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Western tourists attacked in Mauritania Western tourists attacked in Mauritania
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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 15 Jun 2010
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Yes war is also a form of communication. Terrorism too I reckon.
According to a Spanish magazine, the negotiations may come to an end.
Moratinos went to Nouakchott. Aqim want to be compensated for the astonishing amount paid in commission.
Exigen otros 2,5 millones de euros m�s para liberar a los dos voluntarios catalanes - 20minutos.es

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...it has expanded its demands because of the 4.1 million that Spain had already paid for their release in mid-February to only 1.6 million came AQMI. The rest stayed in the desert, as it was discounted in fees by the three agents who have participated in the negotiations....At first, came to ask AQMI 5.85 million euros, but then lowered its claim to 4.1 million....Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, spoke on Monday of the hostages in the brief visit he made to Mauritania. The Government is working daily to "dramatically increase the speed their release,"
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Old 15 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by priffe View Post
Aqim want to be compensated for the astonishing amount paid in commission.
Astonishing is an appropriate adjective. It is interesting that even out in the Sahara, the market imposes restrictions on business. So far, the middle-men in the process have imposed the most severe constraints on the viability of hostage-taking. Notwithstanding armies, politicians, diplomats, threats, command centres and so on.
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  #3  
Old 21 Jul 2010
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While the Spanish hostages fate seems as uncertain as ever, Omar Sahraoui was sentenced to 12 years of hard labour in Nouakchott today, all his property to be confiscated.
He was sentenced for participating in the abduction, not for organizing it which was the original charge. An elderly man to 1 yr but his sentence was suspended. The others acquitted.
One could speculate that there are some ties to the negotiations here, that several were acquitted as part of a deal. We will see.
Mauritania sentences Malian over Spanish kidnapping | News by Country | Reuters
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Old 15 Aug 2010
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BAMAKO — A radical cell of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) which has executed two Western hostages, is threatening the lives of two Spaniards held by another branch, sources told AFP Saturday.
AFP: Islamist cell threatens Spanish hostages

Ulrich
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Old 16 Aug 2010
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"Omar Sahraoui," a Malian (Mauritanian-Saharan origins) considered the main perpetrator of the kidnapping of three Catalan late November 2009 in Mauritania sentenced Aug. 11 to 12 years in prison with hard labor has suddenly ...


... August 14 was extracted from his prison in Nouakchott to be delivered in Mali and the Polisario, they say. A senior Mauritanian was recently in Mali and a senior Polisario was a few days ago in Nouakchott. This mini flurry of diplomatic activity had a relationship with the issue, says one knowledgeable source.
Tahalil - Libération-expulsion de Omar Sahraoui sur fond de menaces contre les otages

Gogoonisch - E

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She bowed to EU pressure
Mauritania has agreed to negotiate the release of terrorist Omar Sahraoui

Mauritania intends to hand Omar Sahraoui, a leader of AQIM in Mali, in the few coming days in order to enable him to negotiate a deal with Al Qaeda. That is to say the release of the terrorist against the two hostages Spanish. A fact that could raise the ire of Algeria and could provoke a crisis with neighboring Mauritania.

According to the Mauritanian independent news agency, the last visit by the Minister of Justice of Mauritania, Mali was to negotiate with his Malian counterpart a deal on the withdrawal of charges against such terrorist detained by Mauritania, in order its delivery in Mali who subsequently deliver to Al Qaeda.

Moreover, AQIM has threatened to execute two hostages kidnapped in Spain last November 29, we learn from corroborating sources. According to AFP, negotiations are underway between Abu Zaid, to free hostages
El Khabar - La Mauritanie accepte de négocier la libération du terroriste Omar Sahraoui

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Old 16 Aug 2010
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AFP: Al-Qaeda kidnapper extradited to Mali: judicial source

Le Temps d'Alg�rie - Grande pr�occupation � Madrid
Quote:
To secure the release of two hostages in Spain, the Zapatero government is more willing than ever to meet discreetly to the conditions set by Ben Mokhtar: large ransom 5-6000000 euros and the release of some number of Salafists in prison in Nouakchott.
Polisario disowns him and suggests that "Omar Sahraoui" isn't even a Sahrawi, just a Malian criminal.
Diáspora saharaui: Tout pour sauver les otages espagnols…
Diáspora saharaui: Oumar Ould Hamma, alias "le sahraoui" transféré vers une direction inconnue
But this time the links to Polisario seems clear.
Last edited by priffe; 16 Aug 2010 at 08:32.
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Old 17 Aug 2010
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MADRID (Reuters) - The families of two Spanish aid workers kidnapped by a branch of al Qaeda have received proof that they are alive, the head of a Barcelona-based aid group said on Monday.
Reuters - Spanish hostages' families receive proof they alive

Ulrich
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  #8  
Old 18 Aug 2010
moro
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But this time the links to Polisario seems clear.
priffe
enlighten me please: where exactly do you see the link to Polisario?
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