New Islamic group, Ansaru, claims responsibility for kidnap of seven foreign workers

The group had claimed responsibility for previous attacks in Northern Nigeria.
A group known as Jama’atu Ansarul Musilimina Fi Biladis Sudan, popularly referred to Ansaru, has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s kidnap of seven foreign workers in Jama’are Town of Bauchi State
In a statement made available to journalists on Monday, the group said “By Allah’s grace, we have the custody of seven persons, which include Lebanese and their European counterparts working with Setraco,”.
They said the men were kidnapped because of the “transgressions done to the religion of Allah by European nations in many places such as Afghanistan and Mali.”
Gunmen in the early hours of Sunday stormed a compound housing Setraco expatriate staff in Jama’are where they killed a security guard and abducted one Briton, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese workers.
The Ansaru, helpers in Arabic, group emerged in June last year; and in a video message posted to Youtube by their leader, Abu Usamatul Ansar, pledged to defend the interest of Islam and Muslims in Africa.
They had already claimed responsibility for the November 2012 attack on the office of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS Abuja where one person was reportedly killed and several prisoners freed.
The group also claimed responsibility for the bomb explosion that claimed the lives of two Mali bound soldiers on January 19, 2013 at Itape, Ekehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Source; Premium times