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 Tunisia |
The “democratic” uprising that led to the overthrow of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years of rule has been touted as a popular protest against high unemployment, high food prices and corruption, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
But it has the full support of the leader of al-Qaida in North Africa, Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, who heads the group Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. He has released an audio message voicing support for Ben Ali’s removal due to corruption and Muslim oppression, raising concern among counter-terrorism officials that radical Islamist groups will try and unite across all of North Africa.
This development would place Europe within easy striking distance given the large number of North Africans living in Europe.
In turn, sources said, the United States could be threatened because of visa-free travel from most European countries due to their membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Wadud had urged Ben Ali’s overthrow, and amid large demonstrations, he called on Tunisians to “bring down Ben Ali’s corrupt criminal and tyrannical regime” and introduce Islamic law in the North African country.
Counter-terrorism experts say that AQIM has bases and cells across Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Mali and has forged links with terrorist groups in Morocco and Nigeria.
The Algerian-based AQIM originally was the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, known by its French initials GSPC. Counter-terrorism officials say wiretaps, interrogations and documentation link AQIM networks to France, Italy, Turkey and Greece – all NATO members.
For the rest of this report and other Intelligence Briefs, please go to Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin:
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