FBI Gifts DCI Ksh17.5M Land Cruiser, Pickup, 12 Motorbikes [PHOTOS]

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) have received a major logistical boost after two top-of-the-range vehicles and twelve motorbikes were donated to the units by the United States (US) government. 

Among the vehicles include a Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 series retailing from Ksh17.5 million.

The DCI stated on Friday, December 2 that the donation aimed at boosting the units’ operations in the anti-terror campaign was made by the Federal Bureau of Investigations' (FBI) Anti-Terror Assistance Programme and the State Department Bureau of Counter Terrorism, represented by Messrs Mike Solis and Julius Nutter from the FBI.

DCI and US government flag off two vehicles and 12 motorbikes on December 2, 2022. /TWITTER.DCI

The donations were made courtesy of the growing and improving the partnership between the Directorate and the United States, in the security sector.

"The partnership has seen the Directorate benefit immensely in terms of developing the human resource capacity of our men and women to respond to contemporary security challenges.

"This was after the realization that emerging threats such as terrorism and violent extremism are not unique to Kenya, but are global challenges that have also had devastating effects on the United States and its strategic allies and partners," the DCI stated in part.

During the flagging-off ceremony, the DCI Director, Mohamed Amin appreciated the collaboration which he credited for the overall reduction of reported cases of terror.

“I am glad to note that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has jointly with the U.S government developed and benefited from similar programs before, that have exposed our detectives to contemporary crime detection, prevention and interdiction techniques, leading to an overall reduction of crime, especially in reported cases of terror,” said Amin.

“In one such high-profile collaboration, the U.S Department of State and the Federal Bureau of Investigations partnered in creating the first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) outside of the United States. Under this prestigious programme, 42 detectives drawn from the Anti Terrorism Police Unit underwent a 12-week intensive counterterrorism training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia and we cannot thank the U.S government enough for this gesture,” he added.

The establishment of the JTTF began after the Al-Shabaab terrorist attack on the DusitD2 Hotel after it was established that there was a need for a multi-agency counterterrorism investigative force in the country.

As a result, there has been a decrease in the number of reported terrorism-related cases in the country. 

"Under this prestigious programme, 42 detectives drawn from the Anti Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU) underwent a 12-week intensive counterterrorism training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, where I also joined the detectives to inspire them and make Kenya proud," underlined former DCI boss, George Kinoti, during his farewell message.

Anti-terror officers stand guard as DCI and US government flag off two vehicles and 12 motorbikes on December 2, 2022. /TWITTER.DCI