Worldwide terror hunt for the ‘White Widow’

A WORLDWIDE manhunt has been launched for terror suspect Samantha Lewthwaite, known as the White Widow, following the Nairobi shopping centre siege.
The "Red Notice" issued for the arrest of Samantha Lewthwaite.The "Red Notice" issued for the arrest of Samantha Lewthwaite.
The "Red Notice" issued for the arrest of Samantha Lewthwaite.

Interpol has issued a “Red Notice” for the arrest of the Muslim convert – who was married to West Yorkshire July 7 suicide bomber Jermaine Lindsay – at the request of Kenyan authorities.

It relates to charges of possessing explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011 but makes no mention of the Westgate mall attack, despite intense speculation linking her to the bloodshed.

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A Red Notice alerts police forces in 190 countries that an individual is wanted by an Interpol member state and requests that the suspect is placed under provisional arrest pending extradition.

Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble said: “By requesting a Red Notice, Kenya has activated a global ‘tripwire’ for this fugitive.”

Lewthwaite – believed to use the alias Natalie Webb – was previously only wanted by Kenya at national level for possessing a fraudulent South African passport.

The 29-year-old, from Northern Ireland, lived in Huddersfield and Bradford before moving with Lindsay to Aylesbury. She publicly condemned the London bombings but disappeared with her three children in 2009 and has been on the run in East Africa for two years after allegedly plotting to attack Western targets in Kenya

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The Foreign Office said yesterday the number of Britons killed in the four-day stand-off has been revised down from six to five. But the total death toll is expected to rise from 67 as Kenyan authorities continue to scour the wreckage.

Five terrorists also died and 11 suspects are in custody.

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