Ulrich, I must confess to me the above message doesn't hold any intelligible content, translated or not.

The deadlines are getting closer, four days left for Camatte (Feb 20). For the Italians, March 2. Kouchner was back in Bamako trying to persuade president Touré. The Spaniards seem to be on their way to freedom after ransom of 5M USD was paid.
For the French and the Italians, no ransom has been mentioned, only release of prisoners. Does this mean that the Spaniards are held by MBM (the businessman) and the others by Abou Zeid (the ideologue)?

AFP: French foreign minister in Mali as hostage deadline nears

edit
I guess this is what the above message is about
" Nouakchott - A leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has called on al-Qaeda prisoners in Mauritania to rejoin the group in its desert strongholds. Abdelrahman al-Tandaghi, also known as "Abu Anas al-Shanqiti," called on the prisoners to re-link with the organization and take up "jihad" in a video released by AQIM's media arm.
The call comes as groups of Mauritanian intellectuals claim they have made strides in their government-sanctioned efforts to convince captured al-Qaeda militants to renounce "extremist thought" and violence.
The efforts are part of the government's new strategy to combat extremism through education."

Read more: Al-Qaeda seeks to lure back 'reformed' militants in Mauritania : Africa World

... Does this mean that the Spaniards are held by MBM (the businessman) and the others by Abou Zeid (the ideologue)?

Good way of summing it up. I wonder if that's how it is. Abou Zaid seems like a real figure, but over the years I've lost track of whether MBM exists or not.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

yes, like that it is! MBM, now for 3 - 5 years married with a mauritanien tuareg woman and so under the protection of the womans tribe, holds the Spaniards.

Ulrich

Hi Ulrich, yes I heard that story too.
Would she not be a Berabish or do you consider that the same thing as Tuareg (as some like to do - not so sure myself).
It seems the Berabish call the shots down there.

Ch

__________________
Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

As tuaregs are often held responsible for every bad incident in the desert, it would be good to know - who are they?

From my limited knowledge, there are no tuaregs in Morocco or Mauretania. There are¨sahrawi, maures and various bedouin tribes (sometimes in Mali called Berabish).
In Morocco there were berber in the desert wearing blue, but I doubt they were really tuaregs, even as they insisted...same thing in Tunisia.

edit: even in this very thread you find those tired unsubstantiated generalisations:
"It is very possible that were kidnapped by Tuaregs, since the sale of drug and the traffic of weapon to what the tuaregs were devoting themselves this one very chased(prosecuted) by the government of Mauritania, for what the Tuaregs, they have decided to kidnap western them to sell to Al Qaeda and to extract money with his sale."
Tuareg = desert dwelling bandit


Tuareg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Volkswagen owns the trademark, that much I know.

Since Chris did this lovely map why not check it out at

Kidnappings in the Sahara since 2003


If there is a pattern, I can't see it. Other than that the bad guys wanted to demonstrate that they could strike anywhere.

Reuters - Algeria recalls envoy from Mali over Qaeda row

Ulrich