White Widow Samantha Lewthwaite has risen so high up the ranks of the Islamic State’s terror network that she is referred to as the ‘Special One’
Samantha Lewthwaite, known as the 'White Widow' has been linked to Somali terror group al-Shabaab Getty

An American teenager has been mistaken for Samantha Lewthwaite, the international terrorist known as 'White Widow', by a Kenyan policeman.

The incident occurred while the 15-year-old girl, whose identity was not disclosed, was on holiday with her family in Kenya.

A statement from the Kenyan government said the teenager was "harassed by police in Mlolongo on accusations of looking like British fugitive Samantha Lewthwaite."

After the incident, Kenya's interior minister, Joseph Ole Lenku, announced that "the government will sponsor a fully-paid holiday for the family" as compensation.

Lewthwaite, known worldwide as White Widow, was married to Germaine Lindsay, one of four Islamist suicide bombers who attacked the London transport network on 7 July 2005, killing 52 people.

She was arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences in December 2011, but escaped and has been on the run in Africa ever since.

Lewthwaite has been dubbed the world's most wanted woman and has been linked to Somali terror group al-Shabaab, which seeks to impose its strict version of Sharia law in the country.

A report released in January linked the female terrorist to illegal poaching in Africa.

Executive director and co-founder of the Elephant Action League Andrea Crosta found a link between the Ivory trade and Islamist al-Shabaab group in 2011.

"For Shabaab, ivory is just a commodity, like kidnapping. Compared to other kinds of sources, it's a relatively easy source of funding, so thousands of people will risk their lives to get it," he said.

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