^^That pic of him with the two girls has his face edited out already.
> 
> I hope he had the opportunity to kill a few of these multinational terrorists in the process:


I saw that pic with his face plainly showing on various news outlets all weekend.


----------



## CQB (Sep 24, 2013)

Moving forward, some thoughts...

http://selectedwisdom.com/?p=1146


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 25, 2013)

If this is true how did they get all that stuff in there without being detected and what kind of store was it? 

http://abcnews.go.com/International...s-rented-shop-months-attack/story?id=20365562



> An interior ministry spokesman said today that the band of assailants had rented a shop in the mall for three months, storing weapons and plotting Saturday's rampage.
> 
> Later that same day, Lenku said that claim was only a "rumor" until it had been verified by the investigation.
> 
> "As to whether they had a shop in the mall is something we cannot say categorically," Lenku said.


----------



## CQB (Sep 25, 2013)

Normal deliveries, hiding in plain sight & if there was a fit out, perhaps even easier.


----------



## pardus (Sep 25, 2013)

Noting would be easier than to wheel/carry in boxes  looking like normal merchandise but filled with weapons, just like other shops do everyday.

Im very surprised it hasn't happened here yet.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 25, 2013)

I saw this lady on the news this morning.  One of the lucky ones indeed.  When she mentioned her rescuers it got my attention.  It also made me wonder what type of security was in place at that mall vs what we have in most malls here.  As you point out @pardus Im surprised this has not occured here yet. 
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/...an-survivor-recounts-kenyan-siege-horror?lite



> She and the others with her survived by hiding for five hours in the back room of the store until what she called an "American security team" showed up to rescue them.
> Malakia said the group was told: "'If you guys want to get out, we understand it's dangerous but this is probably your best shot. If you don't get out now you may not get out.'"
> 
> So, they all made a beeline for the exit and ran out of the mall — where she said two grenades thrown about 30 feet away caused her to emotionally break down, even as she had finally escaped


----------



## CQB (Sep 25, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> I saw this lady on the news this morning.  One of the lucky ones indeed.  When she mentioned her rescuers it got my attention.  It also made me wonder what type of security was in place at that mall vs what we have in most malls here.  As you point out @pardus Im surprised this has not occured here yet.
> http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/...an-survivor-recounts-kenyan-siege-horror?lite


The pix at the end of the link are worth a look. Full marks to the woman in the air duct. Be good to see the debrief.


----------



## Poccington (Sep 26, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> A little bit of good news out of this mess.
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...duty-SAS-soldier-handgun-saved-100-lives.html



It would seem an Englishman and an Irishman joined forces inside the mall... It sounds like the start of a bad joke.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-new...ied-shoppers-trapped-in-nairobi-29608137.html




> *A FORMER Irish Army ranger helped save hundreds of terrified shoppers who were trapped inside the Westgate mall as it came under terrorist attack at the weekend.*
> 
> The hero, who does not want his identity to be revealed, was part of a group of four who fought off some of the al Qa'ida linked attackers to rescue the terrified shoppers.
> 
> ...


----------



## JHD (Sep 26, 2013)

Kudos to all the brave guys that stepped up to save the less able.


----------



## Totentanz (Sep 26, 2013)

Poccington said:


> *I*t would seem an Englishman and an Irishman joined forces inside the mall... It sounds like the start of a bad joke.
> 
> http://www.independent.ie/irish-new...ied-shoppers-trapped-in-nairobi-29608137.html



Though it seems like it had a good punchline (given the circumstances).  Well done.


----------



## policemedic (Sep 26, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> It also made me wonder what type of security was in place at that mall vs what we have in most malls here.  As you point out @pardus Im surprised this has not occured here yet.
> http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/...an-survivor-recounts-kenyan-siege-horror?lite



There is no security in malls.

ETA: But there are often signs prohibiting the carriage of firearms, so it's all good.


----------



## CDG (Sep 26, 2013)

INTERPOL issued an arrest warrant for the "White Widow" in connection to the mall attack.  She's the widow of one of the 2005 London subway bombers....
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/0...-white-widow-eyed-in-kenya/?intcmp=latestnews


----------



## 0699 (Sep 26, 2013)

policemedic said:


> There is no security in malls.
> 
> ETA: But there are often signs prohibiting the carriage of firearms, so it's all good.


 
There needs to be a way to sarcasticlly agree...


----------



## Ranger Psych (Sep 27, 2013)

policemedic said:


> There is no security in malls.
> 
> ETA: But there are often signs prohibiting the carriage of firearms, so it's all good.



Ehh, that's arguable.  Malls in AK, one had taser/glock and plate carrier wearing security roaming in teams, other major mall had multiple uniformed unarmed security, 3rd big mall had 3 armed guards 2 patrolling one stationary.  Strangely enough, the armed super-security was at the mall that had a substation in it, but they also had a significant office complex as part of the mall system (7 story building on one end, 2 story mall complex as first 2 stories of office building)

Not arguing that the unarmed security would do dick all obviously.  The malls also were not GFZ's either, although IIRC JC Penny and a couple other big stores were... guess where we never shopped.


----------



## CQB (Sep 27, 2013)

I'm pretty much pissed off right now. 
Just beyond the pale. 

*'Eyes gouged out, bodies hanging from hooks, and fingers removed with pliers': Horrific claims of torture emerge as soldiers reveal gory Kenyan mall massacre details*

*Kenyan soldiers claim to find scenes of torture by mall terrorists*


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...dies-hooks-fingers-removed.html#ixzz2g5t1IuB9 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


----------



## pardus (Sep 27, 2013)

Absolutely disgusting. I hope the Kenyans execute these scum ASAP.



> The following day, the soldiers were ordered to adopt a 'shoot to kill' policy and launched their final attack on the terror group on the roof of the mall at 5pm.
> 
> The mall was retaken about half an hour later.



Why the fuck did they not have a shoot to kill policy immediately? A lot of people would have been spared being tortured to death.


----------



## reed11b (Sep 27, 2013)

Ranger Psych said:


> Ehh, that's arguable.  Malls in AK, one had taser/glock and plate carrier wearing security roaming in teams, other major mall had multiple uniformed unarmed security, 3rd big mall had 3 armed guards 2 patrolling one stationary.  Strangely enough, the armed super-security was at the mall that had a substation in it, but they also had a significant office complex as part of the mall system (7 story building on one end, 2 story mall complex as first 2 stories of office building)
> 
> Not arguing that the unarmed security would do dick all obviously.  The malls also were not GFZ's either, although IIRC JC Penny and a couple other big stores were... guess where we never shopped.


That changed. By the time I left in '10 no one had armed security. Apparently the liability costs outweigh the insurance savings.
Reed


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 27, 2013)

Another amazing story of rescue.  I saw this picture in the news over and over this past week.  What an amazing man.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...-harrowing-story-of-rescues-in-mall-massacre/



> The man was Abdul Haji, a 39-year-old real estate executive who rushed to the mall as the attack got underway. He managed to evacuate scores of people to safety, including that young American girl, Portia Walker, and is being hailed in Kenya as a hero.





> Nearby, a woman was trapped behind a table. Haji yelled at her to run to them but the woman, 39 year-old Katherine Walker, said she couldn’t because she had three young children with her. Haji told her to send the eldest, 4-year-old Portia, who ran across. “[A] very brave girl,” said Haji affectionately. “She’s running toward a man with a gun and she was very brave.”
> 
> “I don’t know how she knew to do it but she did,” Katherine Walker later told The Telegraph newspaper, “she did what she was told and she went.”


----------



## hoepoe (Sep 27, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> Another amazing story of rescue.  I saw this picture in the news over and over this past week.  What an amazing man.
> http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...-harrowing-story-of-rescues-in-mall-massacre/
> 
> 
> ...


Fantastic. Kudos to this hero.


----------



## Kraut783 (Sep 27, 2013)

Interesting....they pre-positioned weapons and ammo prior to attack.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24306648


----------



## Kraut783 (Sep 27, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> Another amazing story of rescue.  I saw this picture in the news over and over this past week.  What an amazing man.
> http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...-harrowing-story-of-rescues-in-mall-massacre/
> 
> 
> ...


 
Interview with the guy....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24304928


----------



## Ranger Psych (Sep 27, 2013)

reed11b said:


> That changed. By the time I left in '10 no one had armed security. Apparently the liability costs outweigh the insurance savings.
> Reed



Erm, well, considering we departed Aug2011, I call shenanigans because the 5th ave mall had unarmed security with campaign hats and Diamond had tac'ed out guards. Northway mall had no security evident, Sears mall had armed security.

Maybe you're not thinking about Anchorage, Alaska?


----------



## reed11b (Sep 28, 2013)

PM sent.
Reed


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 28, 2013)

It is amazing to me that while all of this chaos was going on that someone was taking pictures?    Id be hiding/running, for sure.


----------



## TheSiatonist (Sep 28, 2013)

Here's an interview from one of the photographers who ran inside the mall when the shooting started.

Witness to a Massacre...


----------



## 0699 (Sep 28, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> It is amazing to me that while all of this chaos was going on that someone was taking pictures?    Id be hiding/running, for sure.


 
I'd be holed up under a desk, holding the fattest person I could find in front of me to protect me from the bullets.  And I'd be screaming like a little girl.


----------



## Chopstick (Sep 28, 2013)

0699 said:


> I'd be holed up under a desk, holding the fattest person I could find in front of me to protect me from the bullets.  And I'd be screaming like a little girl.


I cant believe you would put me in harm's way like that.  I thought you were my friend.  
BTW screaming would give our hiding place way.  DOH!:wall:


----------



## JHD (Sep 28, 2013)

Chopstick said:


> I cant believe you would put me in harm's way like that.  I thought you were my friend.
> BTW screaming would give our hiding place way.  DOH!:wall:



I was going to say I would be behind 0699, but since you beat me to it, I guess I wold have to be behind you.  In addition to screaming, I would also be peeing my pants.


----------



## CQB (Sep 28, 2013)

There's a report in today paper, link coming, which outlines the reaction to it by police and KDF. There was a team to get out some VIPs, which was independent & indecision on who would run the show.


----------



## Chopstick (Oct 5, 2013)

Here is a little happy news.
http://news.yahoo.com/u-commandos-seize-al-shabaab-leader-nairobi-attack-211536128.html



> A U.S. Navy SEAL team seized a senior leader of the al Shabaab militant group from a seaside villa in Somalia on Saturday in response to a deadly attack on a Nairobi shopping mall last month, the New York Times quoted U.S. officials as saying.
> 
> The SEAL team seized the unidentified target in a predawn firefight after approaching the beachfront house in the Somali town of Barawe by sea, the paper reported on its website
> 
> ...


----------



## CQB (Oct 6, 2013)

Just caught up with this one and it looks like (from what I'm hearing) that they may have wacked the guy but as they had to withdraw, it's not confirmed officially. North Africa is a different matter. The guy is in the bag.


----------



## JHD (Oct 6, 2013)

Good for them.  Hope they were completely successful in their mission, and that the guy is dead.

Also glad they got the other POS.  They all get a big thank you from me.


----------



## CQB (Oct 6, 2013)

Amen to that.


----------

