Islamic Extremists In Northern Nigeria Killed 7 Foreign Hostages Kidnapped Last Month, Terrorist Group 'Ansaru' Claimed Responsibility For Deaths

The Islamic terrorist group Ansaru confirmed in a statement released on Saturday, March 2, that they killed the 7 hostages kidnapped from a construction site camp in northern Nigeria on February 16.

The hostages included 4 Lebanese, 1 British, 1 Greek and 1 Italian. The British, the Italians, and the Greeks have all confirmed that their citizens were killed. The Lebanese have not made any statements.

The Ansaru kidnappers were organized and knew whom they were going after. When they invaded the Jama'are construction camp, the group ignored the native Nigerians and the household staff and went straight for the 7 foreigners.

Ansaru released a statement claiming responsibility for the killings. They also said they killed the 7 hostages because local newspapers reported seeing British aircraft in the near by area of Bauchi. However, the Ansaru journalists reporting the stories insist the planes were 290 kilometers southwest of that area in Abuja and not there to attempt any rescue of the hostages.

Yahoo News reports that the British planes were in Abuja to bring Nigerian troops and supplies to aid the French in Bamako Mali.

The British have attempted to help the Nigerian government rescue hostages in the past. In March of 2012 British Special Forces supported the Nigerian's in their failed attempt to rescue two hostages kidnapped a few months before.

Christopher McManus and Franco Lamolinara were killed during their attempted rescue.

Ansaru also blamed the killings on the President of Nigeria, 'Goodluck' Jonathan, for his promise to do "everything possible" to free the hostages.

Yahoo News also says the Nigerian authorities have not made a public statement about the killings. The Nigerian police and military have not been able to put an end to the country's "guerrilla campaign of bombings, shootings, and kidnappings across the country's north."

There is little know about the terror organization Ansaru except that they are a splinter cell independent from the group Boko Haram, which is the main Islamic terrorist group in the country's north.