Bodies retrieved from mall belong to terrorists: Kenya

The Kenyan government has said that the four bodies recovered from the Westgate shopping mall were of the terrorists who were behind the deadly attack Sep 21. Over 70 people were killed and more than 200 injured.

Cabinet Secretary in charge of Internal Security Joseph Ole Lenku said three bodies were retrieved from the site Thursday and a fourth one was recovered Sunday, reported Xinhua.

"This week we recovered three bodies which we believe to be those of terror suspects. We recovered a fourth body Oct 20, which we know from CCTV footage to be that of a terrorist. DNA and other investigations will confirm their identities," Lenku said in a statement released in Nairobi Sunday.

He said experts have been conducting forensic investigations for the past few weeks following the terror attack on the Westgate mall.

Lenku said security officers have also recovered four AK-47 assault rifles which were used by the terrorists in the attack.

"We also recovered 11 magazines of AK-47 assault rifles. We continue to dig through the rubble at Westgate. We are determined to bring this chapter to a close by identifying the terrorists responsible for the attack, including those who planned it," Lenku said.

"We wish not to comment on various reports on nationalities of the terrorists until we complete forensic investigations," he added.

Kenyan authorities are currently holding over 40 suspects for interrogation in connection with the attack.

The Al Shabaab militia group, which is aligned to the Al Qaeda network, claimed responsibility for the attacks in retaliation for Kenya's cross-border incursion in Somalia in 2011.