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Maghreb Al-Qaeda threatens France

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim) has threatened reprisals against France following a raid on carried out last month by French and Mauritanian forces in which six Aqim members were killed.  An Aqim communiqué posted on an Islamic web forum accuses French President Nicolas Sarkozy of being an “enemy of Allah”.

AFP/HO/SITE Intelligence Group
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In the statement, Aqim calls on its followers in Mali, Niger and Mauritania to unite against "the children and agents of Christian France“.

The statement, posted by Abou Anas al Shanghiti, threatens Sarkozy: "To Allah’s enemy, I say: you have missed an opportunity and opened the doors of horror in your county.”

Aqim claims responsibility for killing a French hostage, Michel Germaneau, after a failed rescue attempt by French and Mauritanian forces on 22 July. Germaneau, a 78 year-old retired engineer, had been working in the region on humanitarian projects.

Aqim claims that France carried out the raid despite negotiations being held to free Germaneau, allegations France rejects.

Meanwhile, a Malian working for Aqim convicted of kidnapping three Spanish humanitarian workers in Mauritania is not in Malian custody, despite having being extradited there on Sunday, according to an AFP source in the Malian judiciary .

"As of Monday, we have not recieved Omar le Sahraoui from the hands of Mauritanian authorities. We cannot confirm any claims that he is in Mali", the source said.

Omar Sid'Ahmed Ould Hamma, nicknamed Omar le Sahraoui, is accused of acting as a mercenary for Aqim and of kidnapping the three Spanish workers on the route between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou in the north of Mauritania on 29 November 2009. They were later transferred to Mali.

In March, Aqim freed one of the hostages, Alicia Gamez, 39, after three months in captivity.

The other hostages, Alberta Vilalta, 35, and Roque Pascal, 50, are still being held in the north of Mali.

On Monday Spanish human rights group, Barcelona Accio Solidaria, announced it has proof that Vilalta and Pascal are still alive  

"The only information [the families of the hostages] have is that the hostages are well and the negotiations continue," said, Francesc Osan, director of Barcelona Accio Solidaria, on Catalan radio.

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