According to The BBC today, 12/01/04,(http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/3384403.stm) one of the stage cancellations has been because "security forces are still looking for European tourists kidnapped by Algerian militants, the last of whom was released in the Malian desert."

I think the article should say they are looking for the kidnappers.
ChrisB

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Inteface tells us that an Algerian state newspaper has reported killing 4 in a raid along the Mali border who 'may' have been among the abductors.
http://www.algeria-interface.com/new...2.u77y7n8t.xml

CS

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More news about the fight beetween Algerian army and GSPC :

( sorry for th e translation ! )

RR.

"Neutralisation" d'islamistes armés du GSPC à la frontière malienne

ALGER, 31 jan (AFP)
Des islamistes armés du Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat (GSPC) ont été "neutralisés" ces derniers jours par l'armée algérienne à la frontière algéro-malienne au sud d'In Salah (1.300 km au sud d'Alger), a indiqué samedi l'agence algérienne APS.
"Un groupe terroriste", dont le nombre d'éléments n'a pas été précisé, a été intercepté alors qu'"il tentait de s'infilter par la frontière algéro-malienne à bord de 4 véhicules Toyota", a précisé l'APS, citant l'état-major de l'armée.
Des opérations se poursuivent "pour la neutralisation des derniers éléments du groupe terroriste" dans ce secteur du Sahara algérien, a ajouté l'état-major qui n'a pas indiqué ce qu'il entendait par "neutraliser".
L'armée a aussi saisi lors de cette opération un "lot d'armements acheté à des trafiquants d'armes de pays limitrophes subsahariens avec l'argent de la rançon payée par un pays occidental concerné par la libération de ses otages au Mali en août dernier", a ajouté l'état-major, cité par l'APS.
Dans ce lot figurent des mortiers, des mitrailleuses, des lance-roquettes, près de 200 kalachnikovs, des fusils à lunette, des pistolets automatiques avec "un important lot de munitions", selon l'état-major.
Des "équipements de liaison" et une dizaine de téléphones satellitaires ont également été saisis.
Le quotidien gouvernemental algérien En-nasr avait indiqué mardi qu'au moins quatre islamistes armés avaient été tués lundi par l'armée algérienne au sud de Tamanrasset (1.900 km au sud d'Alger) dans la zone frontalière avec le Mali.
Ces islamistes seraient "probablement" des hommes d'Abderrazak "le para", le numéro 2 du GSPC, qui avait pris en otage durant plus de cinq mois 32 touristes européens dans le Sahara algérien et malien en 2003, selon ce journal.
Dix-sept otages (10 Autrichiens, 6 Allemands et un Suisse) avaient été libérés le 13 mai lors d'une opération de l'armée en Algérie au nord de Tamanrasset.
Les 14 autres ( 9 Allemands, 4 Suisses et un Néerlandais) l'avaient été le 18 août au Mali dans la région de Kidal, après qu'une otage allemande fut décédée fin j uin des suites d'une insolation.
C'est la première fois qu'est affirmé aussi nettement qu'"un pays occidental", en l'occurrence l'Allemagne, a versé une rançon pour obtenir la libération de ses ressortissants.
Cette rançon, dont Berlin n'a jamais admis le versement, aurait atteint cinq millions d'euros, selon la presse allemande.
L'armée algérienne a déployé, depuis l'été dernier, dans la région de Tamanrasset un important dispositif pour empêcher la remontée dans le nord de l'Algérie du groupe dirigé par Abderrazak "le para".

ALGIERS, 31 jan (AFP)
The islamists armed with the salafist Group for preaching and combat (GSPC) "were neutralized" these last days by the Algerian army at the border algéro-Malian in the south of In Salah (1.300 km in the south of Algiers), indicated Saturday Algerian agency APS. "a terrorist group", of which the number of elements was not specified, was intercepted whereas "they tried infilterate by the border algéro-Malian with 4 Toyota vehicles", the APS specified, quoting the staff of the army. Operations continue "for the neutralization of the last elements of the terrorist group" in this sector of the Algerian Sahara, added the staff which did not state that it understood by "neutralizing". The army also seized at the time of this operation a "batch of armaments bought to traffickers of weapons of countries bordering sub-Saharan with the money on the ransom paid by a Western country concerned with the release of its hostages in Mali last August", added the staff, quoted by the APS. In this batch appear of the mortars, of the machine-guns, the rocket launchers, nearly 200 kalachnikovs, of the rifles with telescopic sight, the automatic guns with "an important batch of ammunition", according to staff's. "equipment of connection" and ten satellite telephones were also seized. The Algerian governmental daily newspaper In-nasr had stated Tuesday that at least four armed islamists had been killed Monday by the Algerian army in the south of Tamanrasset (1.900 km in the south of Algiers) in the border area with Mali. These islamists would be "probably" men of Abderrazak "the para", number 2 of the GSPC, which had taken as an hostage lasting more than five months 32 European tourists in the Algerian Sahara and Malian in 2003, according to this newspaper. Seventeen hostages (10 Austrians, 6 Germans and Switzerland) had been released on May 13 at the time of an operation of the army in Algeria in the north of Tamanrasset. The 14 others (9 Germans, 4 Swiss and a Netherlander) had been to it on August 18 in Mali in the area of Kidal, after an hostage German had died fine Juin of the continuations of an insolation. It is the first time that is marked as clearly as "un Western country", in fact Germany, poured a ransom to obtain the release of its nationals. This ransom, whose Berlin never admitted the payment, would have reached five million euros, according to the German press. The Algerian army deployed, since last summer, in the area of Tamanrasset an important device to prevent the increase in the north of Algeria of the group directed by Abderrazak "the para".

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RABAT, February 3 (Itar-Tass) - Algerian security police seized a large amount of arms from militants of the so-called Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), which is a major source of support and recruitment for al-Qaeda operations.

The authorities had to carry out a full-scale army operation in southern Algeria to neutralize the armed band, the Algeria’s TV reported Tuesday.

According to the Algerian Armed Forces’ General Staff, the Islamists paid for the arms with money they received as ransom for 30 western tourists taken hostages in Sahara by GSPC men in February-March 2003.

Algerian commandos liberated a group of the hostages. The second group was moved to Mali and set free after a large ransom was paid to the bandits.

TV networks showed seized heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars, some 200 Kalashnikov assault rifles, rifles with telescopic sites and a large amount of ammunition. This arsenal was designed to rearm GSPC detachments operating in Algeria.

Algerian media also report Tuesday new acts of terrorism staged by Islamists against peaceful residents during the sacrificial Moslem festival of Id el-Adha.

Two people were massacred in the district of Jijelli, two others were beheaded by bandits south of Skikda province. Several people were gravely wounded.

There's a claim that around the 6th of February THIRTY of the hostage takers were killed by the Algerian army INSIDE Mali.

Anyone heard anything?
Mike

Have a look at http://www.sahara-overland.com/news

or Interface

Ch

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Voice of America (VOA), a US government-funded media service, reported that the US military was prepared to carry out air strikes against groups linked to al-Qaida in the border region between Algeria and Mali. According to the report, US military personnel in Mali called for a US air strike against a suspected terrorist target in northern Mali. The proposed bombing mission was scrapped when the target could not be confirmed, but VOA cited anonymous military sources as saying that such air strikes remained an ‘active option’.

All a little worrying and not something you'd want to get caught up in!

Indeed, 'Friendly Fire' from those bone-heads would be a far worse fate that being caught up with the GSPC....

Remember that in the first Gulf war more British service men were killed by American blunders than were killed by the Iraqis. And they did a pretty comprehensive job of bombing the wrong people in Gulf war 2 and also in Afghanistan - we've all seen the t.v. pictures with John Simpson's convoy being blitzed despite bold 'TV' markings on their Land Cruisers.

They have a long history of this - in WW2 they kept on bombing Switzerland in mistake for Germany. The Swiss threatened to shoot them down. At one funeral for US friendly fire victims, guess what, the U.S.Air force re-appeared and blasted the surrounding area, killing many at the funeral.

Personally, I would avoid anywhere these people operate, they do not seem to have relaible powers of discretion.

Andrew.

Andrew,

How? Where on earth would you go to get away from these people? To the Sahara? Naaa... to late, mate. The Arctics, Antarctica? Same story. Better shut up and have another burger and coke...

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Roman (UK)
www.overlandcruiser.info

[This message has been edited by Roman (edited 29 February 2004).]

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Roman (UK)

Of course I am talking about the USAF in combat mode, as opposed to just being present.

Unfortunately the combat zone does now seem to include parts of the Sahara if what we are told is true.

But Morocco and Libya are still viable, and one of those countries is where I shall be going shortly(ish).

But it would be shrewd to watch out for US 'advisors' or US trained special forces wherever - I think that they are probably more disciplined and savvy, but don't hold your breath.

We in Europe owe our lives to the US and we should not forget this, but as far as the current third world situation is concerned, they have created a monster that is now out of control.

If any Americans out there think I wrong, well you would do wouldn't you.

Andrew.

Just to sort out who's the cowboy in that discussion: Algerian auhorities press the US (see Quotidien d'Oran, March 2) who are quite reluctant to interfere in something which is not that clear.
Or would you think that US forces have a group that is clearly linked to Al Q driving around in northern Mali and Niger for months? They targeted a cruis missile on a specific sat phone for less.
Another interesting feature: The GSPC is on the US-terror list as everyone suspicious is there. The EU approach asks for hard evidence for "international operations"; the GSPC is not yet on that list...

Regards,
Peter

I have been told that - "the group that attacked the three vehicles in Temet were Arab speakers. That is interesting as the state first of all said they were a bunch of Tuareg from Mali. "