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Nigerian 'trained in Afghanistan' | Nigerian 'trained in Afghanistan' |
(30 minutes later) | |
A member of the Nigerian Islamist sect behind a deadly uprising in July has confessed to receiving military training in Afghanistan, police say. | A member of the Nigerian Islamist sect behind a deadly uprising in July has confessed to receiving military training in Afghanistan, police say. |
The member of the sect known locally as Boko Haram and Taliban said he had been paid $5,000 (£3,000) to do the training and promised $30,000 on his return. | The member of the sect known locally as Boko Haram and Taliban said he had been paid $5,000 (£3,000) to do the training and promised $30,000 on his return. |
The uprising in northern Nigeria left some 700 people dead, mostly militants. | The uprising in northern Nigeria left some 700 people dead, mostly militants. |
If confirmed it will be the first proven link between Islamists in the oil-rich country and Afghanistan. | |
For years Western diplomats have feared a al-Qaeda sleeper cell might launch attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria, which is increasingly large supplier for the US. | |
Weapons cache | |
The man was shown to the public in the Borno state capital Maiduguri, where the sect was based and which saw the worst violence. | |
The police also displayed a large cache of weapons and bomb-making equipment recovered from suspected Boko Haram members recently arrested in the northern cities of Yola and Maiduguri. | |
Last month the Boko Haram militants, armed mainly with machetes, launched the simultaneous attacks on police stations in different parts of the north. | |
Hundreds of them were killed as the security forces retaliated. | |
The sect said it was fighting against Western education and believed Nigeria's government was being corrupted by Western ideas. | The sect said it was fighting against Western education and believed Nigeria's government was being corrupted by Western ideas. |
It wanted to see Islamic law imposed across the country. | It wanted to see Islamic law imposed across the country. |