LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The Boko Haram (BOH’-koh hah-RAHM’) terrorist network has offered the first public glimpse of what it claims are the girls kidnapped from a Nigerian school a month ago.
In a video, about 100 of the nearly 300 missing girls are seen — an indication they may have been broken up into smaller groups as some reports have indicated. They are seen huddled together wearing gray Muslim veils, chanting verses from the Quran with their armed captors nearby.
The leader of the Boko Haram has also issued a threat. He says the girls will not be seen again until the government frees his imprisoned fighters. It is not known how many suspected Boko Haram members are detained by Nigeria’s security forces.
The White House says U.S. intelligence experts are “combing over every detail” of the video and “have no reason to question its authenticity.”
A U.S. team of 30 experts in intelligence gathering, counter-terrorism and hostage negotiations is in Nigeria to assist the government’s search.
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190-w-35-(Sagar Meghani (SAH’-gur meh-GAH’-nee), AP national security correspondent, with sound of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki and White House press secretary Jay Carney)–A video from a Nigerian terror group purportedly shows nearly 300 schoolgirls kidnapped last month. AP National Security Correspondent Sagar Meghani reports from the Pentagon. (12 May 2014)
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191-a-12-(Jay Carney, White House press secretary, at news conference)-“the Nigerian government”-White House press secretary Jay Carney says an American team is in place in Nigeria to provide the government with intelligence and advise as it searches for the kidnapped girls. (12 May 2014)
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192-a-10-(Jay Carney, White House press secretary, at news conference)-“no small task”-White House press secretary Jay Carney says the search for the kidnapped girls is not easy. (12 May 2014)
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183-r-06-(Sound of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, speaking Hausa, on militant video purportedly showing the kidnapped Nigerian girls)–Sound of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau speaking Hausa on militant video purportedly showing the kidnapped Nigerian girls. ((NOTE: AP cannot independently verify the content, date, location or authenticity of this material)) (12 May 2014)
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174-a-04-(Jen Psaki (SAH’-kee), State Department spokeswoman, at news conference)-“question its authenticity”-State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says administration intelligence experts are reviewing a video purportedly showing the kidnapped Nigerian girls. (12 May 2014)
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175-a-08-(Jen Psaki (SAH’-kee), State Department spokeswoman, at news conference)-“of the girls”-State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says the government has no reason to question the authenticity of the tape purportedly showing the schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria. (12 May 2014)
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APPHOTO LON115: In this photo taken from video by Nigeria’s Boko Haram terrorist network, Monday May 12, 2014 shows the alleged missing girls abducted from the northeastern town of Chibok. The new video purports to show dozens of abducted schoolgirls, covered in jihab and praying in Arabic. It is the first public sight of the girls since more than 300 were kidnapped from a northeastern school the night of April 14 exactly four weeks ago. (AP Photo) (12 May 2014)
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APPHOTO LON111: In this photo taken from video by Nigeria’s Boko Haram terrorist network, Monday May 12, 2014 shows the alleged missing girls abducted from the northeastern town of Chibok. The new video purports to show dozens of abducted schoolgirls, covered in jihab and praying in Arabic. It is the first public sight of the girls since more than 300 were kidnapped from a northeastern school the night of April 14 exactly four weeks ago. (AP Photo) (12 May 2014)
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APPHOTO LON112: In this photo taken from video by Nigeria’s Boko Haram terrorist network, Monday May 12, 2014 shows their leader Abubakar Shekau speaking to the camera. The new video purports to show dozens of abducted schoolgirls, covered in jihab and praying in Arabic. It is the first public sight of the girls since more than 300 were kidnapped from a northeastern school the night of April 14 exactly four weeks ago. (AP Photo) (12 May 2014)
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