Cleric denies link to Kenyan bomb

As Israeli and American investigators lead the search for terrorists whose attack killed 10 Kenyans and three Israelis here on Thursday, a leading Muslim cleric has denied any involvement.

As Israeli and American investigators lead the search for terrorists whose attack killed 10 Kenyans and three Israelis here on Thursday, a leading Muslim cleric has denied any involvement.

A French newsletter, Intelligence Online, said it "seemed impossible" that last week's suicide bombing of a beachside hotel and missile attack on an Israeli jet could have happened without the support of Sheikh Ali Shee, who chairs Mombasa's Council of Imams.

Yesterday the Sheikh told The Independent on Sunday: "We have nothing to do with al-Qa'ida and we have nothing to do with those bombs." But he warned US and Israeli tourists to stay away.

Agents of the FBI and Israel's Mossad have taken over the investigation from the Kenyan authorities, who admitted yesterday that 12 people it had detained were not implicated in the attacks. An American woman and her Spanish husband were also released.

The focus of the hunt for the killers has turned to neighbouring Somalia. US officials said that they suspected al-Ittihad al-Islamia, a radical Muslim group with alleged links to al-Qa'ida.