Islamist activity in the Sahara in relation to travel security

[Ulrich]

The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) has recently undertaken a reorganization of its structures, after losing a significant number of rulers who have either surrendered to authorities or were killed by security forces in different operations in the fight against terrorism.

Ennahar - Ennahar unveils Droukdal’s new organisation plan

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

The raid on July 22, 2010 as seen by a specialist in Algeria: "The motives of France were not to free Germaneau"

Lyes Boukraa, the specialist in Islamist armed groups, gave the interview below our fellow Algerian, Alkhabar of Saturday, August 14, 2010. Naturally, Algiers is as white as snow and the other not. La rengaine chauvine est connue. The refrain is known chauvinistic. But this text is worthwhile for the analysis of French Boukraa motivations behind the raid on July 22. Germaneau was not the primary concern of Sarkozy in Algeria believe the specialist.

Maliweb - Le raid du 22 juillet 2010 vu par un spécialiste algérien : « Les motivations de la France n’étaient pas de libérer Germaneau »

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[priffe]

This could mean some serious changes are about to happen.

InfoMali.net Le Mali en Ligne - BAHANGA SERAIT A BAMAKO !

He had arrived in Bamako on special invitation of the highest authorities. For his trip goes safely, it is a special plane was chartered by the State of Mali.
..It seems that the government of Mali has launched its Integrated Programme fight against terrorism could be based on ex-rebel Tuareg integrated into the army to form the backbone of an anti-terrorist brigade (about 2,000 men) . Is there a link with the presence of Bahanga in Bamako? The former rebels are considered the best connoisseurs of the land and they have little chemistry with AQIM.

[priffe]

Can't find confirmation that Bahanga is in Bamako.

France says it is "permanently and continously cooperating with all Sahelian countries in the fight against terrorism"
El Khabar

Algeria started opened in May in Algiers a centre for studying terrorism i Africa, funded by Spain. CAERT - "Centre Africain d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Terrorisme"
They published this document in June
http://www.caert.org.dz/ACSRTDocs/journaux/journal.pdf

Also, Algeria has decided to let organizations like Amnesty International, HRW etc into the country for the first time in 20 years.
IDN InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters

[Ulrich]

Many of the comments that accompanied the recent announcement of the death of Michael Germaneau, the French held hostage by Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), have portrayed a questionable representation of the Sahara: that of a space beyond the reach of central states, political vacuum and therefore ideal to house the activities of terrorists. Consider the desert in this way does not help to understand the political dynamics of the Sahara, and even less to identify effective responses to terrorism. The Sahara has physical characteristics that make it difficult to control, but human activities and forms of governance associated with them are numerous. They are the result of "fraudulent" carrying over long distances all kinds of loads more or less legitimate (including illegal migrants), herders and farmers whose ancestors have occupied these areas for centuries, local representatives NGO or not (like Michael Germaneau) or - until the security situation deteriorates - for tourism operators. In Mali, Niger and southern Algeria, those who lead these activities are often Tuaregs.

Saharamedia - Al-Qaeda se fond dans le désert, par YVAN GUICHAOUA chercheur au département du développement international de l'université d'Oxford

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[priffe]

Suicide attack foiled in Mauritania - Africa - Al Jazeera English
Attack in Nema. Incidentally, just across the Malian border from where Omar le Sahraoui lives.

Keenan speculates on how DRS/CIA tricked the French. And how DRS has the Americans by the balls.
Plus an assortment of other outrageous claims, with no sources given.
The heart of al-Qaeda in the Sahel - Focus - Al Jazeera English
He also gives an account of why the tuareg Merzouk was killed, with Kidal.info as the source. If it wasn't the Algies.

[priffe]

Droukdal claims the attack in Nema and the execution of an Algerian guide/customs official.
El Khabar

[Ulrich]

Algiers- Security forces have succeeded to eliminate an important leader of the "Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat," the terrorist Abdelmoumen Rachid, alias "Abu Hodeifa Younis", head of the military structure of the terrorist organization together with the former emir of the central region.

Ennahar - The military chief for the Salafist Group eliminated

Ulrich

[priffe]

Mauritania thwarts suicide bomb attack (Magharebia.com)

Mauritanians are in shock following a suicide bombing early Wednesday (August 25th) at an army garrison in the eastern town of Nema (200km from the Mali border).

The incident began just after midnight, when a Toyota 4x4 vehicle refused to stop at the entrance to the 5th Military Region command post.

"The soldiers guarding the gate fired their weapons at the suicide bomber who ignored their warnings. The bullets killed him instantly," state-run news agency AMI reported. The bomb went off after the SUV rammed into the facility. Three soldiers were injured by the blast.

According to Mauritanian terrorism analyst Salem Ould Mohamed, the incident marks a change in strategy for al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

"Al Qaeda's terror operations always target the Mauritanian armed forces stationed at the eastern and northern borders. But this suicide bombing operation is different," he said.

"It was executed inside the mainland, which is considered a very dangerous precedent that should be studied carefully. It means that the suicide bomber drove his car through the borders and entered the peaceful city of Nema and chose his target carefully, which was the military base located in the city's heart. He executed his criminal act despite the security forces' vigilance in the area, which was declared a military zone in the month of July," Ould Mohamed explained.

[Ulrich]

Seven suspected Libyan nationals have been arrested in Algeria, a couple of days ago; while officials from Tripoli are to arrive to Algiers to discuss the possibility to extradite them to their country of origin.

El Khabar - Algerian security services arrest 7 Libyans suspected of terrorism

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

* Farmers say they pay 10 pct of their incomes to al Qaeda
* Town is full of al Qaeda agents, farmers know them
* Government tightens access to urban centres

Local farmers say the killings are designed to show the state still cannot protect those who refuse to pay a portion of their income to al Qaeda.

"If we pay, we become accomplices to terrorists. If we don't pay, we may end up killed," a farmer who said he stopped paying the danger money told Reuters. He refused to be identified, fearing reprisals from the security services.

Reuters - Algeria killings cast light on Qaeda extortion racket

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Belmokhtar alias Khaled Abu El-Abbas, known by the nickname "Laouar" is "a terrorist who was always active. An informed source tells us that the former "emir" of Sahara is still active in northern Mali

with forty men of Algerian nationality, Mauritania and Mali. His strategy, kidnapping foreigners for two objectives: to recover his fellow inmates and pocket the ransom. Ils se retrouvent ainsi dans les camps de l'Aqmi au nord du Mali sous la “protection” bienveillante des autorités maliennes. They find themselves in AQIM camps in northern Mali in the "protection" benevolent Malian authorities.

Liberte - Le Mali, une fausse note dans la lutte antiterroriste

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

The leaders of the intelligence corps of the three countries of the Sahel, Mali, Niger and Mauritania, will meet tomorrow in Algiers. This meeting aims at the implementation of military action and security in the Sahel-Saharan region. An intelligence unit responsible for monitoring the activities of armed Salafist be established at this meeting.

El Khabar - Création d’une cellule de renseignement pour le suivi des activités de l’AQMI

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[KoryLGriffin]

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[Ulrich]

The staffs of the intelligence services and security in Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger are now in conclave in Algiers. This meeting aims to develop a strategy to parry even prevent al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to use the ransom money to purchase weapons or finance a network of informants or corrupt officials . "Al Qaeda has millions of dollars he is trying to invest in the region. We must address this problem of money laundering, "said a source in Algiers. Also, it is imperative to "discuss ways to follow the money to Al Qaeda in the Sahel," the source added, especially as AQIM relies on vast expanses of desert and porous borders to create a haven where it could in the future at will kidnap Western tourists. According to a source close to security services in Niger, the fight against money laundering will be on the menu for this meeting.

L'Expression - L’argent d’Aqmi traqué au Sahara

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich