Senegal Muslims Becoming Radicalized

It looks like Senegal may be moving from a Tier One to a Tier Two level in Islamist Radicalization.

The following article notes that Muslims in Senegal are becoming increasingly hostile toward non-Muslims groups, specifically Christian. The author assumes that it is a result of AQIM activity. Though it's possible that AQIM is behind it, I would not rule out Boko Haram from Nigeria.

An investigator needs to look at at least three other sources as well:

1. NGO/Religious Dawa' visits to Senegal over the last 3-5 years, especially groups out of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. (See "Alms for Jihad" list)

2. Hizbolla has been running logistics through Senegal for years; see if Iran has had contact with current radicalized groups.

3. Any connections to Ivory Coast? Now that Muslim politics have succeeded there, are there experienced agitators from there that have moved into Senegal?

7/13/2011 - Senegal has a long standing reputation for democratic stability and harmonious relations with non-Muslim people.Recent attacks on Christian Churches and violent and intimidating actions against English speaking Christian immigrants from other West African Countries are therefore completely contrary to Senegalese custom and practice.

• Consequently,there is now a growing feeling on the ground in Senegal that elements of the AQIM have infiltrated anti-government groups to instigate violence at political demonstrations and to stir up inter-faith conflict.
• This feeling has grown over the weekend with eye witness reports of further acts of intimidation and violence towards African Christians, in Yoff, Grand Yoff, Cicap, and parts of The Medina which are suburbs of Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
• All these suburbs have a high concentration of English speaking, Christian African Immigrants.

The AQIM has developed from a small insurgency into an expanding terrorist organization within the Sahel region of Africa.Large parts of Mauritania,Mali,Niger,and Southern Algeria are now effectively under their control.These are also key transportation areas for drug cartels and commercial scale human trafficking gangs.

Apart from French Foreign Minister Alan Juppe and The President of Mauritania Mohamed Aziz,politicians have largely ignored the threat that the AQIM pose in Africa, and it is more than likely that the size of the membership of the AQIM has been severely underestimated.

The current President of Senegal,Abdoulay Wade, retires in 2012 as he has served the maximum term in office under the Senegalese Constitution. The AQIM may have seen an opportunity to expliot an uncertain political situation and expand their area of operation into Senegal.

The Rest @ BriefingWire.com,

Azim Aghajani, Quds Chife in Africa, Accused of Deception in Arms Trafficking

A Nigerian on trial over an arms shipment seized in Lagos told authorities an alleged Iranian Revolutionary Guard member lied to him about the containers' contents, court documents said Tuesday.

In his statement made to secret police and read out in court, Ali Abbas Jega said that his co-accused, Azim Aghajani, "deceived" him into believing that the consignment contained building materials.

"Azim duped and deceived me to use my office address to receive the consignment ... he told me they were building materials and not weapons," the statement said.

Jega's lawyer, Aliyu Musa Yawuri, also told the court that documents indicated the shipment was wrongly routed to Nigeria.

"They were meant for Gambia," he stated.

Iran has already said the shipment was destined for Gambia and was part of an agreement between the two countries, but Banjul has denied being the intended recipient and has severed ties with Tehran.

Senegal has also cut ties with Iran and expressed concern that the weapons could have ended up in the hands of rebels in its south.

The two accused are on trial together in a Nigerian court for allegedly importing bombs, grenades and rockets sent from Iran and seized in October at a Lagos port.

The prosecution accuses the two suspects of illegally importing them and say the weapons were under their control. They are also accused of having falsely declared the 13 containers as building materials.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to four counts against them.

The case has drawn international attention because it may constitute a violation of UN sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.

Nigeria has reported the seizure to the UN Security Council, which has approved four sets of sanctions against Iran, including a ban on arms sales.

A UN panel of experts on sanctions on Iran was in Nigeria earlier this year to investigate the weapons shipment.

The judge adjourned the trial until March 21, when prosecutors are expected to question additional witnesses

The Rest @ AFP

Sengal Severs Relations with Iran over Arms Smuggling

Senegal is "disatisfied" with Iran's answers to why they allowed a "private" Iranian company to ship Arms apparently aimed for Senegal (stopped by customs in Nigeria).


-Shimron Issachar

Senegal has recalled its ambassador to Iran, saying that Tehran had failed to provide a "satisfactory" explanation for an arms shipment seized in Nigeria.

The weapons were found hidden among building materials on a ship docked in Lagos in October.
An Iranian man and three Nigerians have been accused of attempting to import the arms and send them to The Gambia, which cut ties with Iran last month.

But there has been speculation that they were destined for south Senegal.
Despite a peace deal, a low-level separatist rebellion simmers in Casamance, a region cut off from the rest of Senegal by The Gambia.

The Iranian government has said only that the shipment belonged to a private company and was being sent to a "West African country".

"True to the need for peace and security which should guide ties between states, and deeming not satisfactory the explanations provided by the Iranian side in this affair, Senegal has decided to recall its ambassador to Iran for consultations as of today," the foreign ministry said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Monouchehr Mottaki was sacked on Monday while on an official trip to Senegal. No reasons were given.

Nigeria charges Iranian over arms 25 NOVEMBER 2010, AFRICA

The Rest @ The BBC

Mouritania Frontier Crime May be al Qaeda

This 31 December 2007 article suggests that al Qaeda or Trans-national criminal trafficers may be building infrastructure or ramping up for Action in West Africa

-Shimron

Mauritania forces unsure of al Qaeda attack claim
Mon 31 Dec 2007, 15:42 GMT
[-] Text [+]

By Ibrahima Sylla

NOUAKCHOTT, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Mauritanian forces hunting the killers of French tourists and government soldiers are not convinced by a claim that al Qaeda launched one of the attacks, security sources said on Monday.

Last week's separate attacks have shaken the normally peaceful West African country as it prepares to host a section of the Dakar Rally -- a race that gives a lucrative boost to Mauritania's nascent tourism industry.

A promise of 3,000 security personnel to ensure safe passage was enough for the rally's security chief, who has given the green light to its Mauritanian stages starting Jan 11.
But with talk of French tourists cancelling trips, Mauritanians are aware there is still time for a change of plan, should a serious al Qaeda threat be established.

Stages in neighbouring Mali were cancelled last year after French security services cited a threat from Algerian rebels.

• Last Monday three attackers, who authorities suspect are linked to al Qaeda, gunned down four French tourists and injured a fifth as they enjoyed a Christmas Eve picnic by the side of a road in the south of the country, near the border with Senegal.
• Gunmen killed three army soldiers three days later in the remote and sparsely populated north of the country, bordering Algeria and Morocco's breakaway territory of Western Sahara.
• In an audio recording aired by Al Arabiya television, a spokesman said al Qaeda's North African branch had killed four soldiers late on Wednesday, but made no mention of the French.
• Details in the statement differed from those given by the Mauritanian authorities, and the Gulf TV station said it could not verify the statement was indeed from al Qaeda.
• Security sources in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott said the al Qaeda link was just one of the lines of inquiry

Suspicion was also falling on armed smugglers who traffic drugs, weapons and people across poorly policed borders deep in the Sahara.

• The soldiers were shot dead by the occupants of two vehicles they were pursuing, who then made off with a heavy gun captured from the soldiers' vehicle.
• The rough terrain would require heavy-duty vehicles similar to those designed for military use, said one security source.
• "The heavy weapon they took, which they dismantled, could only be used by a specialist or somebody who had been trained for it," said another security source in Nouakchott.
• Security forces have detained at least seven people in relation to the killing of the French, but the three killers are still at large, possibly in neighbouring Senegal or Mali.

Mauritanian investigators say they are questioning the operator of a pirogue, or small wooden boat, who they believe ferried the attackers across the Senegal river into Senegal.
"The search goes on. So far there is no news. We have not located them -- otherwise we would have arrested them already," said Daouda Diop, spokesman for Senegal's Gendarmerie service.

The Rest @ Reuters Africa

Joint Military Exercises in Mali

Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia are among 13 African and European countries along with the United States, which will carry out a joint military exercise in Mali in late August or early September, AFP and Algerian media reported Thursday (August 16th).

The drill has been dubbed "Flintlock 2007" and will also see the participation of Mali, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso, France, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. "The key objective of this exercise is to assist partner countries to plan and execute command, control and communication systems in support of humanitarian operations, peacekeeping and disaster management," Ech Chourouk and El Watan quoted a report from the US embassy in Bamako as saying.

According to AFP, "Flintlock 2007" is the last in a series of exercises carried out jointly by the American military and African partner nations, as part of the Trans-Saharan Counter-Terrorism Partnership initiative.

The Rest @Magharebia

China's State Run Newspaper suggests that Flintlock is really about controling Natural Resources in Africa. I can understrand why China may not like the exercise, since China herself appears to be making a run on African Oil.

-Shimron