NAIROBI // A military spokesman on Saturday confirmed the names of the four fighters implicated in the attack on the upscale Westgate Mall in Kenya's capital last month, an assault that turned into a four-day-long siege, killing at least 67 people.
Major Emmanuel Chirchir said the attackers were Abu Baara Al Sudani, Omar Nabhan, Khattab Al Kene and Umayr, names that were first broadcast by a local Kenyan television station. "I confirm those are the names of the terrorist," he said in a Twitter message sent to the Associated Press.
Al Sudani, from Sudan, was the leader of the group inside the mall and had been trained by al Qaeda.
"He is an experienced fighter and sharpshooter," Maj Chirchir said.
Nabhan, a Kenyan of Arab origin, was born in Mombasa and travelled to Somalia with his uncle at the age of 16.
Al Kene is said to be Somali from the capital Mogadishu, and is linked to al Shabaab Islamist militants, Maj Chirchir said.
Umayr's other names, nationality and biography were "not yet identified", he added.
The identities of the men come as a private television station in Nairobi obtained and broadcast the CCTV footage from the Nairobi mall. The footage shows no more than four attackers. They are seen calmly walking through a storeroom inside the complex, holding machine guns. One of the men's pant legs appears to be stained with blood, though he is not limping, and it is unclear if the blood is his, or that of his victims'.
Earlier government statements have said that between 10 to 15 attackers were involved in the September 21 attack.
Al Shabaab, Al Qaeda's affiliate in neighbouring Somalia, claimed responsibility for the siege.
*Associated Press with additional reporting from Reuters
Kenya releases names, video of militants during Westgate Mall attack
The footage shows no more than four attackers calmly walking through a storeroom inside the complex, holding machine guns.
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