Photo: Three suspected female 'jihadi brides' arrested in Kenya

Kenya Police have arrested three suspected young female terrorists believed to be on their way to join the Al-Shabaab militia group, in Somalia. The 3 girls identified as Nargis Arafat Gulam, Mwanajuma Mweru Tayari and Saumu Ali Athmani were on Wednesday, September 16, found with a collection of gadgets that the police have linked to a planned attack in Garissa, Kenya.

The suspicious 'Jihadi brides' aged between 15-18 years were nabbed in a bus at Mtwapa in Kilifi County en-route to Garissa.

Security agents managed to recover laptops, satellite phones, military boots, surveillance pen, laptop charger, external hard disk and ear phones. It is reported that the items were to be handed over to an Al-Shabaab operative as soon as the suspects arrived in Garissa. Reports further indicate that a fourth suspect who handed over the items to be delivered to the Al Shabaab militant in Garissa, fled to the United Kingdom leaving three phone numbers that the girls were to use to call the receiver.

State Lawyer Eugene Wangila said the police believe the suspects were part of a wider terror network and that the police would require experts from anti-cybercrime police to analyse the laptops found in their possession.

The girls were arraigned in court and will be detained for 30 days to enable the police complete their investigations. Wangila told Mombassa Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache that the threat of terrorism was grave and there is a need for police to be given time to complete investigations.

"We want 30 days to investigate the matter. They were intercepted aboard Muhsin Bus at the Mwapa Weighbridge in Kilifi County on thier way to Garissa following a tip-off," said Wangila.