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| French troops fighting in Northern Mali. |
Having suffered another unexpected and very damaging defeat
in Mali, al Qaeda is trying to use the Internet to turn indignation among its
supporters into some locally organized terror attacks in the West, while also
striving to impose Islamic (Sharia) law imposed in Moslem communities and
eventually throughout the West.
Al Qaeda fans are warned to not try and come to North Africa,
where hundreds of al Qaeda veterans are scrambling to avoid death or capture.
Dozens of terrorism volunteers have been arrested for trying to get into the
region and many more have been turned back.
Calling for attacks in the West is a bold move by al Qaeda
which could backfire if there are no attacks. While many young Moslems living
in the West like to talk about how much they admire al Qaeda, the terrorist
organization has had a difficult time turning those attitudes into action.
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| Mali people welcoming the French troops. |
In addition to capturing documents, French troops have seized
hundreds of tons of weapons, ammunition and other equipment. Many al Qaeda men
are being taken alive and have been a good source of information. One thing the
captured terrorists mention a lot of the demoralizing impact of their sudden
change of fortune.
In early January the al Qaeda men believed that had hit the
jackpot, with the establishment of a new sanctuary, and one that could easily
be defended from attack. Al Qaeda was setting up training camps for the
hundreds of new recruits who were showing up. Then in a matter days that call
came apart.
This was a major blow
to morale. But many of these prisoners still believed that Islamic radicalism
would eventually win and the entire world would be run by a religious
dictatorship. After all this was a Mission From God.
European counter-terrorism organizations are warning
Europeans that some of the Islamic radicals who had long lived in Europe had
gone to northern Mali and a few had been caught trying to return to their
European sanctuary.
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| Al-Qaeda's Mali Leader Belmockter killed by French troops. |
There are at least a hundred Islamic men from Europe who were
blocked (by countries they had to mass through) from reaching Mali and have
returned angry and more determined to do some damage. Most of these men are
known to police.
France is trying to organize a UN sponsored counter-terrorism
force of up to 10,000 troops for northern Mali, one that has some Western
troops. Many of the African peacekeeping contingents will take months to be complete
and skilled troops are needed right now to hunt down al Qaeda in northern Mali.
France has 4,000 troops in Mali and wants to withdraw these,
if only because many have been in constant action for over two months. It is
believed that France wants these experienced special operations troops
available to go into any other African nation that gets hit with an al Qaeda
invasion.
Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mauritania have already expressed
fears that they may be next. Chad, with a strong, experienced army (and years
of experience fighting Islamic irregulars from Chad) is at less risk. All of
Mali’s neighbors have increased border security and efforts to identify any
Islamic radicals, especially new ones, among their people.
Please Continue Reading At the Strategy Page.
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| Malian Victims of Islamist Sharia Hand & Foot choppers from Al-Qaeda. |
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| Islamic Terrorism Definition. |
