International Court Orders Fast-Track Hearing After Spy Allegations Against U.S., Israeli Embassies

A federal court in Nigeria’s capital has ordered an accelerated hearing in the trial of three men accused of spying on behalf of Iranian interests against U.S. and Israeli diplomatic missions.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted the special hearing at the request of prosecutors, after defence lawyers did not oppose the application.

The accused Haruna Ali Abbas, Ibrahim Hussaini Musa and Adam Suleiman were arrested in various cities in Nigeria in 2013 and charged with terrorism-related offenses.

During the latest session, a witness for the prosecution, identified as a senior official from Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), testified that Abbas admitted being recruited to gather intelligence on American and Israeli interests in Nigeria, especially at their embassies.

According to the testimony, Abbas confessed that he was involved in recruiting additional Nigerians for the operation and that some of those recruits received training in Iran, including military-style instruction.

Under cross-examination, the DSS witness maintained that involvement in surveillance, recruitment and weapons familiarization even without formal identification of the trainers as members of a designated terrorist group constituted acts of terrorism under Nigerian law.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case until April 1 for further proceedings.