September 25, 2013

Kenyan tragedy: he’s only 4, but he stood up to the terrorists

The tragic terrorist rampage through a Nairobi shopping mall has uncovered one brave 4-year-

old, who the Daily Mail reports even impressed the shooters.

His mum’s shot : this four-year-old tel ls it as it is

As the Kenyan Westgate shopping centre shoot-out comes to an end, a story has emerged of one child’s

bravery after his mother was shot in the leg.

Britain’s Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2430044/Kenyan-Mall-gunmen-gave-2-children-

Mars-bars-sparing-lives.html#ixzz2foGiAIen) is reporting a four-year-old boy told one of the gunmen he was “a

very bad man” – and the terrorist was so impressed by the boy’s bravery that he gave him a Mars Bar.

The child told one of the terrorists (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2430044/Kenyan-Mall-gunmen-

gave-2-children-Mars-bars-sparing-lives.html#ixzz2fr4Jh0G6 ) that he was a ‘very bad man’ as he protected his

mother who had been shot in the leg, and six-year-old sister.

Incredibly, the attacker took pity on the family and bizarrely handed the children Mars bars before telling them:

‘Please forgive me, we are not monsters.’

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Tragedy of terrorism: heroes emerge

The boy’s story (http://www.news.com.au/world-news/heroic-take-of-boy-4-standing-up-to-terrorists-to-

protect-his-wounded-mother-and-sister/story-fndir2ev-1226726607729#ixzz2fr2SEJAZ)has been retold since the

small boy and his six-year-old sister were photographed standing near a dead body, another apparent victim of

the shoot-out which claimed at least 67 lives.

The little boy’s story is not the only tale of bravery to emerge from the Westgate Mall’s rubble: A former British

Royal Marine reportedly helped save a hundred lives as terrorists launched their attack.

The Daily Mail reports sources as crediting the ex-soldier as a hero of the Nairobi siege after intervening with a

handgun as his only weapon.

More media myth-making: the white widow

A 29-year-old mother-of-four has emerged as a prime suspect in the Nairobi massacre – and the British media is

calling her the ‘White Widow’ (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/wife-of-london-77-suicide-bomber-

tagged-the-8216white-widow8217-linked-to-kenyan-terror-attack/story-e6frfkp9-1226725167906).

The widow of suicide bomber (http://www.news.com.au/world-news/who-is-samantha-lewthwaite-the-prime-

suspect-in-the-nairobi-terror-attack/story-fndir2ev-1226726170856#ixzz2fr5R4YcK) Jermaine Lindsay,

Lewthwaite is believed to have ordered the Nairobi attack or even led it herself.

Soldiers said a white woman wearing a veil was shouting orders to gunmen in Arabic during the bloody

massacre inside the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-

2429644/Terror-Kenya-led-white-widow-shocking-picture-shows-terrified-little-girl-fleeing-mall-

massacre.html#ixzz2fmjsBfLQ) reports.

As soldiers closed in on the terrorists, one said the scene is “all being controlled by this muzungu [Swahili for

white] woman. She is ordering them what to do. We are getting closer to them”.

Some survivors say a veiled woman was commanding the al-Shabaab militants as they attacked people in the

Nairobi mall while other survivors simply say saw a “white woman” among the hostage-takers.

Kenyan president declares three days of mourning

“We have ashamed and defeated our attackers, that part of our task is completed,” President Uhuru Kenyatta

(http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/kenyan-troops-tighten-grip-on-beseiged-shopping-mall/story-

fni0xs61-1226725654896) said in a televised address to the nation.

“Our losses are immense,” he said. “We have been badly hurt, but we have been brave, united and strong.

Kenya has stared down evil and triumphed. We have defeated our enemies and showed the whole world what

we can accomplish.”

Mr Kenyatta said 61 civilians and six members of the security forces died in the siege. He said five attackers had

been killed and that there were 11 suspects in custody. The president also called three days of national

mourning.

A group of attackers marched into the four-storey Westgate Mall at midday local time Saturday, spraying

shoppers with automatic weapons fire and tossing grenades.

Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked al-Shebab rebels said it carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenya’s military

intervention in Somalia.

The president said “three floors of the mall collapsed, trapping several bodies within the rubble including those

of terrorists.” Police said the current death toll was provisional, with the Kenyan Red Cross saying 63 people

were still listed as missing.

Are you surprised by how brave lit t le kids can be in the face of adversity?

Rea d more a bout the Keny a n shoot out:

Kenyan presidential announcemen (http://www.news.com.au/world-news/kenyan-troops-tighten-grip-on-

beseiged-shopping-mall/story-fndir2ev-1226725654896)t

Mother of Tasmanian man killed describes immeasurable loss (http://www.news.com.au/national-

news/mother-describes-8216immeasurable8217-loss-of-son-ross-langdon-his-partner-and-their-unborn-

baby/story-fncynjr2-1226725525297)

Bill Clinton pays tribute to slain wife of Tasmanian man (http://www.news.com.au/world-news/former-us-

president-bill-clinton-pays-tribute-to-staffer-elif-yavuz-killed-in-kenya/story-fndir2ev-1226726586451)

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