Two Iranians charged in planned attack on Israeli embassy in Kenya

Ben Harris

(JTA) — Two Iranians were charged in plotting an attack on the Israeli embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

The two men along with their Kenyan driver were charged Thursday after being caught photographing the Israeli diplomatic mission in the Kenyan capital, according to news reports.

State Prosecutor Duncan Ondimu said Thursday that the men, Sayed Nasrollah Ebrahim and Abdolhosein Gholi Safaee, were arrested Tuesday in an Iranian diplomatic car as they shot pictures on a mobile phone, the Associated Press reported. The driver, Moses Keyah Mmboga, was also charged.

According to Reuters, it was not clear if the men were Iranian diplomats.  The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

In 2002, 15 people died when an Israeli-owned hotel was in the coastal Kenyan town of Mombasa was bombed. Two missiles were also fired at an Israeli jet, but missed their target.