Friday 1is March, the trial of a group of suspected terrorists opened at the Kaloum Court of First Instance. Seven people, of Guinean and Malian nationality, are appearing for “acts of terrorism and forgery and use of forgery”. They plead not guilty.
The facts date back to 2021 and 2022. The Guinean authorities, to track down the “sleeper cells” of terrorism in Upper Guinea, justice is grabbing Alhassane Diakité, Moussa Sangaré, Boukary Diakité, Issa Sangaré, Hamidou Sidibé, Alpha Diakité and Noumkè Camara. Malians and Guineans, established in Mandiana, accused of hiding behind awareness campaigns on Islam to establish terrorist networks in Upper Guinea, with the help of powerful Malian terrorist groups. At the bar, all deny the facts, claiming to be simple breeders in different localities of Mandiana, Siguiri or Kankan.
However, telephone records proved, according to the public prosecutor, that these accused were in close contact with officials of the Katiba Macina movement of Amadou Kouffa and the Support Group for Islam and Muslims, GSIM. Until September 2022, Alhassane Diakité spoke at length on the telephone with a certain Abdoul Djabarou, and another, Abou Naïm. The latter would have stayed in Upper Guinea as part of the establishment of his networks: “I did not provide him with any help. I know him, he’s my cousin, but I don’t know him as a terrorist,” says Alhassane Diakité. He and the others are believed to be members of the Boura terrorist cell of Katiba Macina and the Support Group for Islam and Muslims. The prosecutor, Mamoudou Magassouba, affirms that the accused were commanded by a certain Abou Issa. He also would have spent a stay in Guinea. False, retorts Me Mory Doumbouya, defense lawyer: “If he had really come to Guinea to plant terrorism, why didn’t the prosecution get their hands on him? » He accuses executives hidden in the Guinea-hate administration of wanting to sow terror: “Terrorism does not exist in Guinea, it is crooked executives who want to make people believe that it exists here. It will not work “.
Hamidou Sidibé also rejects everything outright. He says he has lived in Mandiana since 2010: “I wonder about my arrest. I have never done an awareness campaign, let alone encourage terrorism. It was at the gendarmerie that I learned about this terrorism affair. I cannot carry such a burden. »
The other six defendants also denied the charges against them. However, they all confirm having been in telephone contact with the names Abdoul Djabarou and Abou Naïm, “very influential in the north of Mali”, but refuse to believe that the latter are terrorists. Concerning Noumkè Camara, a telephone number purchased in Guinea with his national identity card was seized in northern Burkina Faso by the services of the French army during an anti-terrorist operation. What the person concerned refuses to recognize. The case is adjourned to March 8, for pleadings and requisitions.
Yacine Diallo
2024-03-01 19:07:08