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| Africa North |
| Moroccan Enters Al-Qaeda North African 'Board' |
| 2007-02-28 |
| Rabat, 28 Feb. (AKI) - For the first time, a Moroccan has entered into the leadership of the Organisation of al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, which was born out of the Algerian terror formation, the Salafite Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). Sources within the Islamic militant group, quoted by pan-Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat, said that after swearing loyalty to Osama bin Laden, the group decided to set up an operative structure for all North Africa. Sources told the paper that among the 16-member "board" this was a Moroccan, known as Abu al-Bara, from Tangiers. The creation of a single al-Qaeda cell for the entire north Africa region has been met with great concern by security services there who fear an escalation of attacks. Along with the GSPC, two other Jihadi formations from Morocco and Libya, have also joined in the new single cell. The intelligence and security services of the nations involved have intensified contacts and information exchange to try to ascertain the precise composition of the new formation. It is believed that they may be operating terrorist training camps in Mauritania, and one is said to have been identified about 50 kilometres north of Nouakchott. Other camps are reported to have been established in Mali and in Chad, as well as those in Algeria, and sources in the Moroccan secret services say they fear there group may seek to set up training bases in the desert areas of southern Morocco. |
| Posted by:Steve |