Muslim rebels deny murdering British geologist

A radical Islamic group has denied claims by the Eritrean government that it was responsible for last month’s murder of a British geologist. The armed Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM) said it did not kill Timothy Nutt, insisting that it only targeted the government of the Red Sea state. It had also emerged that two witnesses being held in police custody in Eritrea might be able to provide crucial evidence on Nutt’s murder, a source close to the case told IRIN, adding that some items had been removed from the murder scene, thereby suggesting that robbery had been the motive. "We hope that something will come of this," the source said. "The police are following up some missing items, so perhaps it was simply a robbery." Nutt was found in a ravine with his throat cut, and his four-wheel-drive car burnt out nearby, in the vicinity of the western town of Bisha on 12 April. He was killed four days before his 50th birthday. Nutt, father of two teenage children, had been working for the Canadian mineral exploration company, Nevsun Resources, which is prospecting for gold and diamonds. The company has asserted that it will continue operating in Eritrea will continue despite the murder. The Eritrean foreign ministry has blamed the crime on the EIJM, saying it was part of a plot to discourage foreign companies from investing in the country. It also accused Sudan of sponsoring the group to carry out operations in Eritrea, a claim denied by the Khartoum government. In a statement sent to IRIN on Friday EIJM said: "We absolutely refute this accusation and reassure that this contravenes and oppose [sic] our declared method in fighting. This has been reiterated in our previous military statements, that we do not target civilians and innocent people of Eritrea or the foreign [sic] visiting or residing in Eritrea." EIJM has carried out attacks on the Eritrean military. In February, it killed five militia who were inside the 25-km UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Ethiopia and Eritrea. In its statement, the EIJM described its aim as "lifting tyranny and grievance" from Muslims in Eritrea.