Dem. Senator Jeanne Shaheen agrees w. US State Dept. and Bush admin. that Boko Haram, which seeks to make Nigeria an Islamist state, isn't an Islamist group

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Bush admin. Nigerian ambassador (2004-2007) says Bush admin. didn't think Boko Haram was terror group either. 5/12/14
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5/16/14, "Dem Senator: Boko Haram Is Not Islamist," Weekly Standard, Michael Warren

"New Hampshire senator Jeanne Shaheen says Boko Haram, the Islamic terrorist group that has kidnapped hundreds of Nigerian girls from their families and forced them to convert to Islam, should not be confused with Islam. The Democrat made the point in a Thursday hearing.

One of the hearing's witnesses, State Department official Robert Jackson, prompted Shaheen's comment when he argued that "Boko Haram's philosophy is not an Islamist philosophy."

"I agree and I’m glad you made that point," said Shaheen. "Clearly, we need to make sure Islam is not confused with some of these horrible terrorist acts that have been and continue to be perpetrated by terrorists groups....

The Boko Haram organization seeks to overthrow the government of Nigeria and install an Islamic state.  As the BBC notes, the group "promotes a version of Islam which makes it 'haram', or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society."

Republican Scott Brown, who is challenging Shaheen for her seat, said in a statement that it is "naive" to say Boko Haram has nothing to do with Islam. The Brown campaign has also pointed out that when he represented Massachsuetts in the Senate, Brown introduced a bill in 2012 that would have designated Boko Haram as a terrorist organization, though it died in committee. The senator also sent a letter to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to do the same."

Video at link.

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Former US Nigerian Amb. says kidnapped girls have probably been split up and sent to various African countries:

5/12/14, "Boko Haram Designation: John Campbell Flays Criticism Against Hillary Clinton," Leadership News (Nigeria), Abiodun Oluwarotimi  

"It was likely that the captives had been split up and taken to different countries in Africa.

“It’s unlikely that all of them could be rescued,” he noted." (end of article)