At Kenya's request, Interpol issues alert for 'White Widow'

(CNN) -- Interpol said Thursday it issued a
red notice for Samantha Lewthwaite, the
so-called "White Widow," at the request of
Kenyan authorities.
Reports that a white woman was among the
terrorists who stormed a mall in Nairobi
last weekend have prompted a slew of
media speculation about Lewthwaite, a
British woman whose husband was one of
the suicide bombers in the 2005 London
terror attacks.
Known as the "White Widow," Lewthwaite,
29, has been wanted by international
counterterrorism officials since authorities
found bomb-making materials in her
Mombasa, Kenya, apartment in 2011. She
vanished shortly before a raid.
Red notices issued by the international
police agency alert law enforcement
around the world that a person is wanted,
but they are not arrest warrants.
"By requesting an Interpol Red Notice,
Kenya has activated a global 'tripwire' for
this fugitive," said Interpol Secretary
General Ronald K. Noble.
"Through the Interpol Red Notice, Kenyan
authorities have ensured that all 190
member countries are aware of the danger
posed by this woman, not just across the
region but also worldwide," he said.
A senior Kenyan official said Tuesday a
woman was involved in the attack. Another
official said Wednesday that authorities
can't say much about who the woman was
or what she was doing.
Al-Shabaab gunmen stormed the Westgate
mall Saturday. At least 67 people were killed
and as many as 63 people are still
unaccounted for.