By Sanna Camara in Dakar
Senegalese newspapers are ranting with headlines this week quoting French intelligence sources hinting of a potential “existence of a planned [terrorism] attack in Dakar” but not clear as to the nature of such attacks, targets or the procedures.
The Walfadjri Daily, L’Observateur, among other media outlets in fact attributed the arrest of suspected Imams to telephone calls intercepted between the Imams in Senegal and jihadi organisations in the west Africa sub region.
“The recent arrests of Imams Alioune Ndao and Co. were motivated by ‘telephone conversations’ intercepted by the French intelligence services from the Lake Chad region to Dakar,” the papers said this week.
The past week also witnessed the arrest of another terrorism suspect, Leyti Niang, by operatives of the Senegalese version of the US FBI, called Criminal Investigation Division (DIC), with reinforcements from agents of the versatile Intervention Brigade (beep) police.
Mr. Niang is considered the right hand man of the Senegal’s top terrorism suspect, Makhtar Diokhané, who is currently in custody in Niger where he got arrested after he went there to join Boko haram. Leyti Niang was intercepted at Rosso, Northern Senegal close to its borders with Mauritania, and driven under escort to Dakar.
According to Liberation, Niang was actively sought since the bursting of the cases of suspects in Senegal a few weeks ago. “And all indications are that he was trying to leave the country following the first arrests,” security sources said.
Meanwhile, security has been tight around the capital Dakar and other major strategic points around the country the past several weeks since the anti-terrorism began.
So far, the six arrested suspects facing terrorism related charges and placed in custody at the Senegalese central prison called Rebeuss, were transferred to a maximum security prison of St. Louis, an island outside of Dakar.
The prison authorities said they have taken “this administrative decision for security reasons” as many relatives and other supporters of the Imam Alioune Ndao flocked to the prison to show support and solidarity with the Imam.
Another close associate of the arrested Imam of Kaolack is also under Police custody. Ibrahima Hann, 30, was arrested in the Kaolack region of Senegal. He had taken refuge in Sibassor but got nabbed in Kabatoki. Zik FM reports indicated that he is in custody on charges of “advocating terrorism”.
In Kaolack itself, tens of worshippers flocked to the streets around the weekend to show solidarity with, and protest against the holding of Imam Ndao on terrorism related charges. According to media reports, followers of the Imam said they never witnessed the Imam preaching any terrorism related sermons neither his engagement in such activities.