Hezbollah: Suspects want Lebanese envoy as surety

[Punch]

Three Lebanese accused by the Federal Government of being terrorists, on Monday, asked an Abuja Federal High Court to allow the Lebanese Ambassador in Nigeria or the country's Head of Mission in Nigeria to stand surety for them.

The co-owner of Amigo Supermarket, Mustapha Fawaz, and two other Lebanese – Abdallah Thahini and Talal Ahmad Roda – are being tried by the Federal Government over six counts of terrorism, following their arrest in connection with an armoury and Hezbollah terror cell in Bompai, Kano State.

The Federal Government alleged that the accused persons are members of the Hezbollah military wing, an international terrorist organisation, adding that they used Amigo Supermarket Ltd. premises and Wonderland Amusement Park Resort, both in Abuja, and No. 3, Gaya Road, Kano, for terrorist activities.

Counsel for the accused persons, Robert Clarke, SAN, asked the court to allow the Lebanese Ambassador in Nigeria to stand surety for them while arguing their bail application before Justice Adeniyi Ademola on Monday.

The Federal Government asked the court to refuse the Lebanese bail.

Clarke insisted that the accused persons would not jump bail, adding that, should they decide to escape to Lebanon, the Lebanese ambassador would bring them back to Nigeria to continue with their trial.

He said, "I can assure your Lordship that the Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria or the Head of Mission can stand surety for them, so that if they run to Lebanon they will bring them back.

"The Ambassador of Lebanon in Nigeria can stand surety for them."

But Federal Government's counsel, Simon Egede, who is also the acting Director of Prosecution of the Federation, asked the court to discountenance the defence counsel's request.

Egede said, "The ambassador can be transferred tomorrow. Has he said so? Is there an averment for him?

"The words of my learned colleague (Clarke) cannot stand as a guarantee."

The prosecuting counsel added that it would not be proper for the court to allow the ambassador to stand as a surety since he has immunity from prosecution, and as a result, cannot be prosecuted if the accused persons jump bail.

Clarke urged that the accused persons would not run away if they were admitted on bail.

The defence counsel further refuted the prosecution's claim that the accused persons were terrorists.

The Federal Government had in count two of the charge alleged that the Lebanese suspects "knowingly agreed to receive training in preparation to engage in the commission of a terrorist act," but Clarke argued that the said training was in line with the practice during the Lebanese civil war, when all young men were compelled to receive military training.

"During the Lebanese civil war, it was an order that all young boys must undergo military training. The same thing in Israel, where every young man must undergo military training for two years."

However, Egede asked the court to refuse the request.

The prosecuting counsel argued that reopening the premises would be contrary to provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013, which empowered security agencies to seal off locations that were used to facilitate terrorist activities.



The Punch