- Title: NIGERIA: Prosecution closes case against Hezbollah suspects
- Date: 31st July 2013
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (JULY 31, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LAWYERS SEATING IN COURTROOM VARIOUS OF LEBANESE SUSPECTS LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS WITH LAWYER VARIOUS OF PROSECUTION COUNSEL SEATING IN COURT LEGAL DOCUMENTS ON DESK (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF PROSECUTOR, SIMON EDEGE, SAYING: "The matter went very well today, we were able to close our case, that is the prosecution's case. Our last witness brought a video recording of all the interview sessions, this has been tendered and it is in evidence and it corroborates the confessions made by the accused persons and the testimonies of all the other witnesses for the prosecution." VARIOUS OF LAWYERS SEATING IN COURTROOM VARIOUS OF MAN OBSERVING PROCEEDINGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF PROSECUTOR, SIMON EDEGE, SAYING: "The videos confirm the unauthorized and illegal surveillance carried out by the first accused person along with his foreign collaborators where they captured different strategic buildings in Abuja while perched on top of Sheraton building (eds note: refers to hotel in Abuja). The video was played and it was revealed. He also confirmed carrying those foreign collaborators around Abuja searching for the Israeli embassy." VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS TALKING WITH THE DEFENSE COUNSEL (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEFENSE COUNSEL, ROBERT CLARKE, SAYING: "What is contained in the video is exactly what is contained in the statement they have offered, so there is nothing new on the video. They have not denied in the video that they had some training with Hezbollah, but these were things done in 1991 when they were young men and as resistance officers they were bound to serve their country just as we have our national youth service corps. So they are not denying that they served Hezbollah twenty-three years ago, but that is not the issue before the court." VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS LEAVING COURT AND GETTING INTO VEHICLE VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS' RELATIVES LEAVING THE COURTHOUSE VEHICLES CARRYING SUSPECTS LEAVING COURTHOUSE EXTERIOR OF COURTHOUSE SHOWING STATUE OF JUSTICE
- Embargoed: 15th August 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABWRI0Q7NF1MWL2XPBVQH7TNFO
- Story Text: Three Lebanese nationals facing trial in Nigeria for having links to Islamist militant group Hezbollah appeared in court on Wednesday (July 31) for the prosecution counsel's closing arguments.
The suspects, Mustapha Fawaz, Abdullah Tahini and Talal Roda were in court as the prosecution closed its case against them after presenting its arguments.
Another Lebanese national, Hussain Nurudeen Kossdi facing similar charges has remained at large since the trial commenced and the defense counsel have said that he is not represented.
The suspects were arrested between May 16 and May 28 in the north's biggest city Kano.
A raid on a residence of one of the men's residences had uncovered arms and ammunition which Nigerian authorities said were targeted at facilities of Israel and Western interest in Nigeria.
Chief Prosecutor Simon Edege said he was satisfied with the proceedings.
"The matter went very well today, we were able to close our case that is the prosecution's case. The last witness brought a video recording of all the interview sessions, this has been tendered and it is in evidence and it corroborates the confessions made by the accused persons and the testimonies of all the other witnesses for prosecution," he said.
The prosecution counsel added that the video supported claims that the Lebanese suspects had confessed to being a part of the terrorist group.
"The videos confirm the unauthorized and illegal surveillance carried out by the first accused person along with his foreign collaborators where they captured different strategic buildings in Abuja while perched on top of Sheraton building (hotel in Abuja). The video was played and it was revealed he also confirmed carrying those foreign collaborators around Abuja searching for the Israeli embassy," he said.
But Robert Clarke, counsel for the accused, said the video confessions were nothing new.
"What is contained in the video is exactly what is contained in the statement they have offered so there is nothing new. They have not denied in the video that they had some training with Hezbollah but these were things done in 1991 when they were young men and as resistance officers they were bound to serve their country just as we have our national youth service corps. So they are not denying that they served Hezbollah twenty-three years ago but that is not the issue before the court," he said.
Despite Nigeria's judiciary being on recess, the judge handling the case has continued with the trial, hoping for a speedy completion.
The defense counsel is expected to begin its closing arguments on Friday (August 2).
In June, lawyer for the suspects said they were seeking 1 billion naira (6.2 million U.S. dollars) in compensation from the Nigerian government for unlawful incarceration.
Authorities believe there has been a growing involvement of al Qaeda-linked foreign jihadists in Nigeria's insurgency.
An alliance between Salafist Sunni Muslim Boko Haram and Shi'ite Hezbollah would be unusual, and there has never previously been evidence of such a link.
Though most Nigerian Muslims are Sunni, there are several thousand Shi'ite Nigerians, a legacy of Muslim radical Ibrahim Zakzaky's preachings since the 1980s.
Zakzaky still leads Nigeria's main Shi'ite movement and has campaigned for an Islamic government and stricter adherence to sharia law.
A Nigerian court sentenced an alleged member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and a Nigerian accomplice to five years in prison two months ago over an illegal shipment of mortars and rockets seized in the main port of Lagos in 2010. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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