Official: Ga. toddler died in ‘ritual’, was to resurrect as Jesus – By Joshua Sharpe (ajc.com) / Aug 13 2018
The grandfather of missing Georgia boy Abdul-ghani Wahhaj said the child’s remains were found at a desert compound in Taos.
A Clayton County boy apparently died during a “ritual” in the New Mexico desert witnessed by children who were told the 3-year-old would come back to life as Jesus, officials revealed in a Monday court hearing.
Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj’s father took him from his home in Georgia in November. Remains believed to be the young boy’s were found in a tunnel at a makeshift compound in Taos County, New Mexico, earlier this month. Authorities said Monday that Abdul-Ghani likely died in February.
His father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, four other adults and 11 other children were also at the compound.
Authorities have said the suspects are believed to be Muslim extremists and were training the children to become school shooters.
Siraj Ibn Wahhaj began speaking of stopping his son’s medicine and performing rituals to rid him of “demonic spirits” after a trip to Saudi Arabia, the father’s family told authorities. The child struggled with brain damage caused during birth, and suffered from seizures.
Adults at the compound allegedly told the children that when Abdul-Ghani was resurrected, he would instruct them on what “corrupt institutions they needed to get rid of,” authorities said. The institutions were expected to include teachers, law enforcement and the military.
Wahhaj’s brother received a letter from someone at the compound (authorities aren’t sure who wrote it) instructing him to bring all his money and weapons to the site.
“Allah says he will protect you always, so follow until he makes you a martyr,” the letter said, according to prosecutor Timothy Hasson.
The father is accused of taking the child to New Mexico after the overseas trip late last year.
The father and other adults, who are charged with child cruelty, are in court in Taos County, New Mexico.
Prosecutors also said there is evidence that the children on the site were being trained to be school shooters.
The hearing is ongoing.
