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Terror Group 'Behind UN Car Bomb In Nigeria'
8:37pm UK, Friday August 26, 2011
The Nigerian Islamist group known as Boko Haram has said it
was behind the suicide car bombing at the UN offices in the
capital Abuja that killed at least 18 people and injured more
than 60.
A man claiming to be a spokesman for the group called a French
news agency journalist and told him the attack was "carefully
scripted".
The man, who identified himself as Abu Darda, said: "Though the
wisdom of Allah, we have launched the attack with absolute
precision.
"The attack was carefully scripted and executed. We have said it
several times that the UN is one of our prime targets."
The caller added: "More attacks are on the way, and by the will
of Allah we will have unfettered access to wherever we want to
attack.
"We have more than 100 men who are willing to lay down their
lives for the cause of Allah."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon condemned the attack and warned
the casualty figures were "likely to be considerable".
He revealed 26 different UN agencies operated in the building,
with around 400 staff.
"This was an assault on those who devoted their lives to helping
others," he said.
Foreign Secretary William Hague added: "Around the world the UN
works for peace, security and international cooperation and an
attack on the UN is an attack on these principles."
US President Barack Obama has denounced the attack as "horrific
and cowardly".
Witnesses said a car rammed through two sets of gates protecting
the compound and drove towards the main building where it
crashed into the reception area and blew up.
An entire wing of the building was reportedly destroyed.
UN worker Ocilake Michael said: "We just saw the blast coming
from the building. All the people in the basement were killed.
Their bodies are littered all over the place."
A worker for Unicef, Michael Ofilaje, added: "The blast came
from the basement and shook the building.
"I saw scattered bodies... many people are dead."
The attack was carried out just before 11am local time, in a
part of the capital that is also home to the US embassy and
other diplomatic buildings.
Boko Haram, whose name translates as ‘western education is
sinful', has carried out a series of bombings and assassinations
in northern Nigeria in the last year.
In June the group bombed Nigeria's federal police headquarters,
killing two people.
It also claimed responsibility for a failed car bomb attack in
Borno State last week.
A UN worker, who would only identify himself as Bodunrin, was
reported as saying: "This is getting out of hand. If they can
get into the UN House, they can reach anywhere."
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to work with
neighbouring Niger to tackle Islamic extremism in the region.
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