AL QAIDA QUIETLY RELOCATES TO ALGERIA

MENL ^ | 11/27/03

[Mossad1967]

LONDON [MENL] -- Al Qaida operatives have been relocating to the southern Sahara Desert in Algeria and have prepared secret bases near the border with Mali.

Western intelligence sources said the Al Qaida effort was detected in early 2003 and has been aided by the Salafist Brigade for Combat and Call. They said the Salafist leadership has provided Al Qaida with hideouts and logistics in the mountain region.

"The area is ideal for Al Qaida training and command functions," an intelligence source said. "The area is isolated and is located along the border with Mali, where there is no trace of government control."

The sources said the Al Qaida operatives use the Sahara as a base to move into neighboring countries as Libya and Mauritania. The focus of the Al Qaida presence is the Mali desert near the Algerian border.

[Angelus Errare]

Just wanted to make sure you guys saw this.

The GSPC (and its predecessor, the GIA) is a wholely-owned affiliate of al-Qaeda and as such it makes perfect sense that the two would be working together. Al-Qaeda helps GSPC out with its war and al-Qaeda gets a safe haven far away from the eyes of Western intelligence agencies (or so they think, anyway). The GSPC runs a government-in-exile in Niger and tried to target the US embassy in Mali in addition to formally merging with al-Qaeda last month.

Al-Qaeda also appears to have a number of vested interests at stake in both North and West Africa. They tried to overthrow the dictator of Mauritania over the summer and have ties to Burkina Faso (as well as to Liberia back when it was under Taylor) and one of the Ivory Coast rebel groups.

My only question is who of the senior leadership is running the show there.

[wizardoz]

Algeria. Oh great. French-run cesspool from hell. Yippee. The only bright spot about this is if we go in and drain the swamp we can make the French madder than ever (which is not without its charm). But I just know we'll dawdle and twiddle, hem and haw, clear our throats and send it to committee, spin round in our swivel chairs while developing developments develop.... geez... sucky.

[pepsionice]

The disadvantage to the west...is that its only 8-hour small speed boat ride to the French coast...and you can dump off 4 terrorists for operations. It is virtually impossible to monitor traffic going between north Africa and Europe.

The advantage to the west...Algeria is a totally open country from the south...and it'd be awful easy for special operations folks to walk in...kill 20 Al Qaida dudes and walk out. No one would notice anything. It wouldn't surprise me if we sent out golden invitations to move into Algeria...its the best place to conduct quiet counter-terrorism operations.

[Brandon]

Nope -- as you might guess from the title of the film, it took place in Casablanca. :)

Nitpick: Also, Bogie never actually said "Play it again, Sam." The line was, "If she can take it, so can I. Play it, Sam." And the other line, iirc, was, "Here's looking at you, kid."

[Peach]

Would have missed this entirely without ping; thanks.

Most interesting and your synopsis had better info than the article.

[freeangel]

Whaddya mean "heads up"? I wouldn't be surprised to find that france is supplying AQ with weapons.

[CIB-173RDABN]

"The area is ideal for Al Qaida training and command functions," an intelligence source said. "The area is isolated and is located along the border with Mali, where there is no trace of government control."

---

The learning curve is steep, and many Al Qaida will die before they realize setting up camps in isolated areas is just where we want them. As someone else pointed out. If they are so isolated, they can be taken out without anyone knowing it was us that took them out.

If we are reading these details here on this forum, I have to assume this administration also has this information as well as much more.

Will we ever know all of the action taken fighting this group, most likely not in my life time, but I firmly believe President Bush when he said he will take the war to them rather then wait for them to bring it to us.

[New Horizon]

Time to pound some sand.

[ImpBill]

Thanks for the introduction to www.menewsline.com. Seems to be a professional operation located in Israel, which will give us, I am certain, a bit different perspective than what we recieve through the American Media Spin Machines.

[Nakota]

Now the French will want to get involved!

[HardStarboard]

Hey; I was in the right hemisphere wasn't I? right continent too!

[zimdog]

In Algeria's defense, it had been invaded by France for 110-odd years.