Kenyan Media: Iranian Ambassador's Attempt to Smuggle Two Suspects of 'Terrorist Operations'

Kenyan media reported on February 24 that Hadi Farajvand, the Iranian ambassador to Nairobi, was attempting to smuggle two Iranian members of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who are accused of 'terrorist operations in Kenya.' According to the East Africa website in Nairobi, the recent actions of the Iranian ambassador to expedite the return of Mansour Mousavi and Ahmad Abolfathi Mohammad after their release from detention drew the attention of Kenyan authorities, prompting the Kenyan police's criminal unit to initiate an investigation. Mousavi and Abolfathi Mohammad have been accused for the past six years of 'transferring RDX explosive materials' to Mombasa 'with the aim of killing Israeli tourists' in this tourist city, and were initially sentenced to life imprisonment, which was later reduced to 15 years. A Kenyan newspaper reported that the two Iranian nationals have been banned from leaving the country after their release. The Nairobi Court of Appeals had initially released the two suspects last year while reviewing their appeal, but they were re-arrested following a prosecutor's objection until their final ruling is issued. According to the East Africa website, individuals whom the Iranian ambassador contacted for the suspects' release told him, after receiving money from him, that the two detained Iranians would be 'released soon.' Some reports from other Kenyan media indicated that the ambassador was told the two citizens of his country would be released on February 8. Based on these reports, the Iranian ambassador trusted the promises of those he contacted so much that he purchased plane tickets for himself and the two suspects, but after February 8 passed and they were not released, he canceled the tickets. Some Kenyan media reports claimed that the Iranian ambassador himself was investigating with senior Kenyan officials regarding the two individuals who had promised the release of the Iranian suspects on February 8, but Kenyan authorities, suspecting the ambassador, began a criminal investigation. The Kenyan police stated that the two individuals who had promised the release of Mousavi and Abolfathi Mohammad to the Iranian ambassador and had taken money from him were arrested on Friday, February 24. The names of the two arrested individuals were announced as Wesley Kiptenui Kipkemoi and Shemgrant Agei; they had introduced themselves as individuals 'influential in the Ministry of Interior' of Kenya. The amount of money that the Iranian ambassador allegedly gave them has not yet been disclosed. According to the East Africa website, Shemgrant Agei is a citizen of Ghana, and thus the investigation by the Kenyan police's criminal department is focused on the role of the other detainee, Kipkemoi. Kipkemoi and Agei will be taken to a Nairobi court on Monday, February 26, for a detention extension. Kenyan media, based on statements from their security officials, reported that Hadi Farajvand wanted the two Iranian suspects to leave for Iran immediately after their release. Interpol had warned the Kenyan government a year and a half ago that Iranian officials might collude with influential individuals in Kenya's executive and judicial branches to secure the release of their accused citizens, including through bribery. There has been no news on Hadi Farajvand's reaction to the newly published reports in Kenyan media, but officials in Kenya have stated that their foreign ministry should summon the Iranian ambassador. Iran had previously denied that Mansour Mousavi and Ahmad Abolfathi Mohammad were members of the Quds Force or involved in terrorist efforts, introducing them as ordinary businessmen caught in a conspiracy and working to free them. The lawyer for Mr. Mousavi and Abolfathi stated in the appeals court that the connection between the two and the discovery of a bag containing 15 kilograms of explosive materials at a golf course in Mombasa is 'speculation' and that they were 'accidentally' at the location. However, the Kenyan prosecutor stated that the two Iranians had visited the mentioned golf course twice during their stay in Mombasa and were not ordinary tourists. Kenyan media had speculated in previous years that the mission assigned to these two Iranians to kill Israelis in Kenya was 'part of Tehran's efforts to take revenge for the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists by Israel.' In December 2016, Kenyan media claimed that two other Iranians attempting to free the two suspects were arrested while taking photos of the Israeli embassy in the Kenyan capital. However, Iran later stated that the two, named Abdolhossein Safaei and Nasrollah Ebrahimi, were lawyers sent to assist with the case of the two imprisoned Iranians and were traveling in a diplomatic vehicle of the Iranian embassy. Iranian officials' statements regarding the two lawyers were accepted by Kenya, and they met with the two Iranian suspects in a Kenyan prison before returning to Iran. Hadi Farajvand, the Iranian ambassador, had expressed 'deep regret' at the time over the publication of 'false' news in Kenyan media. Meanwhile, coinciding with the publication of new reports from Kenyan media regarding Iran on Sunday, Ms. Leila Fathi, a member of the Iranian Women Entrepreneurs Association, stated in Tehran that Kenya has blocked the bank accounts of Iranian traders, 'including those who have been working and living in Kenya for many years.'