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Nairobi — Kenyan authorities are holding two Ugandan men who are accused of recruiting for the Islamic State group in East Africa. The Kenya Anti-Terrorism Police Unit on Thursday sought a magistrate’s permission to continue holding the Ugandans it believes are working with a syndicate recruiting for Islamic militants. The magistrate agreed and gave the police 30 days to investigate the men.

The two suspects are connected to a syndicate which has been recruiting for Islamic State in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, said Police Sergeant Ezekiel Luley.

Asan Kasingye, the head of Interpol in Uganda, said the suspects are brothers whose father complained about their arrest “under unclear circumstances” in Kenya. Citing the account of their father, he said the suspects’ mother is a Kenyan woman with business interests in Beirut, Lebanon.

The Kenyan authorities had not yet contacted Ugandan officials over the suspects, said Kasingye.

“I’ve asked somebody in my office to verify information about the suspects,” he said.

Kenya has experienced multiple lethal attacks by Islamic militants based in neighbouring Somalia. — AP