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A witness of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr James Simon on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the three terrorism suspects put on trial by his organization admitted spying on America and Isreal embassies for the Republic of Iran for alleged terrorism attack.
The witness informed Justice Emeka Nwite that the three defendants, Haruna Ali Abbas, Ibrahim Hussein Musa and Adam Suleiman confessed to the crime during interrogations and in their extra judicial statements made upon their arrest.
Simon, a Deputy Director with DSS who read the extra judicial statement of the first defendant, Haruna Abbas in the open court explained that the defendant admitted being the arrow head in their trip to Iran where they received training on handling of weapon and getting open source news on America and Isreal for Iran.
The prosecution witness who was cross examined by a counsel, Aliyu Yawuru, told the court that the acts of involvement of non military personnel in surveillance, recruitment of persons and weapon handling amount to acts of terrorism.
The witness said the mission of the defendants as contained in their statements is to carry out surveillance, information gathering on America and Isreal embassies.
According to the statement, the defendant said, “Upon arrival in Iran, we were taken to a 2-story building and from there, we were taken to an Iranian Military barrack where we were trained on gun shootings.
“They requested another three trusted persons to be sent to them for training but we were arrested upon arrival in Nigeria”.
One of the information the defendants gave, according to the witness, was that the Israeli government gave the Kwara State government support in Agriculture.
The witness quoted the first defendant as saying in his extra judicial statement that, “His mission was to send news concerning American Embassy and the Embassy of Isreal.
Meanwhile, the court has adjourned till April 4 for continuation of cross examination of the witness (PW1).
According to the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/129/2014, Abbas was said to have been arrested on March 16, 2013 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on his way from Lebanon.
Abbas is accused of recruiting young Nigerians, including Musa and Suleiman, for terrorism training in Iran.
He is also accused of participating in terrorist meetings, and equally alleged to have rendered support to an act of terrorism by agreeing to send persons for terrorist training in Iran.
Abbas is equally accused of “embarking on an act preparatory to an act of terrorism by compiling a list of American and Israeli concerns in Lagos, and their locations in map which included the USA Consular office in Lagos and sent them to one Abu Ali in Iran using coded language with encryption software through his email addresses.”
On their part, Musa and Suleiman are charged with “conspiracy to do an act preparatory to an act of terrorism by obtaining Nigeria’s international passport and Iranian visa for the purpose of travelling to Iran for terrorist training.”
Terror suspects admit spying on America, Israel embassies for Iran – DSS witness
