Bomb Blast - Obj, IBB Sue for Peace

Vanguard

19 February 2011

Bomb Blast - Obj, IBB Sue for Peace

In what is emerging as a crack in the ranks of Boko Haram, a splinter arm of the group few hours after Boko Haram was quoted in the BBC as claiming responsibility for the Saturday killing of their ex-leader's brother in-law, denied responsibility and warned media houses of stiffer action if they continued to misrepresent the sect.

JASLJ, which also mourned the death of Alhaji Fugu, in a telephone call placed by one of their top members, Abu Kaka, shortly after the BBC report, said: "We are not happy with the way we were being misquoted and misrepresented in the media especially by the International radio houses like BBC, VOA and Radio France International.

"Today, we received with shock the unfortunate killing of the family member of our leader Sheik Muhammed Yusuf. But to our dismay we later on heard it on the BBC that we said we were responsible for it. This is unacceptable because the BBC cannot receive a text message sent to their head office without our name on it and ascribe it to us.

"This kind of false representation has been going on for some time now and we will not continue to tolerate it any longer. The media houses should know that we have an understanding with the press whom we regard as mediators; but if they don't do their job professionally, we will be compelled to take action on their reporters on ground just the way we take actions on the security agents and other enemies of Islam.

"Sometimes back we were misrepresented by the same media that we are going to attack 13 states of the Federation, and that was not true. Even if we have any intention of doing something like that it should come from us and not anybody else.

"We have our own spokesman, in the person of Abu Dardam or whoever he personally delegates to speak on our behalf. And if we issue a statement it comes with our name and signature. So if they don't desist from such kind of attitude, we want the media houses to know that we know the homes of each journalist, we know their movements; and it is not that they are beyond our reach. A word is enough for the wise."