Nigeria says Boko Haram, al Qaeda-link behind U.N. attack

Reuters

31 August 2011

Nigeria says Boko Haram, al Qaeda-link behind U.N. attack

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian authorities investigating last week's fatal bombing of the U.N. headquarters arrested two members of Islamist sect Boko Haram a week before the attack and said they suspect a third member with an al Qaeda connection led the plot.

"Investigation has revealed that one Mamman Nur, a notorious Boko Haram element with al Qaeda links who returned recently from Somalia, working in concert with the two suspects, masterminded the attack on the United Nations building in Abuja," the Department of State Services said in a statement on Wednesday.

It did not give details of how it came to this conclusion, beyond mentioning that the two suspects in detention before the bombing, which killed 23 people, had given "valuable statements".

"We implore ... the general public to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of Mamman Nur, who is hereby declared wanted," it said.