Islamist activity in the Sahara in relation to travel security

[Ulrich]

Several jihadist organizations in the Arab world "have renounced violence and changed their position after years of bloodshed," wrote Tuesday maghrebia.com site, whose main focus is represented by the five member countries Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia.

Saharamedia - Erosion de la position d’Al Qaida au sein des groupes djihadistes dans le monde arabe

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

* Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has continued to follow through on its anti-French rhetoric and previous operations by killing 78-year-old French hostage Michel Germaneau, whom AQIM was holding in northeastern Mali.

* Details revealed by a July 22 French-Mauritanian raid against AQIM, including the continued existence of a significant AQIM presence in northeastern Mali and AQIM’s rapid response to the operation, prove that AQIM is an entrenched and organized group that continues to threaten Western interests.

* AQIM’s anti-American rhetoric bears a striking resemblance to its anti-French rhetoric. The momentum created by its threats against the U.S. and pressures for high-profile action created by competition for resources and attention within the al Qaeda network mean American policymakers should not take lightly threats the organization has made against U.S. interests.

* The U.S. is in a war against the al Qaeda network, and AQIM forms a critical part of that network as one of three official al Qaeda franchises. The responsibility for defeating AQIM lies with the entire Western alliance, not just France or other European partners. Western security policies have failed to deter the organization and have even failed to contain the group to previous levels of activity, as AQIM has increased its operations in Niger in recent months.

Critical Threads - The al Qaeda Threat from West Africa and the Maghreb: French Hostage Execution and Beyond

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

According to reliable evidence obtained from security sources on the ground, al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) operating in the Sahel corridor, sources said would "structured an illegal immigrant smuggling sophisticated, allowing it to both to fund and send potential sleepers in Europe. The diversification of funding sources for AQIM is at the heart of the concerns of actors involved in securing the Sahel, including the United States, which have already launched a massive offensive to reduce drug trafficking, considered a potential source of funding extremely worrying . Like the mafia groups, AQIM is actually looking for the best financing with a cost / most interesting opportunity, which prompted the terrorist organization to slowly slide into drug trafficking illegal immigration.

AQMI aurait organisé des filières d’immigration clandestine pour se financer

Gogoonisch - E

AQIM has no significant popular support and has no capacity to do harm to even worry about the Algerian government.

L'Expression - «Al Qaîda n’inquiète plus l’Algérie»

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Yesterday, in his address to the media, the president was adamant that "it washables any French military base on U.S. territory nor Mauritanian." It is important to our modest opinion, certain clarifications may help confirm or refute this statement. In late 2009 and / or following the visit to Mauritania from General Jean Louis Geogelin, Chief of Staff of the French army, dozens of French soldiers landed in Atar (city taxed today to host military base in question).

Saharamedia - Adrar : Les militaires Français viennent s’instruire �* Atar

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

The name of Hassan Hattab, the former "emir" and founder of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), has been withdrawn from the last "black list" of terrorists by the Security Council to end UN July 2010 and made public this weekend.

Liberte - Hattab supprimé de la liste internationale des terroristes

Gogoonische - E

It's a strange case that shakes the jihadist circles in Algeria and elsewhere. A software called Asrar al-Mujahideen (fighters secret), used by groups affiliated with al-Qaeda to encrypt their Internet communications, would be trapped.

Liberte - Le Mossad infiltre le système de cryptage du GSPC

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Again Keenan

British anthropologist, a recognized expert in the Sahel, Jeremy Keenan says in this article that the Algerian military security has led France in the fiasco of its military operation of July 22 in Mali, to rescue the hostage Michel Germaneau . He said the Algerian army has participated in one of two operations conducted on that day, knowing that the French hostage was not there or more.

The accusations against Jeremy Keenan's Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DRS) of Algeria joined the doubts expressed by some French officials for whom Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) "will advance the interests of the Algerian government". This has not prevented, by the author, the French government to fall into a trap consequences.

We have translated this article, originally broadcast by Al Jazeera's English site, with permission, because it provides many pieces of information, and raises serious questions about a transaction still surrounded by much mystery.

Temoust - Germaneau : la main de l’Algérie dans le fiasco militaire français

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Chris Scott]

Out of interest, the Adrar Tigharghar mentioned is about 20 miles east of Aguelhok village on the Tanezrouft piste, halfway between Kidal and Tessalit.

19.531319,1.115112 - Google Maps

As often JK comes up with plausible suggestions like the raid 150 kms from the Mori border actually being nothing more than a traffickers camp not AQIM. (Heading east on 20°, we once crossed a well-used but unidentified N-S piste between Mori border and the Taoudenni piste).
I believe there is no way Germaneau or indeed anything else of significance was going to be here, other than a fuel dump, as mentioned elsewhere.

Then as usual he finds a way to weave it all into his anti-Alg (DRS), anti-France and, if there's space, anti-US agenda.

Ch

[priffe]

Mauritanian president says they are going to step up the fight across the borders
Mauritanian president unveils new plan to combat AQIM (Magharebia.com)

comments
Al-Qaeda's execution of an elderly French hostage has shaken much of Europe and the Maghreb alike. What repercussions will the murder, which took place following a Mauritanian army raid on an Al-Qaeda base in Mali, have on the security of Maghreb cou

Algeria, Mauritania absent from summit in Bamako - still mad?
Magharebia.com

Algeria buys 124 Italian helicopters in its largest arms deal ever
Magharebia.com

Polisario yet again linked to Al Qaeda
Defector: Polisario in partnership with Al Qaida

[Ulrich]

Michel Germaneau "accidentally shot" by the French command groups?

The body of the hostage has been deliberately concealed to cover up the failure of the French squad.

L'Expression - Ce que paris voulait cacher

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

* Ultra-conservative Salafists snub national anthem

* They exercising growing influence over society

* Critics say Salafism a threat to Algerian way of life

By Lamine Chikhi

ALGIERS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - In a bookshop in an eastern suburb of the Algerian capital, visitors can stroll in off the street and pick up titles such as "Our fight against the West," and "Jihad according to Salafist principles."

After years of keeping a low public profile, Algerian Salafists -- followers of an ultra-conservative brand of Islam -- are becoming bolder, laying down a challenge to a state that is firmly secular and fighting a lingering Islamist insurgency.

Reuters - Hardline Islam steps out of shadows in Algeria

Ulrich

[Dave The Hat]

Malian customs officer kidnapped

Au Mali, un douanier et un militaire enlevés par Aqmi - Temoust.org | Le portail du peuple touareg berbère Kel Tamasheq

Libyan consul in Mali urges Tuaregs not to mix with AQIM

Le Consul de la Libye à Bamako à propos de la présence d'Aqmi au Nord du Mali : "Nous avons insisté auprès des ex-combattants touaregs pour qu'ils ne se mêlent pas aux éléments d'Aqmi" - Temoust.org | Le portail du peuple touareg berbère Kel

[Dave The Hat]

Al Qaeda gets help from Mali officials: ex-rebel | News by Country | Reuters

[priffe]

AFP: Al-Qaeda executes Mali guide: security source, relative

Dunno what to make of this
2 Malians freed in Mauritania: News24: Africa: News

another profile of the Aqim leadership
PENPIX-The main players in al Qaeda's Saharan operations | News by Country | Reuters

this is a rather active blog in French from a sahrawi perspective
Diáspora saharaui: AQMI en guerre contre les Touareg
...wherein Mali is described as a stuffed turkey and Mauritania as a Trojan horse (presumably full of French soldiers)

[Ulrich]

"France is trying to thwart the introduction Algeria and Morocco in the Sahel"

Lyes Boukraa, the specialist in Islamist armed groups, has agreed to answer our questions in this interview. "The Western powers such as France attempt to frustrate the efforts of countries of the Sahel in their war against Al Qaeda," he quips.

El Khabar - « La France tente de contrecarrer l’Algérie et introduire le Maroc dans le Sahel »

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Several days after his murder, the circumstances of the death of the French national Michel Germaneau are not yet elucidated.

L'Expression - La Mauritanie veut ouvrir une enquête

Gogoonisch - E

Ulrich