Canadian man charged with terrorism after machete attack at Kenya mosque

The Kenyan flag flies at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre during Kenya President Mwai Kibaki's speech inside the building in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Sayyid Azim, File)

NAIROBI — Police in Kenya say a Canadian man accused of wielding a machete and injuring almost half a dozen people at a mosque in Nairobi has pleaded not guilty.

The East African country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations says the 32-year-old appeared in court Thursday on nine terrorism charges, such as assault causing actual bodily harm.

A post on the department’s social media says back in February, a man entered a mosque posing as a worshipper.

It alleges that once inside, he locked the main doors, pulled a machete and attacked congregants.

Officials say the suspect was arrested and the weapon used was recovered, while the five injured congregants were taken to hospital for treatment.

It says the man is being held at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison ahead of his next court date later this month for a pre-bail report.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2026.

The Canadian Press