Nigeria Denies Bail to Lebanese 'Linked to Hizbullah'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A Nigerian court on Friday denied bail to three Lebanese charged with "terrorism" over their alleged links to Hizbullah.
Mustapha Fawaz, 49, Abdallah Thahini, 48, and Talal Ahmad Roda, 51, were charged last month after a massive supply of weapons was found at a business in the capital Abuja and a private home in the northern city of Kano.
A fourth suspect is said to be on the run.
"There is the likelihood ... that the first, second and third accused persons may not appear for trial," said High Court Justice Adeniyi Ademola Adetokunbo.
The request "for the accused persons to be admitted to bail is hereby refused."
The security services have claimed that the weapons discovered at the two premises were intended to attack Israeli and Western targets in Nigeria.
Prosecutors have said the group was actively preparing to commit "a terrorist act."
The judge also denied a request to re-open the businesses operated by the accused, which include a supermarket and an amusement park in the capital.
The suspects, who are said to also hold Nigerian citizenship, have pleaded not guilty to all six counts of the "terrorism-related offences."
According to court documents, the trio has admitted to being members of Hizbullah. Belonging to the group is not a "crime" under Nigerian law.
Nigeria is grappling with a deadly Islamist insurgency waged by Boko Haram, but there has been no suggestion of any ties between the Lebanese accused and the Nigerian extremist group.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is home to a sizeable Lebanese population, including in the mainly Muslim north.
12 July 2013, 15:57
312
I have been saying all along there is a Nigerian connection in all of this against our "Islamic" secular resistance. My fears have just been confirmed. These "massive" weapons that were found were for "personal" protection of our shia brothers throughout Nigeria. If any of our "readers" know Nigeria, you will also know that at night time many wild and dangerous animals roam the streets and come close to residential neighborhoods in search of food. Now, the Nigerian government wants to make a "big" deal out of this, and defame/tarnish the image of our "Islamic" secular resistance. Well, like others before them, they will fail.
12 July 2013, 16:08
47
If the nigerians are so strong, let them liberate the employees of Setraco who were kidnapped. Or should we forget about those poor workers because they are not chiite "pilgrims"?
12 July 2013, 20:34
110
Let them rot in jail... To all of the Hizbullah thugs I say: Look you dogs, this is no Lebanon. You can not pile up on weapons, car-bomb politicians and get away with it... May they all rot in jail.
12 July 2013, 20:44
91
Roaring-FlameThrower Are You by any chance, related to Flamethrower? U both have the same ignorance... Aren't U an illiterate? weapons to protect people from animals at night from wild dangerous animals? RPG's and Bombs to protect them from wild animals? You must be very very Stupid. Plus You that Your saying "if You know Nigeria" Do You Know Nigeria You illiterate baboon? Are there wild animals coming near houses in the middle of the Capital Abuja? TFOU2 ha ghabeik!
13 July 2013, 20:46
00
oh my.... look who's here!!! Funny both of you appeared at the same time:))) Last time before you got banned, you were doing "Kick"boxing.... how was that precious? Still in the Bronx these days?
