Five suspects of the June 23, 2018 bomb attack at Meskel Square which was held in support of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) have been charged with the act of terrorism, today.
According to the Federal Attorney General which filed charges at the Criminal Bench of the Lideta division of the Federal High Court, the bomb attack was orchestrated to kill the Prime Minister of the country.
The attackers, namely Getu Girma, Birhanu Jafar, Tilahun Getachew, Bahiru Tolosa and Dessalegn Tesfaye, were motivated to attack the PM in the belief that the government led by Abiy Ahmed is in the place of what they believed to be the rightful ruling group the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the suit states.
In addition, the suit by the Attorney General indicated that the attack was driven by the thought that the Prime Minister has no acceptance among the Oromos. It indicated that, in a belief that the PM is determined to implement HR128 passed by the US Congress and that he wants to carry out his self-interest, the attackers believed that he does not stand for the interest of the Oromo.
The suit also disclosed that the attack was masterminded by a Kenyan based Woman called Genet Tamiru (Toleshi Tamiru).
It is to be recalled that the attack claimed the lives of two civilians and injured more than 150.
