Islamist activity in the Sahara in relation to travel security

[Ulrich]

... and from the sam webside, more detailed, 92 pages

Concerned Africa Scholars - US militarization of the Sahara-Sahel: Security, Space & Imperialism - ca. 12 MB

Don't forget: It's the USA-view.

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Again in absentia!

Terrorism: Capital punishment for El Para and his lieutenant

After several postponements, the case Abderrazak El Para was addressed yesterday by the criminal court at the court of Batna.

Tried in absentia, Amir El Para, Ammari Saifi alias, and his deputy, for their involvement in two terrorist operations by serietà Chlaâlaâ, led by the bloodthirsty Abdelaal Yahiaoui, through the maze of Aures. The first was a fake checkpoint completed in March 2002 on the road linking the towns of Seriana Djerma north of the wilaya, in which a soldier was murdered. The emir, ominously known for having led the attack Theniet El Abed in which 43 personnel were killed in 2003, was also found to have participated in the attack in March 2003, a military convoy in Zana Beida, north-east of the wilaya, which killed two soldiers from the PNA.

The mystery remains on the character of El Para and his itinerary. The man, who was told he was extradited by Libya to Algeria in 2004, is therefore in the hands of the Algerian authorities since. But this did not prevent him being absent at trial. This is the second time that the terrorist was sentenced in absentia after a first trial in June 2005 at the Court of Algiers in which he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

El Watan - Terrorisme : Peine capitale pour El Para et son lieutenant

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Elements of al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are currently building in the Sahara of "shelters" highly protected, in anticipation of possible aerial attacks, say the AFP concordant sources in Mali. "We have verified, cross-referenced, allowing us to note that currently, AQIM is currently building a kind of bunker, shelter to protect themselves from attacks common in the desert in Mali and Algeria," provides a security source in the Malian region of Tombouctou (900km north-east of Bamako). "Undoubtedly, these people (Islamists) are given the means to achieve their ends," the source added, one of the pillars the operational command post (BCP) installed in the North, to manage security issues. "The terrorists (elements of AQIM) currently live in fear of being attacked from the air, so they built shelters in mountainous, rocky.

Temoust - Dans le Sahara, Aqmi construit des abris pour se protéger des raids aériens

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Now they are wondering in Algeria too where is El Para!

How is he? Where did he go? Why he was never brought to justice? Difficult to answer as the El Para is surrounded by a lot of shadows.

El Watan - Condamné une énième fois par contumace : Où est passé Abderrazak El Para ?

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Significant resources are being mobilized along the southern borders to prevent terrorist incursions.

L'Expression - L’Algérie verrouille ses frontières

Gogoonisch - E

Several jihadi organisations have renounced violence and reviewed their positions after years of embracing bloodshed.

Magharebia - Al-Qaeda losing supporters in jihadi groups across Arab world

Ulrich

[priffe]

From the Mauri desert. With slurs at Polisario.
France24 - Mauritania: fighting terrorism in the Sahel region

[Ulrich]

ALGIERS, Algeria, June 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. military's Africa Command, whose mission is widely seen as protecting U.S. energy interests, is reported to be seeking to move in private defense contractors to set up a sophisticated intelligence-gathering operation to monitor terrorist infiltration.

UPI - U.S. military contractors eye Africa

Ulrich

[priffe]

I think this is the more signifcant part. And perhaps the reason why Aqim are building air shelters
It is very hard to avoid the drones, even in populous Waziristan, where they have changed the war.
With Aqim based a short distance from the Alg border they would be easy targets.
Collateral damage to be expected if attack drones are to be used.

In one of the projects, unveiled June 11 in Washington, Africom wants to contract private military companies to establish "a turnkey air surveillance program on behalf of local armed forces" by August, Africa Intelligence reported.

This would initially involve leasing two unmarked reconnaissance aircraft, "preferably Pilatus PC-12 NG" propeller-driven aircraft used by Latin American armies for counterinsurgency operations and an unmanned aerial vehicle with high-resolution and infrared cameras.

These would be operated by three teams of pilots, analysts and technicians who would be "seconded to the armed forces of the host country."

Africom would have access to all intelligence amassed by the partner states, which would be passed on to command headquarters in Stuttgart.

This would dovetail neatly with a new effort by Algeria and other Maghreb states combating AQIM and other jihadist groups which have been seeking in vain to acquire U.S. UAVs.

Of interest to us is also the report that Aqim has laid minefields around their hideouts.

Islamist militants build bunkers in Sahara - Politics of Israel - AOL Message Boards

Malian academic Hamed Maiga is currently preparing a thesis on AQIM and regularly visits northern Mali.

"At night witnesses have reported hearing the noise of machinery in the mountains or rocky regions where the Islamists are building bunkers against air attack," he said.

Hamed Maiga said the fighters had already laid minefields around their desert hideouts to guard against assaults overland.

Their construction of more permanent fortifications also showed their determination to make the region their permanent base, he said. "Otherwise they could just move elsewhere to avoid attacks."

[Ulrich]

ALGIERS, Algeria — Suspected Islamic militants killed 11 Algerian gendarmes in a mortar and grenade attack near the North African nation's border with Mali on Wednesday, a security official said.

The gendarmes were carrying out a patrol in 4X4 vehicles in the town of Tinzaouatine when the attackers emerged from behind a rock, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of his department's policy.

AP - Militants kill 11 gendarmes in Algeria

and

L'Expression - 11 gardes-frontières assassinés

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Chris Scott]

A disastrous start to the border patrols, then.
It's the first time I've heard of such an attack on the southern border - up north in the Kabylie it used to be commonplace.

A bit more on ennahar
Ennahar Online - Eight gendarmes and three municipal guards killed in Tamanrasset
looks like they took the guide hostage too.

Ch

[priffe]

Perhaps not disastrous, just part of an ongoing escalation.
This one slipped by and there are probably more incidents we don't hear about
Latin American Herald Tribune - Body of Terrorist Linked to Spaniards Kidnapping Identified

A terrorist linked to the kidnappings of three Spanish aid workers last year died in a clash with the Algerian army 10 days ago, the El Khabar newspaper reported Wednesday.

Madami Adjemlan’s body was identified by Algerian police, the newspaper said.
The Mauritanian, who went by the alias Abu Yasser Etari, and three other members of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, were killed by army troops when they tried to enter Algeria near Tinzauatine, a town on the border with Mali.

So what can Algerian troops do when they can't enter Mali and there are few and passive Malian troops on the other side?

This threat was also reported today
The Associated Press: US warns of al-Qaida threat in Burkina Faso

The State Department warned Thursday that a group connected to al-Qaida's terror network in North Africa is planning to kidnap an American or another Westerner in northern Burkina Faso.
...Thursday's embassy warning was the latest in a series of threat notices sent to Americans in Burkina Faso and Mali beginning in early last month. Since June 5, the embassies in Ouagadougou and Bamako, Mali, have issued at least three others.

There is the possibility of more kidnapping attempts not for money but as part of a war strategy.
Not a good time to be in the area and not good for the two Spaniards and the Frenchman.

[Ulrich]

The North African branch of Al Qaeda claimed responsibility yesterday, the deadliest attack in Algeria has known for nearly a year. Wednesday at the border between Algeria and Mali, 8 soldiers and three municipal guards were killed. What are the influences that confuse the cohesion of the fight against terrorism? What are the challenges of the region? Some tracks.

El Watan - Sahel : Le chaos en embuscade

Gogoonisch - E

BAMAKO, July 1 (Reuters) - Mali has invited Algerian forces to pursue into its territory al Qaeda insurgents sought for the killing of 11 Algerian paramilitary police, a military source in the West African state said on Thursday.
While Algeria is unlikely to take up the offer it could be a sign of growing readiness among Saharan states to cooperate in the fight against militants in a thinly-policed desert zone which experts say al Qaeda wants to use as a new battleground.
"The Algerian army can cross the border and pursue any attacker anywhere on Malian territory -- if they are in Malian territory, let them come and seek them," the source said.

Mali opens border to Algerian pursuit of al Qaeda | News by Country | Reuters

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Expert in security matter, Ahmed Adimi, said many of the major international powers do not want stability for the Sahel region for geostrategic and economic reasons, and because these African regions are rich with natural resources like uranium and oil.

Echorouk - Terrorism: Ahmed Adimi, Expert in security affairs, to Echorouk: “USA and France refuse elimination of Al Qaeda from the Sahel region”

The Algerian army would hunt down the terrorists of Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) authors, last Wednesday, the deadliest ambush against a police patrol border guards (GGF) even on the territory of Mali. This country gives permission for the PNA to enter its territory in search of bloodthirsty terrorists who killed 11 border guards in an ambush which has been strained Tinzaouatine in the wilaya of Tamanrasset. Un attentat revendiqué, jeudi, par AQMI. "The Algerian army can cross the border and enforce any attacker anywhere on Malian territory," said a Malian military source quoted by Reuters news agency.

El Watan - Après l’attentat contre une patrouille des ggf �* Tamanrasset : L’ANP traque les terroristes au Mali

Gogoonisch - E

The ambush of Tinzaouatine, which claimed the lives of 11 policemen, have been well prepared and planned by the GSPC terrorist organization that planned to attack a military barracks or outpost GGF course in order to s' ownership of weapons.

Liberte - Le GSPC revendique et se replie au Mali

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

60 million centimes offered to each new recruit in addition to a promise of help and support to their families, according to the confessions of the arrested terrorists.

Ennahar - Sudanese, Nigerians and Mauritanian ; a threat for security of Algeria

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Gone was the euphoria of the World Cup, the Algerians deep into their everyday reality of increasingly bloody and painful. Terrorist attacks are increasing, causing the deaths of dozens of people. A butcher at Tebessa and an ambush to Tinzaouatine in less than a week. For their latest killings, the terrorist groups show their ability to strike hard in the four corners of the country. From east to west, from north to south, they provide for their barbarism macabre presence throughout the national territory. After transforming a marriage into a carnage, they set a trap to picking the border guards with cold strip with Mali. Five dead in attack Tebessa and eleven in the ambush Tinzaouatine (Tamanrasset) followed by a clash that has not allowed the elimination of attackers who vanished in the wild.

El Watan - Recrudescence des attentats terroristes : Les Algériens de plus en plus inquiets

Gogoonisch - E
_____________________________

The statement from Al Qaeda for the Tinzaouatine ambush

In the name of God the Merciful



Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb




«Battle of the martyr Abu Sakhr Lubaba Allah's mercy»

[DC Republican Guard barracks and killed and wounded more than 30 apostates]



Thank God that in his book and fight them until persecution is no more and religion is all for God) and prayer and peace be upon the Imam of Mujahideen Prophet Compassion is the axiom and the epic view «, which the soul of Muhammad in his hand be good to Fight in the way of Allah Voguetl then revived Voguetl then revived Voguetl» .. and After:
Racing again, and Black Knights of the certificate of Islam to the pleasure of Allah, in defense of their religion and their nation, and Itkhana clients in the cross apostate sons of France who, for long the plight of their Islam and intensified their scourge to the nation.
And has been the role this time Walker other dens of crime and anti-hole hole, religion, namely the special forces barracks of the gendarmerie pagan (Republican Guard) Municipal workers, along them, and another shrine to those criminals.
After a good monitoring and careful exploration began the conquest successful on the night of Friday, 28 Jumada II 1431 H, where rode the knight martyr hero Sakhr Abu Lubaabah truck packed with 500 kg of explosives, stormed the barracks of the Special Forces Vdkha praise God and then go after the attack his brother in the remaining districts of the apostates with machine guns and Alarbeji Votknoa shells in them and the grace of God they were able to break into the den of crime and the outcome of the process praise of God:
Killed at least 11 apostates and injuring many of them able to some sources, with 20 wounded, many of whom are serious, and could Mujahideen sheep some weapons of apostates, also resulted in the conquest for the destruction of a large barracks and the shrine adjacent to it, and may give away the Mujahideen of two brothers to testify In this battle we ask God to one who has Itqublhma. .. And the one of the newspapers reported the news of the death of the client 06 volunteers during and after the operation is false and purely to reduce the trauma for the bereaved apostates fought God.
We preach about the nation of this news, we promise God to continue jihad for the Jews and Christians and their dogs from the apostates and say to them:
Cheer including Isukm Ahfroa your graves ... and, God willing ... Vhahm descendants of Tariq ibn Ziyad, who compete for the certificate and become close to God Almighty Baktlkm and the rest of the nation Crkm and your aggression and they are determined, God willing, to answer your injustice and defend the vulnerable as long as those race beating and was appointed extremism.
O you Jews and Christians, apostates and their clients ..
Oh God, Victory to the Mujahideen everywhere, and supported by the terms of your ..
Blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions companions ..

Ulrich