NYPD report on Nairobi mall terrorist attack is not backed by US gov't position

NAIROBI, Kenya – The top United States State Department official for Africa says a New York Police Department report on September's Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi that suggested the terrorist gunmen may have escaped does not reflect the U.S. government position.

Assistant Secretary of State Linda Greenfield-Thomas said Friday that the U.S. government "does not share the conclusions" in the report.

Kenyan and Western security officials in Nairobi say the evidence suggests that the four gunmen died inside the mall and their remains have been recovered. Maj. Emmanuel Chirchir, a Kenyan military spokesman, on Thursday dismissed the NYPD report, saying it used secondary information.

The NYPD has said the report was based solely on publicly available information.

At least 67 people died in the September assault on Westgate Mall. Somali militants claimed responsibility.