The horrific truth of Kenya terrorist attack?

Social media symbol of sympathy for Kenya after terrorist attack Sep 2013 (Photo credit: ILRI)

A Kenyan journalist has posted to Twitter disturbing details of the fate of hostages in the attack on Nairobi's Westgate Mall.

Winnie Kiziah (@WKiziah), a journalist with the State Broadcaster, posted a series of tweets around midday GMT on Wednesday from a security source which told a sickening story. A number of Kenyans responded strongly against her posts. Around 3pm GMT her account was closed. According to Twitter sources she did this herself. The tweets were saved and can be viewed here or here - please note they are truly disgusting and I will not reproduce their content.

At the time of writing one other source, @MisterAlbie, described as 'Communications, Agribusiness | Budding Entrepreneur | FX Trader | Farmer', confirmed her account tweeting:

I am seconding what she is saying @WKiziah. I was told that stuff yesterday evening by some barracks guys...

Twitter is also noting that Kiziah's account mirrors that tweeted by al-Shabab:

Evans Nudih ‏@Aswo_Moli 35m

@wkiziah said this~~~>>RT @HSM_PRESSOFICE2: details: all hostages noses were picked up by (cont) http://tl.gd/mnr2oc

There has been a strong questioning by Kenyans on social media of the government's account of what happened in the Mall, some of which has made it into MSM reports as 'confusion'. Journalist Mike Pflanz today described the situation as an "info blackout".

A crowdsourcing project by Kenyans has come up with 85 questions. Pflanz notes the appearance of a new hashtag, #WeAreOne_dering.

What I would note is that in numerous accounts about the experience of foreign jihadis that join up for al-Shabab they often refer to these people fleeing Somalia when they experience how al-Shabab actually treat people. The behaviour described in Kiziah's account should be seen in that light.

Edited to add: Robert Alai tweeted Thursday:

I have heard: Hostages were being raped and beheaded. KDF decided to blow the location of the attackers saving victims further humiliations

Friday's Daily Mail repeated Winnie's claims quoting soldiers and doctors anonymously.