The prosecutors provided more details about the accusations during a court hearing in which they asked that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and four other defendants be held pending trial on child abuse charges, Fox News reports.

Judge Sarah Backus, an elected Democrat made the determination that the defendants be allowed to bail themselves out of jail, saying the state failed to meet the burder of showing the suspects were a danger to the community following several hours of testimony and evidence being presented by prosecutors. Siraj Wahhaj, Hujrah Wahhaj, Lucas Morton, Jany Leveille and Subhannah Wahhaj each face 11 counts of child abuse, after 11 children were found living in deplorable conditions at the site.

Judge Sarah Backus set a $20,000 bail for five people accused of child abuse at a remote New Mexico compound where a child was also found dead. (New Mexico Courts)

Each suspect will have a $20,000 signature bond – meaning they’ll have to pay that amount if they don’t show for their trial – and will have to wear ankle monitors. In addition, they will not be allowed to leave the country, and any visits with children will be supervised.

State prosecutors outlined evidence suggesting that at least some of the suspects could have been planning some sort of attack. They said Siraj Wahhaj – who also faces child abduction charges from Georgia after allegedly taking his 3-year-old son – took several weapons classes before coming to New Mexico, and books found on the compound focused on how to build firearms at home.

ATF and FBI have evidence the compound and occupants are radical Islam Sheriff provides evidence that occupants were teaching children to assault schools with firearms Sheriff and FBI find a dead body buried in the compound Prosecutors described a letter sent to Siraj Wahhaj from his brother allegedly inviting him to come to New Mexico and die as a martyr. Eleven malnourished children were later found on the property. Those who did not believe “their message” would be killed or detained “until they believed,”

A lawyer for one of the five adults countered, saying the defendants clients were following religious rituals that might be viewed in a different light if they were white Christians instead of black Muslims.

“What I’ve heard here today is troubling, definitely. Troubling facts about numerous children in far from ideal circumstances and individuals who are living in a very unconventional way — although if you have lived in northern New Mexico for any period of time you are aware that many people here live in unconventional ways,” Judge Sarah Backus

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Various weapons and ammo were found during the raid on August 3, and several more firearms were discovered in subsequent searches. The children were allegedly taught how to load and fire assault rifles.

“If these were white people of a Christian faith who owned guns, that’s not a big deal because there’s a Second Amendment right to own firearms in this country. If these were white Christians, faith healing is of no consequence because we have freedom of religion in this country. But they look different and they worship differently from the rest of us. When black Muslims do it there seems to be something nefarious, something evil” Defense Attorney Thomas Clark

The FBI also weighed in on the case for the very first time. FBI agent Travis Taylor testified saying that, according to interviews conducted between the FBI and two teens from the compound, Siraj Wahhaj would lead rituals that included reading from the Quran and centered on his son, who authorities said suffered from seizures.

“During these rituals, per witness statements, the victim, Abdul (Ghani Wahhaj) would begin to choke and have white foam or slime come from his mouth and then pass out,” Taylor said.

According to Taylor, the children were led to believe that the child, Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, “would become Jesus” when his demons were exorcised. He added that once the child “became Jesus,” he would instruct the others of the property or the family what corrupt institutions to get rid of.” Local News KOB 4