As you know all tourists in Alg have an escort now and possibly an itinerary lodged somewhere. Grab them there and the alarm is raised sooner I imagine. Although some concerned emails were knocking about in Feb these guys were missing in Tuni for two weeks before the alarm was fully raised on the web (once their boat has been missed?) - and were only declared kidnapped 6 days ago.
IMO Tuni is a softer border with Alg compared to Maroc (long time closed and mutual antagonists) and also the adjacent area of NE Algeria is a long established GSPC/AQ-M region (cf. that attack north of El Oued a few weeks ago.) Picking them out of the lonely Grand Erg was the way to do it, not off the Touzeur road.

It is difficult to get a group that big involving at least 3 vehicles all the way through Algeria without the possibility of detection

This is what I always think but maybe we dont get it: after all you drove thru Alg checkpoints at night unchallenged in your recent S-File report, smugglers seem roam around and the GSPC managed (or were allowed to do) a similarly vast transit in 2003 somehow.
It may well be that, like that 'technical' in the Gilf or that attack on a patrol near Gallaouia (sp.) east of Guelb in Mori (just after the French were killed) that they are prepared to shoot their way out. TBH I've never seen a well armed patrol in the Alg desert - just the odd green & white on the piste and well-known checkpoints with AKs.
I always imagine some 'Syriana' spy satellite could pick them out and track them but only once they know someone was missing.

that 2 are as good politically as 32?
I guess it is. I head last time there was a fall out with two GSPC-ers about making a small or large statement. Plan B won the day.

And does nationality within Europe make any difference?
I also heard that french tourists were passed by in 2003 - but possibly because the groups were too large or could it be that Fr reaction would be more direct.

Is there significance attached to Austria?
Dont know - wrong place at the wrong time? I just hope the threatened deadline due right now passes without event.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail