New Mexico compound suspects were training children for school shootings, prosecutors say

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The five suspects accused of abusing 11 children at a New Mexico compound were training them to commit school shootings, prosecutors said Wednesday.

If the defendants were to "be released from custody, there is a substantial likelihood defendant may commit new crimes due to his planning and preparation for future school shootings," the court documents said.

The filings did not provide further details about the alleged training. The makeshift compound appeared to have a shooting range on the property and loaded firearms were found on the property, authorities said.

A foster parent of one of the children also said, "The defendant had trained the child in the use of an assault rifle in preparation for future school shootings," according to the court filings.

Allegations against the suspects come in the wake of the discovery that 11 starving children had been living in a filthy compound in Amalia, New Mexico, that lacked electricity or plumbing

The five defendants -- Wahhaj; his sisters, Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhannah Wahhaj, who are thought to be the children's mothers; Lucas Morten and Jany Leveille -- were each arraigned Wednesday in a Taos, New Mexico, courtroom on 11 counts of child abuse related to the neglect and abuse of the children.

The five, who pleaded not guilty, have a pretrial detention hearing set for Monday, according to Aleksandar Kostich, a state public defender.

Family members of the suspects said they didn't know anything of the alleged training for school shootings.

Wahhaj's father, Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a controversial New York imam, said he has "no knowledge" of the alleged training, said spokesman Imam Al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid.

The imam was the first Muslim to offer an opening prayer before the US House of Representatives, the Muslim Alliance in North America said. He was also a character witness for convicted 1993 World Trade Center bombing mastermind Omar Abdel-Rahman.

Shariyf Muhammad, attorney for Abdul-Ghani's mother, Hakima Ramzi, said she "has no knowledge of any training for school shootings."