Al-Shabaab hails ‘Westgate Warriors’

In this file photograph from September 21, 2013, armed police retreat after entering the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in pursuit of gunmen who opened fire on shoppers inside.

In this file photograph from September 21, 2013, armed police retreat after entering the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in pursuit of gunmen who opened fire on shoppers inside.

Published Sep 27, 2013

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Nairobi -

Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab rebels have threatened more attacks against Kenya, taking to Twitter to mock the country after Islamist gunmen attacked a Nairobi shopping mall, killing at least 67 people.

“The mesmeric performance by the Westgate Warriors was undoubtedly gripping, but despair not folks, that was just the premiere of Act 1,” the group said in one of several messages posted on Twitter overnight.

Al-Shabaab has said it was responsible for the assault on Westgate, which saw a group of gunmen walk into the part Israeli-owned mall at midday on Saturday and gun down shoppers and staff.

Another al-Shabaab message said it had been “a great pleasure to have had you completely enthralled for more than 100 hours... what a wonderful audience you've been!”

It also boasted that the “Kenyan government is still in disarray”, saying it “won't be until several months when it fully comprehends exactly what took place at Westgate”.

Al-Shabaab chief Ahmed Abdi Godane said the Nairobi mall carnage was retaliation for Kenya's military intervention in Somalia.

Kenya invaded southern Somalia to attack al-Shabaab bases two years ago, and later joined the 17 700-strong AU force deployed there. - Sapa-AFP

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