Thaindian News

London, Sep 13 (IANS) A man has been arrested in Kenya on suspicion of being involved in the murder of a British tourist and the kidnapping of his wife at a beach resort, while the British Foreign Office has warned against travel to the region.

David Tebbutt, 58, and his wife Judith, 56, were on holiday at the Kiwayu Safari Village, near the border with Somalia, when they were attacked in the early hours of Sep 11, Sky News said. The couple were the resort’s only guests.

Stephen Ikua, district commissioner of Lamu district, where the resort is located, said a local man was arrested on suspicion of helping coordinate the attack.

Officials said the Tebbutts were attacked on the first night of their stay at the resort. The gang broke into their accommodation.

The bandits, reportedly from Somalia, used a speedboat to escape from the isolated island resort.

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said the couple’s accommodation had a piece of cloth as a door. He said it was possible that Tebbutt had resisted, which may have been the reason behind his killing.

Media reports said the kidnappers could be from Al Qaeda-linked outfit Al Shabab, which controls much of southern Somalia.

The British Foreign Office said a team has been deployed from the High Commission in Nairobi and was offering all possible support.

It also warned against “all but essential travel to within 30 km of Kenya’s border with Somalia”.

“If you visit Lamu Island, do so by air if possible. This is for security reasons and also because of the bad road conditions. Buses and other vehicles on the road to Lamu have been attacked by armed robbers in the past and overland travel from Lamu to Malindi should only be undertaken in an armed police convoy.”