Children trained for shootings, court told

TAOS, New Mexico: Five adults charged with abusing 11 children at a New Mexico compound, where they were found ragged and starving, were training the children to commit school shootings, prosecutors said in court documents yesterday.

The principal suspect, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, also was charged with abducting his 3yearold son from his home in Atlanta last December, prompting a manhunt that led authorities to the compound they raided last week north of Taos, New Mexico.

Remains of a young boy believed to be the missing child were found on the property on Tuesday, on what would have been his fourth birthday, but had not been positively identified, authorities said. The 11 children found alive, ranging in age from 1 to 15 years old, were placed in protective custody.

At an arraignment yesterday, Mahhaj and his four codefendants, Lucas Morton and three women presumed to be the mothers of the 11 surviving children, each pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of felony child abuse. Morton also was charged with harboring a fugitive.

No weapons charges were filed but prosecutors said the defendants were suspected of training children ‘‘with weapons in fur therance of a conspiracy to commit school shootings.’’

The women, who appeared in court with white sheets over their heads, were identified as Jany Leveille, Subhannah Wahhaj and Hujrah Wahhaj.

According to court documents, when the children were found they were in rags and appeared to have gone days without food, and loaded firearms were within their reach. — Reuters