Nigeria: Where Al Qaeda Are Considered Wimps

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October 14, 2006: In northern Nigeria, an Islamic religious leader, accused of murder and supporting terrorism, was sentenced to death by hanging. The condemned man, Musa Ali Suleiman, is a leader of a radical sect that is not affiliated with al Qaeda, and is antagonistic to the current crop of Islamic radicals. The sect Musa Ali Suleiman led has been around for generations, and condemns luxuries and modern technology. This is a common pattern in Islam, with sects like this becoming more popular every few generations. But they are always out there.

October 13, 2006: Saudi Arabia has imposed strict rules on visitors from Nigeria. Children under 15 must provide polio vaccination certificates before they arrive. This is to try and halt the spread of polio during the annual Hadj (pilgrimage to Mecca). Polio has not been wiped out in Nigeria because many Islamic clergy believe the vaccination program is an infidel plot to poison Moslem children. Some parents respond to this idea, keep their children from getting vaccinated, and the kids continue to get polio. These parents take their kids on the Hadj and spread polio to Moslem children from other countries.

In central Nigeria, supporters of a state governor, impeached for corruption, gathered to protest this treatment. Police responded with their weapons, shooting two men.

October 12, 2006: All but about 15 of the hostages taken in the Delta on the 10th, have been released. The kidnappers are mad at the oil company for not providing enough jobs and other goodies that were provided in response to past attacks by the tribal gangs.

October 10, 2006: A gang of armed men forced their way into an oil pumping facility on the coast of the Niger delta, and took sixty oil workers hostage. Three Nigerians (Defense Ministry employees), and three foreigners (from Ireland, Israel and Romania) were charged with spying for Russia.