Interpol red alert issued for British 'White Widow'

Interpol issued a wanted persons alert at Kenya's request yesterday for Samantha Lewthwaite, a British citizen dubbed the "White Widow", without mentioning her suspected role in the Nairobi mall attack.

The international police agency's so-called "red alert" notice said Lewthwaite, 29, was wanted by Kenya on charges of possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011.

Lewthwaite, also believed to use the alias Natalie Webb, is the widow of Germaine Lindsay, one of the Islamist bombers who carried out attacks on public transport in London in July 2005, and is thought to have left Britain several years ago.

South African Interior Minister Naledi Pandor said Lewthwaite had entered South Africa in July 2008 with an illegal passport, which she last used in February 2011. Pandor said the passport was "fraudulently acquired", rejecting accusations that South Africa had unwittingly harboured an international terror suspect.

Lewthwaite is wanted in connection with an alleged plot to attack luxury hotels and restaurants in Kenya.

British police have cited her as a possible suspect in last week's siege of a Nairobi shopping mall by Somalia's al-Shabab group.