Unspecified number of al Shabaab and Islamic State individuals suspected to be planning to carry out attacks were arrested in Ethiopia, the country’s spy agency said.
Ethiopia’s National Intelligence Security Services (NISS) said in a statement the detained suspects wanted to attack various targets including hotels.
Among arrested were individuals carrying out intelligence work including photographing potential targets.
“The group was … preparing to attack hotels, religious festivities gathering places and public areas in Addis Ababa,” NISS said.
Ethiopian intelligence coordinated with neighbouring Djibouti to detain the suspects including their leader, Muhammed Abdulahi, NISS said.
Those detained, NISS said, were arrested in the capital Addis Ababa, Oromia and Ethiopia’s Somali region.
