An aerial view of Nairobi city centre. PHOTO | FILE

“We are going to blow you up, we will destroy you all.”

It is the chilling message al-Shabaab terrorists have delivered to Nairobi residents and people living in other major towns. 

In a report first published by CNN on its website, members of the militant group used a video clip to send the message at a time when the country is grappling with insecurity.

In the video, described as new by the CNN, the militants are reviewing the September 21 Westgate Mall attack where 67 people died and hundreds injured. It took four days to end the siege.

Even as the Westgate trial continues locally in court, the extremists  say they are not done. 

“It’s not that Westgate was enough,” they say. “There are still hundreds of men who are wishing for such an operation.”

Peter Bergen, an authority on terrorism who interviewed the late Osama bin Laden and is aCNN national security analyst, said that this Al-Shabaab threat has to be taken seriously.

“We certainly can’t dismiss their ability to carry out those kinds of terrorist attacks,” Bergen said.

The Kenyan government has been deporting hundreds of people or taking them to refugee camps in an ongoing operation to crack down on illegal immigrants and suspected terrorist cells.

The operation kicked off early this month following two explosions in Eastleigh.

During the Administration Police pass out parade on Thursday last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta said illegal immigrants in the country had brought problems. 

“Some neighbouring countries have had conflicts which have spilled over to Kenya. The violent extremism we saw at Westgate continues to claim the lives of innocent citizens,” said the President.

He said extremism had nothing to do with religion or ethnicity. 

But the war on terror is yet to be won with al-Shabaab issuing new threats.

The al-Qaeda linked group has claimed responsibility for most terror attacks which have rocked the Capital.