Trial of Al-Shabaab members who were planning attacks

A Somali military court has begun hearings in a case against four members of the Al-Shabaab militant group, accused of planning attacks in the country's northern regions.

The court charged the suspects, Khalid Hassan Farah, Abdul Karim Ibrahim, Abdul Wahab Deg Ismail, and a person called Jaber, with involvement in terrorism-related activities aimed at destabilizing the country.

According to the prosecution, the defendants underwent training in areas controlled by Al-Shabaab and received specific instructions on how to carry out attacks. The court was told that the suspects were involved in plans to carry out coordinated attacks, posing a direct threat to national security.

“These individuals were trained by Al-Shabaab in areas under the group’s control and were prepared to carry out acts of violence. Their intentions represent a serious threat to the security of the country,” the prosecutor said during the court proceedings.

But defense lawyers called for the defendants to be released, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support the charges and that their clients should be acquitted of any wrongdoing. The defense stressed the need for fairness and asked the court to consider their request for leniency.

The head of the military court concluded the session by announcing that the verdict on the accused would be issued after careful deliberations.