TERROR SUSPECT OMAR SAID OMAR SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 001500 SIPDIS SIPDIS TERREP E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2026 TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL KJUS PGOV KE SUBJECT: TERROR SUSPECT OMAR SAID OMAR SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS REF: A. 05 NAIROBI 3730 ¶B. 05 NAIROBI 2409 Classified By: Political Counselor Michael J. Fitzpatrick. Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (SBU) In the first successful Kenyan prosecution of a terror suspect, 2002 Kikambala bombing defendant Omar Said Omar was found guilty April 4 and sentenced to 8 years in prison. Although exonerated in June 2005 for his role in the deadly 2002 terror attacks, Said had been immediately re-arrested on five related counts (ref B). The court today found Omar guilty on three charges: illegal possession of firearms, illegal possession of explosives, and illegal possession of ammunition. He was acquitted on two counts of making a document without authority, and "uttering" (atempting to present or use) a false document. Omar's prosecution and conviction are direct results of the successful collaborative effort of the short-lived Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF),whose 2005 visit to Mombasa helped secur the conclusive evidence needed for Omar's arrest and prosecution on additional charges stemming from the suicide-bombing of an Israeli-frequented hotel in Kikambala and the simultaneous failed SAM attack on an Israeli charter jet at nearby Mombasa International Airport. ¶2. (U) Nairobi Magistrate Mutoka announced the verdict to a courtroom packed with Omar's family members, Islamic scholars, and media. Omar's sentence of 8 years for each of the charges will likely be served simultaneously, with the time he has already spent in custody (since August 1, 2003) to be taken into account. During the court proceeding, the defense immediately made clear its intent to appeal the verdict within the allowed two-week window. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Omar's prosecution is an example of how successful the Kenyan Government can be in investigating and prosecuting terrorism-related cases, given the proper encouragement and coordination. With Omar headed to prison, we now have a clear JTTF success to highlight when pressing the Kenyans on counter-terrorism cooperation -- both among their stovepiped agencies and internationally. END COMMENT. BELLAMY