This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/8233980.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Nigerian 'trained in Afghanistan' Nigerian 'trained in Afghanistan'
(10 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. If confirmed it would be the first proven link between Islamists in the oil-rich country and Afghanistan.
Local people called the group Taliban because of the radical beliefs. Local people called the group Taliban because of its radical beliefs.
For years Western diplomats have feared an al-Qaeda sleeper cell might launch attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria, which is an increasingly large supplier to the US.For years Western diplomats have feared an al-Qaeda sleeper cell might launch attacks on oil infrastructure in Nigeria, which is an increasingly large supplier to the US.
Weapons cacheWeapons cache
The man, 23-year-old Abdulrasheed Abubakar, was shown to the public in the Borno state capital Maiduguri, where the sect was based and which saw the worst violence. The man, 23-year-old Abdulrasheed Abubakar, was paraded before journalists in the Borno state capital Maiduguri, where the sect was based and which saw the worst violence.
Is al-Qaeda working in Nigeria? It was the mood of Mohammed Yusuf's teaching - the energy that helped me to join him Abdulrasheed Abubakar Is al-Qaeda working in Nigeria?
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.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.
In July the Boko Haram militants, armed mainly with machetes, launched the simultaneous attacks on police stations in different parts of the north. Mr Abubakar said he converted to Islam seven months ago and decided to join the sect after buying the teachings of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf on cassette.
Hundreds of them were killed as the security forces retaliated. "It was the mood of Mohammed Yusuf's teaching - the energy that helped me to join him," he told the BBC's Bilkisu Babangida in Maiduguri.
He met Yusuf two weeks after finding the sect in Maiduguri and was asked by the Boko Haram leader to go to Afghanistan.
"I spent three months in Afghanistan. I was trained as a bomb specialist."
Mr Abubakar said he was supposed to train five people on his return, but when he did not receive his money he escaped.
He said that during the uprising in July, when Boko Haram militants, armed mainly with machetes, launched the simultaneous attacks on police stations in different parts of the north, he was in jail in Yola.
Hundreds of sect members were killed as the security forces retaliated and controversy surrounds the death of Yusuf, who was shot after his arrest.
Police say Yusuf was killed in a shoot-out when he tried to escape, but human rights groups say it was a summary execution.
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.