Barcelona, 20 Nov. (AKI) - Al-Qaeda has instructed the Algerian terror formation the Salafite Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) to take under its command other groups such as the Moroccan Islamic Combat Group, several extremist Tunisian groups and Libya's Islamic Group, forming a single terror network for North Africa and Europe, Catalan daily El Periodico reports, citing unnamed Spanish anti-terror intelligence sources.
GSPC operatives are reported to be travelling all over Europe to put the various North African terror cells located there in touch with each other, worried anti-terror sources say. Investigators have noted extensive contacts and financial flows between groups in Spain, Italy (especially the northern city of Milan), Holland, Belgium and France, El Periodico said.
The new, unified terror network is called 'The Union of the Arab Maghreb', according to the Spanish intelligence sources quoted by the paper. In France alone, there are estimated to be 40 terror cells, most of which belong to the GSPC. A document containing a draft plan for the new 'merged' terror network was discovered by Moroccan police in a July raid, El Periodico said.
The individual allegedly responsible for spearheading the 'merger' is the Algerian GSPC member Jaled Abu Basir, who has links with operatives in Belgium, Holland, Fance, Spain, Britain, Demark and Germany, according to El Periodico.
| Khaled Abu Basir is reported to be the head of al-Qaeda in Europe, so the consolidation would go just a little further than North Africa. |
The merger is intended to make it easier to organise attacks in the various countries, the Spanish intelligence sources said. The fusion of the GSPC and al-Qaeda was announced on 11 September - the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States - by al-Qaeda's second in command, Egyptian-born Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Cells belonging to the GSPC - which was founded in 1998 following a split within the other principal Algerian terror group, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) - are believed to have operated in Italy and have been the subject of several anti-terror investigations. |
