Al-Shabaab,"It was us at Mpeketoni attacks"

Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab rebels on Monday said
they carried out an attack on a
town on Kenya's coast that left over 50 dead.
A statement from the group said
the attack in Mpeketoni, near
Lamu was revenge for the "Kenyan
government's brutal oppression of
Muslims in Kenya through
coercion, intimidation and
extrajudicial killings of Muslim
scholars."
It also condemned the "Kenyan
military's continued invasion and
occupation of our Muslim lands
and the massacre of innocent
Muslims in Somalia."
"To the tourists visiting Kenya we
say this: Kenya is now officially a
war zone and as such any tourists
visiting the country do so at their
own peril," the group said.
"Foreigners with any regard for
their safety and security should
stay away from Kenya or suffer
the bitter consequences of their
folly. You have been forewarned!"
it added.
Around 50 heavily-armed gunmen
drove into Mpeketoni, near Lamu,
late on Sunday.
Witnesses said they first attacked
a police station, before starting to
randomly shoot at civilians, some
of whom had been watching the
World Cup in local bars and hotels.
The Al-Shabaab statement vowed
more attacks would follow.
"We hereby warn the Kenyan
government and its public that as
long as you continue to invade our
lands and oppress innocent
Muslims, such attacks will continue
and the prospect of peace and
stability in Kenya will be but a
distant mirage. Do not ever dream
of living peacefully in your lands
while your forces kill the innocent
in our lands," it said.
Kenyan troops crossed into
southern Somalia in 2011 to fight
Al-Shabaab, later joining the now
22,000-strong African Union force
battling the militants.