lisbon-dakar canceled after attacks in RIM :(

[sadoblazo]

from the official website:



Lisbon, Friday the 4th of January 2008

A.S.O. cancels the 2008 edition of the Dakar rally
After different exchanges with the French government - in particular the Ministry for Foreign Affairs - , and based on their firm recommendations, the organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the 2008 edition of the rally, scheduled from the 5th to the 20th of January between Lisbon and Senegal’s capital.

Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists last 28th of December linked to a branch of Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb, but also and mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation of the sporting event could be taken by A.S.O.

A.S.O.’s first responsibility is to guarantee the safety of all: that of the populations in the countries visited, of the amateur and professional competitors, of the technical assistance personnel, of the journalists, partners and rally collaborators. A.S.O. therefore reaffirms that the choice of security is not, has never been and will never be a subject of compromise at the heart of the Dakar rally.

A.S.O. condemns the terrorist menace that annihilates a year of hard work, engagement and passion for all the participants and the different actors of the world’s biggest off-road rally. Aware of the huge frustration, especially in Portugal, Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal, and beyond the general disappointment and the huge economical consequences in terms of direct and indirect repercussions for the countries visited, A.S.O. will continue to defend the major values of great sporting events and will carry on its engagement for a durable development through the Actions Dakar, started 5 years ago in sub-Saharan Africa with SOS Sahel International.

The Dakar is a symbol and nothing can destroy symbols. The cancellation of the 2008 edition does not endanger the future of the Dakar. To offer, for 2009 a new adventure to all the off-road rally passionate is a challenge that A.S.O. will take on in the months to come, faithful to its engagement and its passion for sports.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by sadoblazo

from the official website:



Lisbon, Friday the 4th of January 2008

A.S.O.’s first responsibility is to guarantee the safety of all: .

Stay in bed, wrap up warm and don't do anything which raises the heart rate: guaranteed safety & security for a long life!

[Dizzie]

As the head of the french broadcasters said...... common sense prevailed.
I agree.

It took more guts to cansel than to continue.
After direct threats from terrorist groups againt the rally and its riders, it was the rigth decission.

Theese are not adventure riders. They are proffesional riders and driver in a competiton.

Congratulations to ASO for having the guts to cansel.
If they didnt and 1 life got lost to terrorism, Paris Dakar would have been history due to bad leadership and philosphy.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Dizzie

As the head of the french broadcasters said...... common sense prevailed.
I agree.

It took more guts to cansel than to continue.
After direct threats from terrorist groups againt the rally and its riders, it was the rigth decission.

Theese are not adventure riders. They are proffesional riders and driver in a competiton.

Congratulations to ASO for having the guts to cansel.
If they didnt and 1 life got lost to terrorism, Paris Dakar would have been history due to bad leadership and philosphy.

Dizzie,

It is a mindgame, and the terrorist mentality is winning the game.

"One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic" - Joe Stalin (he understood the Western mentality).

"Going to war without the French is like going to war without your accordian" - you can look this one up.

Apart from that, the PD may be history in any case; who is going to spend and prepare in the next year when the French Govn can cancel it at one day's notice?

[palace15]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

Dizzie,

It is a mindgame, and the terrorist mentality is winning the game.

"One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic" - Joe Stalin (he understood the Western mentality).

"Going to war without the French is like going to war without your accordian" - you can look this one up.

Apart from that, the PD may be history in any case; who is going to spend and prepare in the next year when the French Govn can cancel it at one day's notice?

Was it not ASO, and not the French Gov that cancelled the event?

Everyone has been put in a 'catch 22' position, It shows once again that terrorism can never be beaten. Without actually doing anything to the rally they(the terrorists) have forced it's cancellation. In theory they could 'finish' the event for ever by threatening future 'Dakars'. On ther other hand if the threats were ignored and people were injured/killed, ASO would themselves be'finished'.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by dave ede

Was it not ASO, and not the French Gov that cancelled the event?

"It doesn't work like that" - recent advert on UK TV (but very accurate statement).

I agree Dave, I think it is finished, for the immediate future anyway.

[ozhanu]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

It is a mindgame, and the terrorist mentality is winning the game.

"One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic" - Joe Stalin (he understood the Western mentality).

"Going to war without the French is like going to war without your accordian" - you can look this one up.

Apart from that, the PD may be history in any case; who is going to spend and prepare in the next year when the French Govn can cancel it at one day's notice?

I agree with Walkabout. This is a sort of mindgame and who step back loses the game!!

I am sure that the western governments are be able to secure the race, but, it looks that they just dont want it. they dont want to spend money and time with a desert race.

hope it wont be canceled forever.

[Tim Cullis]

Still planning to go. No choice, seeing as the bike's in a truck somewhere in Spain, but I would continue anyway as the Rally is only the sideshow to having fun in the sun in Morocco.

More details on my blog: There and Back Again

Tim

[craigcc]

Suspected French tourist killers questioned in Mauritania
2 hours ago

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) — Two Mauritanian suspects and three alleged accomplices arrested in Guinea-Bissau for the December murders of four French tourists have been placed in custody, a legal source said Monday.

"They have been in detention since Saturday evening," said the source, who asked not to be named but added that the law provided for up to 15 days custody for offences "related to terrorism, serious crime and state security."

Two of the three suspected killers were extradited on Saturday, along with three other Mauritanians arrested early Friday by police in Bissau, after a manhunt extending over several west African countries, aided by French intelligence services.

They have been questioned in Mauritania by a state security and terrorism panel and will be referred to the state prosecutor to be charged when police have finished their preliminary inquiries, a source in the prosecutor's office said.

Police manhunts for the three men believed to have carried out the December 24 attack in Mauritania's southern Aleg region, in which four French people were shot dead and a fifth wounded, led to the capture of the two in Guinea-Bissau's capital, but the third is still at large.

Guinea-Bissau investigators said the two men arrested confessed to having fired on the French adventure tourists, and expressed "no remorse" at having killed "infidels and American allies".

One of the murder suspects, Sidi Ould Sidna, told journalists just before boarding a military flight from Bissau to Nouakchot that "Guinea-Bissau will pay dearly for having mistreated God's fighters".

A special Mauritanian police commission is probing Al-Qaeda links, but the authorities have issued no official comment on progress and the two men, plus the three accused of helping them, are being detained in secret.

Both murder suspects had previously been arrested in connection with the extremist Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which in January 2007 affiliated itself with Al-Qaeda.

Ould Sidna, born in 1987 in Nouakchott, was acquitted in July 2007 of charges relating to the recruitment of young Mauritanians to fight in Al-Qaeda's name in Somalia, police said.

Ould Sidi Chabarnou, born in 1981 also in Nouakchott, has been arrested several times without ever standing trial.

The three alleged accomplices were arrested on Friday evening in Bissau as they "filmed French (security) officers," Guinea-Bissau's deputy director of police, Edmundo Mendes, told AFP at the weekend.

"These arrests are the result of a vast operation led by teams from our overseas security force," said a French security official.

For several years now, French intelligence agents in the region have sent regular bulletins to Paris on the former GSPC's activities.

Eight other Mauritanians suspected of having helped the killers and who were arrested soon after the probe began in Aleg were also still in detention on Monday, a source close to the inquiry said.

The Al-Qaeda-linked group is said to count some 500 armed men, 400 of whom are active in Algeria with another 100 located in the Saharan desert zone between Mauritania, Mali and Niger.

The roadside killing and an attack on a military base in north Mauritania two days later, which left three soldiers dead, led to the cancellation of the Dakar 2008 motor rally across the Sahara.

The Al-Qaeda-affiliated group claimed responsibility for the attacks on Mauritanian troops.

[silver G]

Thanks for posting that.

[jeff akins]

Why do we continue to give in to terrorists threats. Each time we give cave in to their threats, we've been terrorized, and they have achieved their objective.
Obviously, these fanatics desire an Islamic world; each time we capitulate we bring them closer to realizing their objective. Now they don't even need to commit acts of violence. When we live in fear all they need do is tell us what to do or what not to do and we will obey unquestioningly. They've already won.
Without the essential ingredient of our own fear, terrorism is useless, that's why it's called terrorism. When do we decide to take a stand? What's going to happen when the terrorists demand we cancel the Olympic games, or the world cup?
Each time we give in to their demands we give them a victory, we give them 'ground' that will be extremely difficult to to regain.
I feel that canceling the rally was an error in judgment based on fear. Remember, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself".

[palace15]

Originally Posted by jeff akins

Why do we continue to give in to terrorists threats. Each time we give cave in to their threats, we've been terrorized, and they have achieved their objective.
Obviously, these fanatics desire an Islamic world; each time we capitulate we bring them closer to realizing their objective. Now they don't even need to commit acts of violence. When we live in fear all they need do is tell us what to do or what not to do and we will obey unquestioningly. They've already won.
Without the essential ingredient of our own fear, terrorism is useless, that's why it's called terrorism. When do we decide to take a stand? What's going to happen when the terrorists demand we cancel the Olympic games, or the world cup?
Each time we give in to their demands we give them a victory, we give them 'ground' that will be extremely difficult to to regain.
I feel that canceling the rally was an error in judgment based on fear. Remember, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself".

I have always believed that you can never beat terrorists, although like everyone else I am not happy to see the Dakar cancelled, but what could the rally organisers do?
What would have been said if the terrorists 'brought down' one of those big Dakar planes, or any competitors were shot, blown up or kidnapped, when it was known a threat had been made against the rally, it is so easy for the Dakar armchair followers to say it should have gone ahead, but if you were asked to ride across a section of desert that may or may not be mined, would you do it?...think not.
It all comes down to possibilities, and it was possible that the rally could have been attacked, and it is also possible that the Olympics, World Cup or any other big sporting occaision could be targeted.
The World we now live in post 9/11 is one where we have to take notice, look around you at work,social gatherings etc, it's all about risk assessments, insurance and 'covering your back'. Who would ever take the decision after a threat to say. "FK em the rally goes ahead?" either someone very brave or totally stupid.

[craigcc]

Geoff, Dave,

Both of you are absolutely right. The trick is to try and strike a balance to steer through these threats, mitigate where possible, but not be diverted.

I maintain that the choice to go ahead with the Dakar should have been down to the riders and drivers. They should have been fully briefed on the concerns and asked to make their own minds up. I bet that the majority would have gone ahead.

The problem that we have these days in our own comfortable world is that we've forgotten that freedom ain't free. Maintaining that freedom does mean taking risks, sometimes at an individual level. This is why the Rally participants should have been consulted, rather than leaving the decision to organisers which were at the receiving end of strong arm lobbying from fearful armchair strategists and politicians in Paris.

I'm sure that the Mauri gvmt and army would have moved heaven and hell to do what they could to ensure security, as would the authorities in Western Sahara. Indeed, an opportunity for improved cross border cooperation between two rival countries may have been lost.

One of the things that I've always liked about the travel and overlanding side of life is that even though risks are sometimes taken to complete a journey or country, people who would possibly not otherwise often see westerners get exposed to us and mostly in a positive way. We may not set out to influence hearts and minds, but we do leave an impression with the people we meet. I hesitate to use the term 'ambassadors', but in a small way we are. We show the quiet faces of ordinary people from our countries. Faces that are masked by the sometimes catastrophic foreign policy decisions of our Governments.

If we stay away, then sometimes all that's left is the propaganda of those who would wish to do us down. Fear and suspicion is fostered and in a few extreme cases radical views can gain a foothold.

Cancelling the rally gives those negative views a firmer foothold.

Therefore measured risks should sometimes be taken, if only to provide a more positive view of our society which can be generated by those of us who reach out to other societies by the nature of our travel. 'They ain't all bad' is a better view for citizens of developing countries to hold of us. Better that, than let anti western radicalism have a free hand to form opinions.

Freedom ain't free, but simple things, like travel and mixing with other cultures and peoples means that it doesn't have to be that expensive either.

I just hope that the Dakar cancellation hasn't made life for us 'independants' just that tiny bit more awkward. (though going by the Plymouth/Dakar Rally field reports, Mauri is still just fine for travel)

Well, that's enough of my armchair ranting. In 10 days I'll be in Mauritania with Barbara and the GS. It will be interesting to see if anything has changed since our last visit.

Regards

Craig

[smitty]

Call it the Lisbon to Dakar Jihad. Maybe they will donate money?????

[palace15]

I maintain that the choice to go ahead with the Dakar should have been down to the riders and drivers. They should have been fully briefed on the concerns and asked to make their own minds up. I bet that the majority would have gone ahead.[quote]


It would not have just been down to riders/drivers, how about all the support crews, and the plane and helicopter pilots?. With such short notice it would have been a major logisitcal headache, negociations need to be made before next years rally also becomes another farce, saying that, there is still no guarantee that any 'splinter' groups will not make any threats.