North Africa is the New al-Qaeda Hotbed

By Erick Stakelbeck

CBN News Terrorism Analyst

July 10, 2007

CBNNews.com - With U.S. forces putting the squeeze on al-Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan, the terror group may expand into other regions.

North Africa has become the latest al-Qaeda hotbed.

U.S. intelligence analysts estimate that thousands of foreign terrorists are fighting in Iraq.

But not all of them are in it for the long haul.

Many will eventually return to their native lands. North Africa is one region where large numbers are coming home -- but not to settle down peacefully.

"I think we have seen the hand of Iraq veterans coming back to Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco even Europe sometimes, with considerable skills, not only in bomb-making, but advanced counter intelligence, " Alexis Debat said.

Terrorism analyst Alexis Debat says the Islamic Maghreb -- an area stretching from Libya to Mauritania -- has become an al-Qaeda breeding ground.

"I think the greater sophistication, coherence and level of skill we've seen emerge in the past few months with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb really speaks to how many of these Iraq vets have come back to their home countries and taken over the organization in those countries," Debat said.

While once dedicated mainly to overthrowing the Algerian government, al-Qaeda's branch here now wants to eventually expand operations into Europe.

It received the backing of its central command in Pakistan last year. Since then, the sophistication and frequency of its attacks in North Africa have increased.

The deadliest attack occurred in April in the capital city of Algiers. Thirty-three people were killed in that triple suicide bombing -- the first in Algeria in over a decade. The tactics mirrored those used by al-Qaeda in Iraq -- multiple bombs, followed by pictures of the three bombers posted on an Islamic website.

Counterterrorism experts believe more attacks like this could hit North Africa in the coming months -- as fighters from the Iraq jihad return to set up recruitment centers and training camps.

"Most of their training camps are in the Sahal -- the Sahara -- where the authorities cannot really get to them. It's a little bit like Afghanistan with the caves. Such a deserted area that is controlled much more by tribes than by governments," Olivier Guitta said.

Countries in the Islamic Maghreb like Algeria and Morocco are ramping up their counterterrorism efforts to stifle the growing Al-Qaeda threat.

But there's concern in Western capitals as well. French officials fear their large North African population could become radicalized -- and the U.S. is discussing opening a military command in the region.

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