SALT LAKE CITY — Days after gunmen opened deadly fire at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, a man in Utah was able to get in contact with a cousin who was in the mall during the terrorist attack.

Amram Musungu, a Kenya native who has been living in Utah for 15 years, said he was able to talk to one of his cousins Tuesday morning. He is still waiting for contact from two of his brothers.

"He spent two days hiding in the mall just saying prayers," Musungu said.

Musungu said he still prays his brothers and their families in Nairobi are safe. He has continued to try to contact them.

"My heart and prayers goes to the families to the victims," Musungu said.

His cousin was nearly a victim at the mall, he said. He was hiding in one of the rooms and while his cousin survived, a friend of his cousin did not.

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Utahn with ties to Kenya fears for family

As news of the Westgate Mall terrorist attack in Nairobi quickly spread, one Kenyan native living in Utah tried all day to contact his family and friends with no success.

He said his cousin sent him a text message saying he couldn't believe that something like that really happened in Kenya.

"My fear is that (these) terrorists, you know, they live among us," he said.

Word from his cousin brought some peace, but he said he still fears for his brothers and weeps for his homeland.

"It just brought so much tears into so many people's eyes," Musungu said.

Musungu said he fears attacks similar to this one will become even more common in Kenya unless the country responds with the kind of security upgrades the United States has seen since Sept. 11.

"If they can't do it alone, they have to seek help from the West and that's exactly what I would love to see happen in Kenya," he said.

Right now, he said he just wants to talk to his brothers.

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