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A MEMBER OF a radical Muslim sect with “al-Qaeda links” helped mastermind the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria’s capital, the nation’s secret police said today, a worrying sign international terror groups may be seeking a foothold in the oil-rich country.
The State Security Service issued a statement to journalists today saying it also arrested two other men suspected of planning the attack six days before the bomb tore through the Abuja headquarters of the world body, killing 23 people and wounding 81. The attack raised new questions about Nigeria’s ability to fight terrorism as the radical Boko Haram sect stages increasingly bloody sectarian attacks against the nation’s weak central government.
The secret police said it received information 18 August that an attack in the capital would come from Boko Haram, a group that campaigns for the implementation of strict Shariah law across the country. On 21 August, officers arrested Babagana Ismail Kwaljima and Babagan Mali, two men the agency said had ties to Boko Haram and were planning the attack.
“The suspects have made valuable statements and are being held at a military facility,” the agency’s statement read.
The agency said a third suspect, Mamman Nur, remained at large.
Investigation
“Investigation has revealed that one Mamman Nur, a notorious Boko Haram element with al-Qadda links who returned recently from Somalia, (worked) in concert with the two suspects (in) masterminding the attack on the United Nations building in Abuja,” the agency said.
The agency statement, the first confirmation from Nigeria’s government of Boko Haram’s involvement, also implicates transnational terrorism in the bombing after warnings from others that the sect had reached out to other terror groups. Earlier this month, the commander for US military operations in Africa told The Associated Press that Boko Haram may be trying to coordinate attacks with al-Shabab in Somalia and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in northwest Africa.
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Nigeria, a nation of 150 million people, is split largely between a Christian south and a Muslim north. Unemployment and unceasing poverty, coming despite the nation making billions a year from oil production, have fuelled resentment in recent years in the north.
The country remains vital to US oil supplies, but the crude rests in the nation’s southern delta, far from the current violence. However, Friday’s attack shows a new level of sophistication by Boko Haram and a willingness to target foreigners.
However, it remains unclear who Boko Haram is or what they particularly seek from their wave of violence. Initially, sect members followed the orders of Mohammed Yusuf, who rejected Western science and other teachings. Yusuf died in 2009 in police custody, after a riot and security crackdown left 700 dead in the northeast city of Maiduguri.
Now, analysts and diplomats say it appears Boko Haram has splintered, with some members remaining focused on domestic issues and another branch increasingly persuaded to use violence for their attacks. The contacts al-Shabab and the northern African al-Qaida branch have made with Boko Haram likely come through that point.
Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb also has issued statements on Boko Haram’s behalf and said it gave the group weapons, while a diplomat recently told the AP that 19 Nigerians — including suspected Boko Haram members — travelled to rebel-held areas Somalia in 2010.
Moderate Muslims remain horrified at the bombings in the country. The spiritual leader of the nation’s Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, condemned the bombings in a message Wednesday marking the end of Ramadan
“We should not allow our enemies to cause us to commit acts prohibited by our religion and the perpetrators should desist from such acts and rather seek for avenues of dialogue with the leaders on the problems confronting the nation,” Abubakar said.
But the secret police statement also raised concerns about its ability to protect the nation. The agency did not say if it shared any of the intelligence with diplomats in Abuja. The security chief for the UN previously said it received no specific warning about a coming attack.
Marilyn Ogar, a spokeswoman for the secret police, declined to comment when asked why the agency couldn’t stop the bombing or whether it shared its information with others.
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They did it before and it was a disaster. They only covered two days of the festival and it was mostly the presenters chatting to each other. Typical RTE incompetence.
@Jimmy Wallace: Their coverage at the Olympics always was excellent and especially at Rio where the female presenters really came into their own….something a lot of us take for granted
@Ken Fallon: yes but they weren’t compelled to have that narcissist Eoghan presenting, they chose to. Then again, knowing rte it could have been so much worse I met that Roz what’sit individual once upon a time. she was with some girl from the rte show Fake street – a pair of complete eegits
They should partner up with YouTube or Instagram and show it live. Unfortunately RTE missed the boat when it came to digitally advancing its platform. If it were to stream over RTE player, the 7 viewers would inevitably struggle with buffering and the endless adverts
@LCD4533: In fairness to RTE, that was once true of the RTE Player but not anymore. I regularly watch live sport on it and never have buffering issues and there are no ads for live events. My only gripe is that it’s about 20 to 25vseconds behind the TV coverage. The Virgin Media player is much worse. The sound is regularly completely out of sync with the picture.
@Brian Keelty: fitting ,it’s partly because of rte that the whole public healthcare infrastructure is headed for complete ruination
Of course, in most countries that laugh at the state of us in Ireland, they’d wonder how the lads at the top pulling the strings in the HSE have even gotten away with this for so long.
I’d say yes but let’s face it the overall quality of the acts has dropped off a cliff in recent years. At this stage All Together Now might be a better bet out of the bigger festivals. I like some dance and electronic but it’s become tediously standard at this stage. It’s a long time since it was the chippy fresh newcomer. Watching DJs on TV is an absolute bore. Heavy music is as ever almost completely ignored in Irish festivals and conversation despite every gig I go to being completely sold out. You have to really dig at most of the big festivals to move beyond the retro and beige.
What about showing us important games like the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland instead of exploiting these games to make money? Equipment bought with public money is used to cover GAAGO.
While EP isn’t my thing at all, you’d think RTE would want to celebrate the largest festival in the country. BBC do great coverage of Glastonbury but it could be argued that they have the resources to cover it properly, and more importantly, the know-how.
@ecrowley ecrowley: Yes, the BBC has resources and infrastructure that barely any broadcaster on the planet can match, never mind Ireland. Hugely expensive to do these things too and with the current wave of RTE the kickback against what many perceive as a jolly would be huge. Many don’t realise that there is a huge amount of hard work going on behind the presenters who look like they are having a good time. But that’s all that many would focus on.
@ecrowley ecrowley: Alternatively they could get properly trolling for the clicks. Bring Tubridy back to present the Electric Picnic! The rage from Journal commenters alone would power the national grid for the next year!
@James T.Kirk: Music coverage across terrestrial channels is pretty good. I wouldn’t know numbers on Fleadh or other festivals but it’s a moot point as the stuff I listen to isn’t covered at all.
@Magnificent Mongoose: I’m not sure who has ultimate responsibility but thinking about the New Years Eve live bash on RTE each year…we have a wad of amazing bands and musicians across many genres and what do we get…a washed up boyband. That’s how much they think of the public.
A small country like ours normally has one state TV channel, maybe two to include TG4, plus one radio station, that’s it. That’s the meaning of national broadcasting for society’s interests. Show the Dáil Éireann sessions, etc, not to show movies, and commercial interests being subsidised by the tax payer
If anything E.P should have its own YouTube broadcasting if it wishes to provide free access.. or create a paid access for events on YouTube to further enhance income so the next event can be even better. Why should RTE benefit..
@Roman Walczak Sadlowski: why should EP profit further in this way? Completely disagree with you. Meanwhile in Britain, supposed leftie Michael eavis is looking like quite the Tory with what he charges for a Glastonbury ticket now.
@Michael o connor: who in your view is more rotten to the core Id love the journal to do a poll
A) Frances Fitzgerald
B) Dee Forbes
C) Noirin o Sullivan
D) Al equal
E) I’m a me feiner I defend corrupt rte, corrupt hse etc
Its complicated. The BBC are a huge operation and can afford to employ someone for 12 months to cover just the ‘Rights’ alone for such a festival. It would only take one band to say no to skew the whole thing. Remember when England said “No” to the Free to air rugby internationals and it fecked-up the schedules?
They should sit down and figure out how to run without bailouts and TV licence fees for mediocre entertainment at best. It’s the channel I give the least time to minus the news and weather the rest is good for sending you asleep,garbage.
What RTE should do, is develop a viable business model. So, now in addition to TV licence, the government (taxpayer) are ranting more funding to this moloch.
RTE is corrupt and completely out of touch. It should not exist in its current form and doesn’t provide public service broadcasting – it’s a rubbish entity with an incredible political bias – you just have to look at Miriam o Callaghan’s career in terms of her connections but many give her a preposterous free pass cos of that condescending but presentable style she has. Absolutely never going to tune in again the damage is done
@John Nolan: pointing out that rte pushes non stop propaganda right down to who’s obnoxious are fheis gets promoted all the whole sole of the rubbish they broadcast isn’t moaning. Stop objecting to people highlighting wrongdoing and calling it moaning. I’m confident that you moan, the question is whether it’s about me fein for you ? For others it’s about Sinn Fein (not the political party) although how appropriate since they smear them non – stop
While I’m on the subject, has rte been caught out even on six one televising the Muslim cal to prayer being done in Croke park? I’ll happily moan about that no organised religion that promotes such fear and terror, including the RCC should get this free ride
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