TAOS COUNTY, New Mexico — A judge granted five suspects with local ties connected to a raid at a New Mexico compound bond, Monday.
The judge granted Siraj Wahhaj, Lucas Morten, Subhanah Wahhaj, Hujrah Wahhaj and Jany Leveille a $20,000 bond each after she determined the state failed to prove they had a plan for danger.
Authorities arrested the suspects, including Siraj, after a raid 10 days ago and freed almost a dozen children. They also charged Wahhaj in the abduction of his then-3-year-old son Abdul from Clayton County.
According to statements given to police, Abdul died during a ritual at the compound in February. Authorities have yet to confirm that the child is indeed dead, but last week, a search uncovered the human remains of a child on the compound.
During the four-hour bond hearing, witnesses, including the Taos County Sheriff, testified. Officials also presented several pieces of evidence, including manuals on how to build untraceable weapons. Testimony also revealed that when police raided the compound, some of the 11 children were handling ammunition and a least one child was armed.
PHOTOS | Inside the New Mexico compound
PHOTOS: Inside the New Mexico compound
But perhaps the most damaging piece of evidence presented came from the FBI agent who conducted interviews with two of the 11 children taken from the compound.
Travis Taylor interviewed two of Jany Leveille's children - a 15-year-old identified as FL and a 13-year-old identified as JL.
Taylor testified FL described the rituals performed on Abdul and others on the compound and told him the rituals began in Georgia, after Leveille received a message from God to head to New Mexico to expel demons from Abdul.
Photos: New Mexico suspects appear for bond hearing
FL says the rituals consisted of reading versus from the Qur'an, as Siraj held his hand on Abdul's forehead.
It's already know Abdul had severe medical issues, including seizures. FL reportedly told the agent Abdul's heart stopped beating during a ritual in February, and he was later buried on the compound. Taylor said JL also told him his mother - Leveille - believed she was pregnant at the same time Hakima Ramzi was pregnant with Abdul. Leveille apparently told JL that Hakima stole Abdul from the womb via black magic and Leveille believed she was the true mother of Abdul.
The defense in this case argued there was nothing wrong with the ritual - as it ws simply reading from a religious text and holding a hand on a child's head. They also argued this is not a murder trial, that the five clients have no criminal history and the other 11 children did not appear to have signs of severe abuse
Ultimately, the judge granted them all bond, citing their lack of criminal history. She said the state also didn't show they were a danger to the community in the past.
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