Al-Qaida in North Africa issues new threats
The leader of al-Qaida in North Africa has called for Muslims to unite in holy war against the region’s governments and issued new threats against Western targets, including France, Spain and the United States.
The message decried a “new colonial offensive” by the West in North Africa and warned Muslims not to back the local “regimes of apostasy and treason.” It was signed by Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, the pseudonym used by Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of al-Qaida’s North African offshoot.
France is Algeria’s former colonial ruler and Droukdel warned Algerian officials it would be a mistake if they sought refuge there as the confrontation with al-Qaida increases, apparently implying French territory could also be targeted. He said France will not be a safe haven “because it will be occupied with its (own) security.”
The authenticity of the message could not be independently verified. The 28-minute audiotape was issued Sunday along with video of heavily armed militants on Web sites frequently used by Islamist extremists. It was confirmed Monday by the U.S.-based SITE intelligence group, which monitors militant messages.
Al-Qaida in North Africa issues new threats – Yahoo! News. More commentary on JW:
“This is because judgement day is close and punishment is imminent. And whoever among the treacherous apostates thinks that France is in a position to ensure its safety, we tell them they are wrong, because France will not be in a position to do it, and will be worried for its safety.”
In the audio message, entitled “Message to our nation in the Islamic Maghreb”, Droukedel reminds his listeners about Spain and Morocco’s territorial dispute over the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
“Dear nation, it is not conceivable for any Muslim that loves Islam to speak of the Maghreb without remembering Ceuta and Melilla, occupied by Spain without remembering the injustice suffered by our nation,” said Droukedel.
“The complicity between Spain and international organisations such as the Arab League, the Islamic Conference and the United Nations is clear.”
Well, that last statement is false: Arab League has stated in the past their “full support” for Morocco to reclaim the sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, something which could have been promised (at least, it looks like he promised to speak about it) by Mr Zapatero before winning past elections. So this Droukedelis not only a terrorist, he is also a liar… and certainly merits this kind of statement:
- Jihad This!
We must remember that just now Mauritania is seeking international cooperation against AQIM, after it claimed the kidnapping and previous ambush of several Mauritanian soldiers. Last night, the decapitated bodies of the 12 kidnapped soldiers were found in the desert outside a northern town. Mauritania has declared three days of mourning following the horrible discovery.
Before that, AlQaeda menaced the country on Dec 29th for its support to the Paris-Dakar rally. Also, Al Qaeda gunmen attacked the Israeli embassy in February, highlighting Mauritania’s status as one of the few Arab countries with diplomatic ties to the Jewish state. As a result, the resources from tourism of the country have plummeted.
More information here:
- Militants Kill 12 Mauritanian Soldiers in Ambush – NYTimes.com
- Latest al Qaeda attack ratchets up Mauritania risk
- Ambush by militants kills 12 Mauritania soldiers
- Mauritania hunts Al-Qaeda militants. In a commentary in the Middle East Times, Olivier Guitta noted that in Mauritania, American efforts to promote democracy are now at odds with its goal of rolling back Islamic terrorism. Mr. Guitta argued that the Mauritanian military ousted the country’s president, Sheikh Sidi Ould Abdallahi, in part because they saw him as too soft on Islamic terrorists. He wrote that many Mauritanians blamed Abdallahi for allowing the country’s security situation to deteriorate from “bad to worse.”
Related links: Al-Qaeda accepts responsibility, promises October surprise. About AQ’s menaces against US.
[...] leave a comment » Ceuta’s Government Delegate has pointed out that “security measures had been taken on Spanish-Moroccan frontier and in the harbour due to an elevated antiterrorist alert decreed in the city against AQ for an Islamic Maghreb’s menaces. [...]
Spain: Ceuta elevates antiterrorist alert after AQ threat « Blogging for a free world
September 25, 2008 at 7:50 pm