Incident Summary:
07/18/2009: On Saturday night, in Mandera, North Eastern Province, Kenya, between six and 10 armed assailants kidnapped three non-governmental organization employees from Action Against Hunger, a French aid organization. The hostages, one American, one Pakistani and one Zimbabwean were relocated to Buulo Xaawiyow, Gedo, Somalia. On 08/02/2009, assailants demanded ransom of an unspecified amount. On 10/03/2009, at about 1100, all three were released in Luuq, Gedo, Somalia. One element of al-Shabaab al-Islamiya claimed responsibility, another element of al-Shabaab al-Islamiya denied responsibility and an unidentified group also claimed responsibility.
Overview
GTD ID:
200907180013
When:
2009-07-18
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
North Eastern
City:
Mandera
Location Details:
The foreign aid workers were kidnapped from their office in Madera, North Eastern, Kenya.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: NGO |
Name of Entity |
Action Against Hunger |
Specific Description |
One aid worker |
Nationality of Target |
United States |
Target Type: NGO |
Name of Entity |
Action Against Hunger |
Specific Description |
One aid worker was targeted. |
Nationality of Target |
Zimbabwe |
Target Type: NGO |
Name of Entity |
Action Against Hunger |
Specific Description |
One aid worker was targeted. |
Nationality of Target |
Pakistan |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
3 |
US Hostages |
1 |
Days of Kidnapping |
77 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
Yes |
Total Ransom Amount Demanded |
Unknown |
Ransom Amount Demanded from US Sources |
0.00 |
Total Ransom Amount Paid |
0.00 |
Total Ransom Amount Paid by US Sources |
0.00 |
Ransom Notes |
Unknown |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Unknown |
|
Weapon Details |
It is unknown if weapons were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The hostages were released on 10/3/2009. The available sources listed the number of perpetrators for this attack from six to 10, and because no majority figures were reported, the lowest proferred casualty figures were used in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Al-Shabaab (suspected) |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Agence France Presse, "Somalia: Armed Men Kidnap Three Foreign Aid Workers Along Kenya Border," World News Connection, Agence France Presse, December 22, 2009. |
Jane's Intelligence, "Shabab Militants Detain Foreign Aid Workers in Kenya's Mandera," Terrorism Watch Report, December 22, 2009. |
Kenya Broadcasting Corp. Radio, "American Among Aid Workers Kidnapped in Northeastern Kenya," LexisNexis Academic, Kenya Broadcasting, December 22, 2009. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties