Muslim leaders in Nigeria have denied allegations that the international terrorist network Al Qaeda is active in the country, media reports said on Wednesday.
Islamic clerics interviewed by Abuja newspaper the Daily Trust said the 23-year-old Nigerian who attempted to blow up an Airbus flight from Amsterdam to Detroit December 25 was an isolated case.
"There is no connection between the accused and any religious group in Nigeria," Islamic scholar Abdulfattah Adeyemi was quoted as saying.
"We cannot say for sure what is responsible for the problem, but I will suggest that the matter should be thoroughly investigated and people should avoid passing comments that will bring disgrace to the nation and should equally refrain from wrongfully pointing accusing fingers at anyone when investigations have not been carried out or concluded."
Taofik Adbulazeez, the imam of the University of Abuja, also warned against the drawing of hasty conclusions about Nigeria.
The Supreme Council of Muslims in Nigeria, the Federation of Muslims and other Islamic organisations in the country condemned the attempted terrorist attack.
