Kenya bomb suspect 'in Somalia'

Remains of the Paradise Hotel

The bomb which destroyed an Israeli-owned hotel near the Kenyan resort of Mombasa last month was built in the flat of the key suspect, Kenyan investigators have said.

They say they found evidence of bomb-making in the home of Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, who is believed by police to have owned the vehicle used in the attack.

Police also said Mr Nabhan may be hiding in Somalia.

On 28 November, suicide bombers killed 10 Kenyans and three Israelis at the Paradise Hotel, north of Mombasa.

Kenyan police are still questioning one person in connection with the attack.

Wife

Lead investigator William Langat said that Mr Nabhan's wife, Fatuma, who was detained on Saturday, had led police to the flat.

"She led investigators to a flat in Mombasa's Tudor estate where they lived since September," he said.

Mr Langat said that Mr Nabhan's neighbours told the police that they "used to see people resembling the sketches provided by the police at the residential house all the time in the few weeks before the bombing took place".

The investigation focuses on Mr Nabhan

They said that the green Pajero police believe was used for the attack was driven by the occupants of the house.

The Nabhans and the couple living with them were said to have left their Mombasa house on the day before the bombing of the hotel and the aborted missile attack on an Israeli aircraft.

Saleh Nabhan and his wife then travelled to the island of Lamu, 120km north of Mombasa, where Fatuma Nabhan's parents live.

Somalia

According to Inspector Langat, Fatuma Nabhan's mother and father told investigators that Saleh Nabhan said he was going to Baidoa, in southern Somalia, when he left on 3 December.

Fatuma Nabhan told investigators that her husband called her on 11 December, saying he was in Baidoa. Police suspect he is still there.

Last week police released computer-generated images of two men they suspect carried out the failed simultaneous attack in Mombasa on the Israeli airliner.

The police also announced a $6,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of each man.

Warlords control Somalia

A statement dated 6 December, purportedly from the al-Qaeda network, claimed responsibility for the twin attacks and threatened more attacks on Israeli and US targets.

But US and Israeli officials have said al-Ittihad al-Islami, a Somali-based group with links to al-Qaeda, could be responsible.

If Mr Nabhan is hiding in Somalia, investigators believe it will be difficult to find him.

Somalia has not had a central government for more than a decade, and there are no law-enforcement agencies that could help track him down.