Police said suspects, Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamud, Abdisamed Osman and Ali Dahir Muse Ahmed had been detained after the explosion at Mogadishu’s Maka Al-Mukarram road that links the busy Kilometer 4 road intersection with the presidential palace.

Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamud, the driver of the car who spoke to the media said that he was promised $150 for parking the car at the site where it exploded. He said security officers arrested him after parking the car.

In his confession, Abdisamed Osman who claimed to a government soldier attached to EX-Fiyore Station said he was compromised by the militant group to “guide” rebel mortars targeting the Somali presidential palace.

The third suspect, Ali Dahir Muse Ahmed also confessed being an Al-Shabaab militant tasked with attacking Heliwaa police station last night, adding that he surrendered himself to the government troops.