“They took us to a room in the compound of the mosque, where we stayed while arrangements were made for us to take up our new jobs. Soon after, an Islamic preacher started offering us Islamic teachings.”

Mr Masero comes from Ikolomani constituency in Kakamega County and said their full names, national identity card numbers and places of birth were taken by their “hosts” who said that they would use the information to get in touch with their families should anything bad happen to them.

“A number of days later, they told us that they would pay us Sh1 million each if we accomplished an undisclosed assignment. When we demanded that they pay us half up front and deposit the balance in our bank accounts, they flatly refused.

“They then told us that they wanted us to plant explosives in two churches and a supermarket in Nairobi. The targets were the Neno Evangelism on Haile Sellassie Avenue and the Holy Family Basilica and one of the Nakumatt branches in the central business district ,” he said....................................................One of the recruits identified as Moses Shirongo openly disagreed with the “Islamic preachers” over the plan to plant the bombs and was taken away, never to return, said Mr Masero.

“They took him away and returned with his clothes, telling us that we would never see him again. We don’t know what happened to him.”

Mr Masero said he escaped from “captivity” last week after sneaking out of the room during prayers for a man who had died.

“I hiked lifts in long-distance trucks all the way from Mombasa to Nairobi. “I don’t know what will happen to the other four young men I left behind. I am ready to show police the mosque where they are being kept if my safety is guaranteed,” he said.

“They took us to a room in the compound of the mosque, where we stayed while arrangements were made for us to take up our new jobs. Soon after, an Islamic preacher started offering us Islamic teachings.”

Mr Masero comes from Ikolomani constituency in Kakamega County and said their full names, national identity card numbers and places of birth were taken by their “hosts” who said that they would use the information to get in touch with their families should anything bad happen to them.

“A number of days later, they told us that they would pay us Sh1 million each if we accomplished an undisclosed assignment. When we demanded that they pay us half up front and deposit the balance in our bank accounts, they flatly refused.

“They then told us that they wanted us to plant explosives in two churches and a supermarket in Nairobi. The targets were the Neno Evangelism on Haile Sellassie Avenue and the Holy Family Basilica and one of the Nakumatt branches in the central business district ,” he said....................................................One of the recruits identified as Moses Shirongo openly disagreed with the “Islamic preachers” over the plan to plant the bombs and was taken away, never to return, said Mr Masero.

“They took him away and returned with his clothes, telling us that we would never see him again. We don’t know what happened to him.”

Mr Masero said he escaped from “captivity” last week after sneaking out of the room during prayers for a man who had died.

“I hiked lifts in long-distance trucks all the way from Mombasa to Nairobi. “I don’t know what will happen to the other four young men I left behind. I am ready to show police the mosque where they are being kept if my safety is guaranteed,” he said.