claims that politicians such as Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume and the late Ambassador Sa'idu Pindar were financing its activities were dismissed yesterday by the Jama'atu Ahlus Sunnah Lidda'awati Wal Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram.The dreaded sect also described Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, alias Usman Al-Zawahiri, who was said by the Directorate of State Services to be its former spokesman, as an imposter. The sect also said it shares a common cause with Al-Qaeda and that the two groups assist each other.Boko Haram's spokesman Abu Qaqa, who spoke on phone in Hausa language to a group of newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists' (NUJ) press centre in Maiduguri, said the sect does not have any political affiliations. 'We do not belong to PDP, ANPP, CPC or any other party. Our struggle is purely religious,' he said.Abu Qaqa also said attempts by the security services to link the group to politicians, especially Sen. Ali Ndume and late Ambassador Sa'idu Pindar who were described as its financiers, were just ploys to discredit the group and distract it from its activities.'The government is just using Konduga whose claim of being our member was since rejected, to pursue its own interests. He is just an impostor and not our member', Abu Qaqa said.He added, 'We have never been associated with any of these people. How could we associate with the same people that are involved in the same system we are struggling to topple' Even before the emergence of our jihadist activities, these politicians had been engaged in their scheming and intrigues and this development is just one of such. It has nothing to do with our group.'Asked about the sect's relationship with former Governor of Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff, who was alleged by Borno State PDP leaders to be once allied to Boko Haram, Abu Qaqa said Sherriff was one of the people who spearheaded the 2009 campaign against the group which saw the execution of many of its followers as well as its leader Mohammed Yusuf. 'Therefore,' he said, 'it is ridiculous for anybody to think our relationship with Sheriff is positive. In fact we categorize him in the same group with the president and other targets on our watch. This is why Sherriff cannot even come to Maiduguri.'When asked if the Boko Haram sect has any links with Al Qaeda, Abu Qaqa said, 'We are together with Al Qaeda. They are promoting the cause of Islam, just as we are doing. Therefore they help us in our struggle and we help them too wherever they are.'The sect also said that it has a cordial relationship with members of the media community and urged them to sustain the good relationship. 'We don't want our relationship to be damaged since you are serving the public. We must warn you against misrepresenting our sect because there would be consequences if you engage in such', he said.
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