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January 18, 2007
Nigeria: Muslim Publisher Accused Of Being "Nigerian Taliban"
News from All Africa News and also AFP via the Tehran Times, and South Africa's Mail and Guardian and Independent Online:
A Muslim Nigerian newspaper publisher was charged on Tuesday January 16 on three counts of terrorism. He is said to belong to the "Nigerian Taliban".
The man, 50-year old Mohammed Damagun publishes the Daily Trust newspaper, and is a director of Media Trust Limited. He is charged under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He is said to have received $300,000 from the Sudan-based Al-Qaeda World Network.
He was accused of helping the commission of terrorist acts by recruiting and transporting 14 members of the Nigerian Taliban militia to a training camp in Mauritania, where they were given combat training.
Papers in the court case state that Damagun placed the money which he had received from Al Qaeda World Network into a British bank, having the intention of using this to fund terrorist acts.
It was stated at the court in Abuja that the offenses were committed between October16 and November 15, 2002 at Kano, in the Muslim north of Nigeria, and at other Nigerian locations.
The London bank is Habibsons Bank Limited, based at Windsor House, 56, St James St London.
He is said to have provided a 10-seater bus and sums of money, as wel as 30 loudspeakers to Muhamad Yussuff, a cadre of the Nigerian Taliban.
Damagun pleaded not guilty on all three charges laid against him, and after depositions from the prosecuton and defense lawyers, Justice Binta Muritala Nyako granted Damagun bail. He has submitted his passport to the authorities and must report on a daily basis to the office of the state security service. He has also been ordered to pay sureties. Damagun had already been in custody for 14 days prior to the trial.
The prosecuting lawyer, Abdullahi Mikailu, wished for three weeks in which to consolidate elements of the prosecution case.
On September 20, 2004, 40 members of the Nigerian Taliban attacked two police stations in Borno State, northeast Nigeria. Seven civilians died in the attack. A woman police constable was briefly kidnapped before being released. As the assailants attacked the police stations, they cried "Allahu Ackbar" (God is Great). They carried a flag emblalzoned with an Islamic symbol. A police reaction to the attack later saw 28 Nigerian Taliban fighters killed.
At the start of 2004, the Nigerian Taliban had also attacked several police stations in Borno and adjacent Yobe state, and caused panic in Abuja, the capital.
Everyone must have come across the "Nigerian scam" involving letters which claim to be promising a reward if one sends money to "release funds" from a bank account or another country. According to acount, the Nigerian 419 scam is a regular means by which the Nigerian Taliban gain their funds.
The leader of the Nigerian Taliban is Aminu "Tashen-Ilimi". In November 2006, it was said by his sympathisers that Tashen-Ilimi was planning a "comeback". He had been disappointed that his actions in 2004 did not bring about the Muslim revolution in the north of Nigeria that he had hoped for, and is said to be awaiting his moment to strike again.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at January 18, 2007 3:49 PM
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