Asa’s N700m lesbianism suit.

The on-going ‘Bukola Elemide & Another VS Dockland Communications Services’ N700m lawsuit between Nigerian soul singer Asa and weekly publication News of the People is set to resume this Thursday, April 26, 2012.

On Thursday, February 23, 2012 a Lagos High Court presided by Justice A.J Coker adjourned the case to April 26 after the claimants Bukola ‘Asa’ Elemide and her manager Janet Nwose were missing in court.

The 29-year-old, who was represented by her legal counsel Abraham & CO. stated that their client (Asa) was indisposed, although the defendants counsel Yinka Muyiwa opposed the claim, insisting that the singer was in France, performing.

Asa had slammed the lawsuit against the Loye Hamzat-owned celebrity magazine on November 22, 2010, after they published an article portraying the musician as a homosexual. But, through its counsel, the publication says they have done no wrong, as they culled the story from an online publication.

We are however unclear if Asa and her manager will attend the court hearing although she is back in the country. The singer recently performed live at the 12th edition of the African Movie Academy Awards which was held Sunday, April 22, 2012.

‘You’ll have to speak with our reps on this please’, Asa’s manager Janet Nwose replied when NET asked if Asa would attend the hearing.

And when we contacted her reps at RED Media, an exec Adebola Williams, said ‘We’ll get back to you on this’.

Asa’s Counsel Abraham & CO. has however assured that they will be in court even though they aren’t sure if Asa will be present.

Why We Attacked THISDAY Newspaper Offices – Boko Haram Spokesperson

The extremist sect, while claiming responsibility for Thursday’s attacks, says more bombings are coming the way of the media.
The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, says it attacked THISDAY Thursday to send a strong message to the media that it would no longer condone reports misrepresenting it in the press, or blaming it for acts it knows nothing about.
Abul Qaqa, spokesperson for the sect told Premium Times, in an exclusive interview, that his organisation was fed up with the deliberate misinformation being peddled about it in the Nigerian and foreign media.
“We have repeatedly cautioned reporters and media houses to be professional and objective in their reports. This is a war between us and the Government of Nigeria; unfortunately the media have not been objective and fair in their report of the ongoing war, they chose to take side,” Mr. Qaqa said.
He identified three instances where he claimed his group was deliberately misrepresented by the media.
The first, according to him, was the rumour of his capture by the Nigerian intelligence agencies.
“Some reporters are aware that I am Abul Qaqa, they know my voice through our long interactions and they also know the role of Abu Darda who heads the enlightenment committee and sometimes facilitates interviews; yet they (media) go by the unsubstantiated view of government that Abul Qaqa is in custody and I am the new spokesman or number two,” he said.
Premium Times had continuously reported that Abul Qaqa was not arrested contrary to reports and that it was Abu Darda, another member, that was arrested.
The second misrepresentation, according to Mr. Qaqa, was the reporting on the kidnappings of foreigners in the Northern part of Nigeria.
“Another issue was the recent kidnappings in the north; we were clear with our position as a group during a teleconference with reporters but we were shocked the next day when newspaper headlines added a lot of things which I never said during that interview.”
The third example, Mr. Abul Qaqa said, is the mistranslation of the video the group posted recently.
“Another example is the recent video posted on YouTube by our Imam; I challenge every Nigerian to watch that video again. There is no place our imam either said he will crush President Jonathan or issued an ultimatum to the government in Nigeria; but nearly all papers carried very wrong and mischievous headlines.”
When asked why THISDAY appeared specifically chosen for the attack, Mr. Qaqa said THISDAY’s “sins” are more grievous.
“It is not only THISDAY that has been engaged in negative media campaign, fictional stories and constantly promoting fake stories by the JTF to give an impression that they are making headway against us yet there is no time the media investigated further as an objective and responsible bystander in this war.
“But the sins of THISDAY are more,” he said.
“They once insulted the Prophet Mohammed in 2001 and we have not forgotten. They recently said our Imam executed me which is false. Here I am speaking to you, I am alive and healthy.”
Expect more media attacks
The group’s spokesman further warned of more attacks on the media.
“We have just started this new campaign against the media and we will not stop here, we will hit the media hard since they have refused to listen to our plea for them to be fair in their reportage,” he said.
Mr. Abul Qaqa also said his group  would give further information on biases by the media.
“In the coming days we will give details and instances where the media have not been fair to us and why we are going to attack them as well.”
Media should be neutral
“The media in Nigeria are not a problem to us if they will do their job professionally without taking sides,” Mr. Abul Qaqa said.
“But each time we say something, it is either changed or downplayed. But when our enemy says something even without logical proof, it is blown out of proportion.”
“We have repeated asked some reporters to retract some stories or even give us the right of reply but none of these requests were given to us.”
By Premium Times Exclusive

Umaru Mustapha of Maiduguri, Borno State was caught during the bombing of Thisday offices in Kaduna.

Umaru Mustapha car and exploded bombs in Kaduna

Wiz Khalifa Busted for Marijuana Possession in Nashville

Hey, he’s just livin’ “Young, Wild and Free.”
Rapper Wiz Khalifa (real name Cameron Thomaz) got a visit from the police on Saturday after residents started complaining about a strong marijuana odor while staying at a hotel in Nashville. From Wiz?! No way! (Clearly, we’re being sarcastic).
Amber Rose’s future hubby hasn’t exactly been secretive about his love for ganja, but when authorities started knockin’ on his door, he tossed the weed in hopes of steering clear of trouble.
Did it work?
Nope, not really.
According to the Tennessean, police said the room reeked of marijuana and that they saw the 24-year-old throw his blunt out the window. When asked if there was any more marijuana in the room, both Khalifa and his friend, 27-year-old Lonnie Howard, said there wasn’t, but police later found more marijuana on Howard.

BN Music Premiere: NPZ Feat. Davido – Aisha | NPZ – Shut It Down (Kerewa)

NPZ began his musical career performing at open-mic events in the UK and later debuted as a professional artiste in 2009 with a song titled “So Close” produced by artiste and producer, Davido.

Now, NPZ, who is an Afro-Dance artiste, is now on Davido‘s HKN record label. And, he’s here with not one but two hot dance tracks.

“Aisha” has an unusual catchy vibe to it that will catch you off guard and may be even keep you humming after the first listen. Of course, Davido did his thing. Enjoy!

Play NPZ Feat. Davido – Aisha

Download

While on “Shut It Down (Kerewa)”, NPZ tackled the production alone and croons throughout the song, attempting to emulate the likes of Taio Cruz and Usher with his vocal techniques.

I don’t know if it’s just me but there’s something about this song that reminds me of Rihanna‘s “Disturbia”. Enjoy!

I’m done with acting – Nigerian Film Sensation, Ramsey Nouah

Tracking down this ‘Nollywood’ A-lister was an experience in itself, so much so that by the time I got to meet him, I felt like a soldier who had survived a very long and arduous campaign. The journey coupled with leads from e-mails, text messages and phone calls to well-known industry contacts, finally took me to the ancient city of Ibadan in Oyo state where he was in the process of shooting an epic movie.
However, because we were pressed for time, the following interview was not as all encompassing as i had hope but i had extracted a promise for him for a sequel. In this interview which revealed Ramsey as one who is very guarded about his privacy, the award winning actor talks about the industry, his humble beginnings and projection for the future after ‘Nollywood’. Enjoy…

How would you assess the industry now, after almost 20 years on the scene?
In the beginning, nobody knew that it was going to be this big. Back then, when we started off, we had good content, storyline, production, and acting. You would actually think that with time it would get better, but unfortunately there are so many obstacles with anything good. The changes in policy [and in] government, etc has affected the industry. Also there was a huge break out of piracy, which of course affected it adversely.
How have the lack of effective regulatory bodies affected the industry?
Regulatory bodies are needed in any industry in the world, not just in film. Indeed, we do not have that, and you can blame that on many factors. It is a chain reaction that’s affecting us on many fronts. Our guilds, for instance, are not very effective in making these things work. Also, we are not unified; there is no unity among most of the actors, unlike in the music sector. If we all come together as one and find a unifying front, we will make it happen.
How true is it that some film makers have become more determined to make good movies?
Everybody is talking about having fantastic productions. For instance, here in Ibadan, we are shooting a very strong movie about the assassination of Murtala Mohammed, [which] is a very sensitive issue. We’ve been planning this since 2001, but we didn’t get permission from the military, which stalled it. However, we finally have the approval and we are getting on board. A very good movie will stand the test of time, the type we can keep in the archives and people will refer to it later and commend it. The type my grand-children will see and [say] ‘yeah that’s my granddad, they revolutionised the industry’.
Did you model yourself after any particular actor when starting out?
Not exactly. When I got into acting, there was nobody to really model myself after, I mean I grew up with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone. But you know we don’t do action films, so I couldn’t possibly tell you that I was looking up to these actors.
What about others like al pacino, robert de niro…
Well, I wasn’t privy to those films at the time. I grew up not having a lot. Television was like a huge luxury at the time. It was when I bumped into people watching movies outside that I got the opportunity to see some films. James Bond was one of the very popular ones at the time. But I didn’t even think I was going to act. Back then, most of the people who were acting in Nigeria were Theatre arts graduates or students who were fantastic actors. Before then, there were soaps like ‘Ripples’, ‘Checkmate’ and the like. It was after I got into acting that I could actually say ‘Oh yeah, I like Al Pacino’.
At what point did you realize you were no longer a ‘regular’ guy?
After ‘Fortunes’, people, when they saw me would go wild and start calling me ‘Jeff Akin Thomas’, which was the character I played on ‘Fortunes’. I used to get upset, and I couldn’t handle it. I didn’t know that that was what followed fame, but I didn’t understand it at the time, I didn’t understand what it was to be famous.
Was it because you were a recluse?
No, on the contrary, I was the boisterous type. It ‘s just that I didn’t have the privilege of seeing the things of life from an early age because I grew up not having [a lot], and for me, it’s a fantastic balance because it made me grounded and focused. But I like that, [because] seeing both sides of the coin has helped me.
How has your experience helped in your kids upbringing?
It’s about personal training. Of course I wouldn’t want a situation where I wouldn’t be able to provide for my kid, but I wouldn’t just provide everything he asks for, because it would be silly for me to just let him have anything he wants at his beck and call.
What if your kid wants to go into acting?
I don’t have any reservations about that. I’m a very free and liberal minded person. But I wouldn’t really want them to go into the movie industry.
Nigerian movie industry you mean?
Well, to me, there is only one movie industry, and that is the Nigerian one. That’s my opinion, of course, because I know a whole lot of people are targeting Hollywood. But for me, I’m not keen on getting into Hollywood. I’m of the opinion that ‘Nollywood’ will get to a point where it will be very big sometime soon. Don’t forget, most of the people targeting Hollywood are doing so because of the pay, and then maybe the fame on a much bigger stage. For me, however, I think the fame I already have on the platform of ‘Nollywood’ suffices.
Are you quitting acting?
I think I’ve had my fair share. To my fans and loved ones, I know they’ll always want to see me on screen, but as they say, it’s best to leave when the ovation is loudest. I want to leave a very strong legacy. I believe I have left a very strong imprint in that line. There’s no possible way you can mention ‘Nollywood’ without mentioning Ramsey Nouah.
So what’s next for you?
Well, I’ll be going behind the scenes. I’ll still be acting a bit here and there, but it will phase out for directing eventually. For a while now, I’ve not really been on the screen, and that’s because I don’t want to act just because I want to be on TV. I only want to be associated with the kind of movies that are poised to take the industry to another level, which is were we are headed now. Plus, I want to focus on working behind the scenes.
How do you find time to unwind?
Well, I don’t normally get to have that family time which I really crave, and when I do take my family on vacation, it usually turns out not to be the way I had hoped. Sometimes, you’re just relaxing with family in a nice, quiet place, and next thing you know, someone wants to have a picture with you. I kindly tell them ‘if I oblige you, I can’t turn the other down, so it’s best not to start at all.’ Then of course you know Nigerians, they are quick to jump to conclusions, and say you’re not being considerate and all. It has to be about them all the time, and once it doesn’t favour them, it becomes an issue.
Is that why people think you are snobbish?
Yeah. But you can’t please everybody. Being a star or role model doesn’t mean I’m not human too. I’m not Jesus Christ, I’m a human being like everybody else, I have blood flowing in my veins. Some people however don’t understand it, it’s only what they want that counts, not what you want.
Why do you rarely attend red carpet events?
I consciously hide away. I also hardly grant interviews, except to renowned and dignified media channels; the types that don’t carry stories just to sell their paper. I try as much as possible to avoid public events, and that has helped me keep my head above water over time.
What else will you be doing once you step away from the screen?
Humanitarian activities and charitable ventures. I started a project at one point in time, but due to circumstances I wasn’t able to see it through, so it didn’t see the light of day, but I’m working on that now and getting the resources together. Like I said, I grew up not having much, so I know the pains. Sometimes you want to help, but greedy people hijack it and in the end, the people who really need the help don’t get it.
Story by Joseph Akahome

Why We Attacked ThisDay Newspaper Offices – Boko Haram

By Adeola Adeyemo
The Islamic extremist sect, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attacks on ThisDay Newspaper offices in Kaduna and Abuja. According to the group, the attacks were to send a strong message to the media that it would no longer condone reports misrepresenting it in the press, or blaming it for acts it knows nothing about.
Abul Qaqa, spokesperson for the sect told Premium Times in an exclusive interview, that his organisation was fed up with the deliberate misinformation being peddled about it in the Nigerian and foreign media.
Here are some excerpts from the interview:
“We have repeatedly cautioned reporters and media houses to be professional and objective in their reports. This is a war between us and the Government of Nigeria; unfortunately the media have not been objective and fair in their report of the ongoing war, they chose to take side.”
“Some reporters are aware that I am Abul Qaqa, they know my voice through our long interactions and they also know the role of Abu Darda who heads the enlightenment committee and sometimes facilitates interviews; yet they (media) go by the unsubstantiated view of government that Abul Qaqa is in custody and I am the new spokesman or number two.”
 “Another issue was the recent kidnappings in the north; we were clear with our position as a group during a teleconference with reporters but we were shocked the next day when newspaper headlines added a lot of things which I never said during that interview.”
“Another example is the recent video posted on YouTube by our Imam; I challenge every Nigerian to watch that video again. There is no place our Imam either said he will crush President Jonathan or issued an ultimatum to the government in Nigeria; but nearly all papers carried very wrong and mischievous headlines.”
“It is not only THISDAY that has been engaged in negative media campaign, fictional stories and constantly promoting fake stories by the JTF to give an impression that they are making headway against us yet there is no time the media investigated further as an objective and responsible bystander in this war. But the sins of THISDAY are more.”
“They once insulted the Prophet Mohammed in 2001 and we have not forgotten. They recently said our Imam executed me which is false. Here I am speaking to you, I am alive and healthy.”
“We have just started this new campaign against the media and we will not stop here, we will hit the media hard since they have refused to listen to our plea for them to be fair in their reportage.”
“In the coming days we will give details and instances where the media have not been fair to us and why we are going to attack them as well.”
“The media in Nigeria are not a problem to us if they will do their job professionally without taking sides. But each time we say something, it is either changed or downplayed. But when our enemy says something even without logical proof, it is blown out of proportion.”
“We have repeated asked some reporters to retract some stories or even give us the right of reply but none of these requests were given to us.”
Sigh…. But does this warrant shedding innocent blood?
News Source: Premium Times

Nigerian Teeager, Victoria Osoteku bags 12 years imprisonment

BBC reports

A woman who was seen on CCTV kicking a boy in the head after he was fatally stabbed in a Tube station has been jailed for 12 years for the killing.

Sofyen Belamouadden, 15, was stabbed nine times after being chased by a crowd of youths into Victoria Tube station in March 2010.
Victoria Osoteku, 20, of Deptford, south London, was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey.

Three teenagers have been detained for life for the murder.
Judge Christopher Moss said Osoteku must share part of the responsibility for the death because she assisted in buying a set of knives during her lunch hour.
Osoteku was one of 20 defendants from south London.
She was the only female charged in connection with the incident and spent 19 days in the witness box.
Heard ‘gloating’
Judge Moss ordered Osoteku, who was 18 at the time of the incident, be detained for eight years for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm to run concurrently.
A witness said she had been “gloating” about what happened the following day at her sixth-form college.
Judge Moss added: “You were seen to deliver the final kick to Sofyen as you were the last of the group to run away.”
Sofyen’s mother Naina Ghailan reacted angrily to the sentence.
She said: “I’m disgusted. She’s got 12 years and she’ll only serve half. She’s an adult and she should have got life. She planned the whole thing.”
Eight teenagers, all from south London, have been found guilty in connection with the death during a series of trials.

(Clockwise from left) Adonis Akra, Enoch Amoah, Obi Nwokeh, Samsom Odegbune, Samuel Roberts, Tyrone Richards, Christopher Omoregie and Femi Oderinwale were sentenced on 20 April

Obi Nwokeh, 19, Christopher Omoregie, 18, and Samsom Odegbune, 18, were convicted of murder.
On 20 April they were ordered to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years, and eight years to run concurrently for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.
Adonis Akra, 18, Samuel Roberts, 19, and Femi Oderinwale, 18, were found guilty of manslaughter and given 12 years detention each.
Tyrone Richards, 17, and Enoch Amoah, 19, were convicted of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and sentenced to seven years detention.
The “ferocious and merciless” attack was the end of a minor confrontation between pupils from two west London schools the day before in the fast food area of Victoria mainline station.
Osoteku was one of the teenagers responsible for setting up the fight.
The A-level student sent messages by phone and on Facebook arranging the clash between pupils from the rival schools.
Machetes and screwdrivers
Sofyen died after being chased by about 20 pupils across the Terminus Way concourse and into the London Underground station.
Osoteku was behind a youth who led the charge with a Samurai sword. Other youths were armed with a flick knife and a Swiss army knife, machetes and screwdrivers.
She denied the charges during a five-month trial and was found guilty in February.
She said she did not kick the victim and sobbed: “I nudged him with my foot to see if he was OK.”
Four youths, were sentenced on 14 October last year to two years’ detention after admitting violent disorder.
Legal restrictions in identifying them have been lifted.
They are Lewis Sinclair, 18 of Claribel Road, Stockwell; Olewale Olaribigbe, 18 of Portland Grove, Vauxhall; Selassie Ahiaku of Marcella Road, Stockwell and Melvin Mensah of Vauxhall Street, Kennington.

Kaduna Bomber Chained In Hospital Amid Heavy Guard3 The man suspected of carrying out today’s deadly bomb attacks that targeted the editorial offices of Thisday and Daily Sun in Kaduna has been chained and is under heavy security surveillance in a hospital. In a related development, a security source said several eyewitnesses had detailed how the attacks took place. He said the bomber reportedly came in an ash-colored Honda Academy car that carried eleven gas cylinders that contained Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Five of the IEDs were in the trunk of the car, with six in the front and back seats. The source said the bomber forced his way into the SOJ Plaza that houses Thisday, The Moment, and Daily Sun, but the bombs did not explode. When the occupants of the plaza heard some commotion, they rushed out and saw the bomber. Other onlookers soon joined and began to beat the suspect. In turn, the man began to recite what seemed like prayers and then confessed that he was carrying bombs. Ordered by the mob to evacuate the bombs, the bomber picked up one of the cylinders and threw it hard on the ground, causing a huge explosion that immediately killed three persons. As the man tried to flee, a mob gave chase, caught him, and was about to set him on fire when a team of police and soldiers rescued him. “There was a big battle between the mob and security agencies,” said the source, adding that the security agents fired several gun shots in the air before they could whisk the suspect away from the angry crowd. Contrary to the speculations in widespread text messages in Kaduna that the captured bomber is of Igbo extraction, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar, has stated that the suspect is a Northerner from Borno State. The police disclosure about the identity of the bombing suspect tallies with an announcement by Nigeria’s secret service agency in Abuja. At a briefing in Kaduna on Thursday evening, the police commissioner described the suspect as dark, well-built, and bleeding from his head. The police chief said the bomber sustained head injuries from a mob that sought to kill him after the explosions went off. The police boss also assured that the police had taken all measures to prevent any possibility of escape by the suspect as happened in the Kabiru Sokoto saga. Mr. Sokoto’s escape whilst being held on terror charges cast the Nigeria police in embarrassing light. At the press briefing, Mr. Abubakar said the three persons who died in today’s fiery explosions deserved posthumous recognition for the sheer patriotism they exhibited that eventually led to their painful death. The commissioner of police disclosed that two persons were injured by a second bomb that hit the Ungwan Mua’zu area of Kaduna. He said the two victims were receiving treatment at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. He added that security agencies would henceforth enforce the 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. window for motorcycle riders to operate in the state.

The man suspected of carrying out today’s deadly bomb attacks that targeted the editorial offices of Thisday and Daily Sun in Kaduna has been chained and is under heavy security surveillance in a hospital.
In a related development, a security source said several eyewitnesses had detailed how the attacks took place. He said the bomber reportedly came in an ash-colored Honda Academy car that carried eleven gas cylinders that contained Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Five of the IEDs were in the trunk of the car, with six in the front and back seats.
The source said the bomber forced his way into the SOJ Plaza that houses Thisday, The Moment, and Daily Sun, but the bombs did not explode. When the occupants of the plaza heard some commotion, they rushed out and saw the bomber. Other onlookers soon joined and began to beat the suspect. In turn, the man began to recite what seemed like prayers and then confessed that he was carrying bombs. Ordered by the mob to evacuate the bombs, the bomber picked up one of the cylinders and threw it hard on the ground, causing a huge explosion that immediately killed three persons. As the man tried to flee, a mob gave chase, caught him, and was about to set him on fire when a team of police and soldiers rescued him.
“There was a big battle between the mob and security agencies,” said the source, adding that the security agents fired several gun shots in the air before they could whisk the suspect away from the angry crowd.
Contrary to the speculations in widespread text messages in Kaduna that the captured bomber is of Igbo extraction, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar, has stated that the suspect is a Northerner from Borno State. The police disclosure about the identity of the bombing suspect tallies with an announcement by Nigeria’s secret service agency in Abuja.
At a briefing in Kaduna on Thursday evening, the police commissioner described the suspect as dark, well-built, and bleeding from his head. The police chief said the bomber sustained head injuries from a mob that sought to kill him after the explosions went off. The police boss also assured that the police had taken all measures to prevent any possibility of escape by the suspect as happened in the Kabiru Sokoto saga. Mr. Sokoto’s escape whilst being held on terror charges cast the Nigeria police in embarrassing light.
At the press briefing, Mr. Abubakar said the three persons who died in today’s fiery explosions deserved posthumous recognition for the sheer patriotism they exhibited that eventually led to their painful death.
The commissioner of police disclosed that two persons were injured by a second bomb that hit the Ungwan Mua’zu area of Kaduna. He said the two victims were receiving treatment at the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. He added that security agencies would henceforth enforce the 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. window for motorcycle riders to operate in the state.

Pakistan jails Osama bin Laden's wives, daughters

Osama bin Laden

Pakistan says Osama bin Laden’s wives and children will be deported after their jail terms

A Pakistani court charged former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's three widows and two daughters with illegally staying in the country and sentenced them to 45 days in jail, their lawyers said on Monday.

In practice, that means 14 days in prison because they have been in detention since March 3.

Mr. Bin Laden's family members will eventually be deported to their home countries, the lawyers said.

“They were sentenced to 45 days imprisonment and fined 110 dollars each. The money was paid on the spot,’’ Aamir Khalil, one of the lawyers, said.

“The Secretary of the Interior Ministry has been instructed to make arrangements for their deportation after that.’’

Analysts had said that Pakistan may have wanted a lengthy prison sentence for the family to prevent them from discussing details of their time in Pakistan.

Once outside Pakistan, bin Laden's relatives could reveal details about how the world's most wanted man was able to hide in U.S. ally, Pakistan, for years, possibly assisted by elements of the country's powerful military and spy agency.

Pakistan's government and military have said they had no links to the former al-Qaeda leader.

Any revelations about ties to bin Laden could embarrass Islamabad, and infuriate Washington which staged a decade-long hunt for bin Laden after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S.

Bin Laden was shot and killed in May last year by U.S. Special Forces who stormed his house in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad, about a two-hour drive from the capital Islamabad.

Yemen-born Amal Al-Sadeh, the youngest widow, and her four children were among the 16 people detained by Pakistani authorities after the raid, which also included two other wives from Saudi Arabia.