(http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Lebanese-suspects-are-Hezbollah-members-SSS-insists-300x214.jpg) (http://peoplesdailyng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Lebanese-suspects-are-Hezbollah-members-SSS-insists.jpg)By Sunday Ejike Benjamin
In compliance with an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja, the State Security Services (SSS) yesterday produced the three Lebanese business men held in their custody for over a month for allegedly operating illegal arms bunker for terror groups, with a revelation that the suspects belongs to the Hezbollah military wing.
SSS counsel, Eric Osagie who said he produced the suspects in court in compliance with court's order of June 11, 2013 further disclosed that investigation into the incident had established a serious case of terrorism with international dimension and it would be premature to grant them bail.
The court sitting before Justice Adeniyi Ademola had ordered SSS, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to produce the owner of Amigo Supermarket, Mustapha Fawaz, Abdullahi Thaini and Talal Roda, all Lebanese, suspected to have imported arms cache into the country for alleged terrorist activities.
The order followed an ex-parte application by lead counsel to the suspects, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN).
The suspects were however ordered to be returned to the SSS custody whose operatives claimed that they were still investigating their link with international terror organizations and allegations of illegal arms stockpiling.
The trial Judge also ordered that the suspects be allowed to have access to selected lawyers whose names must be submitted to the SSS in advance.
The three Lebanese had been in custody of the SSS for over a month when an alleged bunker stockpiled with arms and ammunitions were found in their house in Kano and in the Wonderland Amusement Park in Abuja.
They had sued the SSS, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation asking the court to compel the three defendants to release them or charge them to court if any offence had been committed.
In the suit for enforcement of their fundamental rights to freedom of liberty filed on their behalf by their counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), they claimed that the defendants breached their fundamental rights and the 1999 constitution with their endless detention without trial.
They demanded N3 billion as compensation for hardships they suffered in the breach of their rights and their unlawful detention without trial.
They have also prayed the court to stop the respondents from extraditing them except by a procedure permitted by law, that the court should declare their arrest and continued detention without trial by the SSS as "illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect whatsoever."
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