Kenya hardline cleric shot dead

Kenya hardline cleric shot dead

A hardline cleric in Kenya , Abubaker Shariff Ahmed , was shot dead in Mombasa on Tuesday , amid worsening religious tensions in the strategic port city and gateway to east Africa .

Abubaker Shariff Ahmed , better known as Makaburi , is a strong supporter of Osama bin Laden .

He called the attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi last year , " 100 percent justified " . Shebab militants affiliated with Al Qaeda claimed the attack .

Makaburi also included in the list of UN sanctions and accused of being " a leading supporter and recruiter of young Kenyan Muslims to commit acts of violence in Somalia " , and has " strong ties with the Shebab leaders .

Senior police officer in Mombasa , Richard Ngatia confirm that Makaburi killed by " unknown assailants " , and an AFP reporter in the city saw the body .

Many supporters of the cleric accused the Kenyan authorities were behind a series of assassinations of members of Muslim militants in Mobasa and coastal areas berpeduduk Muslim majority .

The accusations were repeatedly denied by the officials .

Makaburi , who wore a white robe , was shot in the chest . A young man was shot along with Makaburi .

" One of them is a corpse Abubaker Shariff aka Makaburi , " said Ngatia told reporters, adding the family members have identified the body .

" They 're waiting for a car to take them when the people in a passing car shot at them . We do not know who killed them and why . We will conduct an investigation , " he said .

Meanwhile , the police fired warning shots to repel Makaburi angry supporters outside the police station where the bodies were taken .

Mohamed Ali , who referred to himself as an " old friend Makaburi " , said he along with the scholars during the shooting that occurred near the courthouse Mombasa .

In an interview with AFP last month , said he would be killed Makaburi : " My soul is in danger . They will eventually kill me . They will do it , " he said .

Prominent leader in the Musa Mosque , the location of the frequent riots in Mombasa , Makaburi introduces himself as a simple man who advance the " true Islam " .

He said the best examples of Islam is found in parts of Fallujah in Iraq , in areas of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban and Somali regions controlled by the Shebab insurgents .