Suspect Who Allegedly Bombed UN Building in 2011 Suddenly Speaks Out
- Saleh told the Federal High Court that he joined the Ansaru terrorist group in Bauchi shortly before the 2011 UN House bombing
- Prosecutors linked the Ansaru group led by Khalid Al-Barnawi to the August 26, 2011 attack that killed more than 20 people
- Defendants denied their confessional statements and alleged they were obtained under duress during SSS custody
FCT, Abuja - Mohammed Bashir Saleh, one of the defendants standing trial over the 2011 bombing of the United Nations House in Abuja, has told the Federal High Court how he joined the Ansaru terrorist group shortly before the attack.
Saleh spoke in a video recording played on Wednesday before the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite. In the footage, he said he became a member of the group in Bauchi, Bauchi state, after developing close ties with its members.
Source: UGC
“I joined the group in Bauchi, and at the time, I had a blossoming relationship with its members,” Saleh said in the recording.
Prosecution links group to deadly UN House bombing
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN House in Abuja was bombed on August 26, 2011, leaving more than 20 people dead and several others injured.
The attack was allegedly carried out by members of Ansaru, led by Mohammed Usman, also known as Khalid Al-Barnawi. The State Security Services (SSS) is prosecuting Saleh alongside Al-Barnawi and other defendants on terrorism-related charges.
Those standing trial with them include Umar Mohammed Bello, also known as Datti; Mohammed Salisu; and Yakubu Nuhu, popularly called Bello Maishayi.
Defendants deny confessions, allege duress
The defendants are accused of belonging to Ansaru, formally known as Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan, and of conspiring to carry out acts of terrorism between 2011 and 2013 across several northern states, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno and Gombe.
A trial-within-trial is currently underway to determine
Source: Legit.ng
