Kenyan police issue arrest warrant against suspect behind bus blast

The Kenyan police on Sunday issued a warrant of arrest against a key suspect who is being sought in connection with the explosion in a minibus which killed at least six people and left 30 others injured in Nairobi on Saturday.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo also circulated photograph of Hussein Nur Mohammed and appealed to Kenyans to provide information that may lead to his arrest.

"We are appealing to members of the public who may have information concerning the above subject and others to report urgently to the nearest police station," Kimaiyo said in a statement released in Nairobi on Sunday.

He said some suspects have been mentioned during the preliminary investigations including 21 year-old Mohammed who had been previously charged and released on bond.

Mohamed however failed to appear in court and a warrant of arrest is still in force, said Kimaiyo.

The police chief said the device which was used to blow up the 32-seater minibus plying route 9 in Nairobi was not a grenade but was an improvised explosive device.

"This incident was unfortunate and highlights the fact that Kenya is still at war with extremism and Al-Shabaab forces and so vigilance, consistence checks and enforcement are mandatory," the police chief said.

Kimaiyo's remarks come as death toll from the minibus attack rose to six amid fears that the toll could rise further after the police recovered six human hands at the scene.

The police had earlier said they are interrogating one suspect who was arrested at the scene in the incident on Saturday after the attack.

Witnesses and the police have expressed fears the death toll could rise because of the nature of injuries. "Those who have been admitted in the hospitals are in serious condition sustaining serious injuries," said one of the witnesses who did not want to be named.

The right side of the 32-seater mini-bus was ripped off but no body has claimed responsibility for the attack which has sent panic among Nairobians.

But Kimaiyo called on owners of the public passenger vehicles to thoroughly screen commuters before they board such vehicles and emphasized that the police officers must not substitute uniform and professional law enforcement with global unacceptable profiling standards.

The East African country has recently admitted that the threat of terror attacks remains real, but security personnel are on high alert.

The Al-Shabaab militia group, which is aligned to Al-Qaida network, said before that it would attack Kenya.