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2014-04-14 Africa North

Sahara Islamists release video of Algerian diplomat hostage

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Posted by Fred 2014-04-14 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda in North Africa

#1 He smuggled cigarettes, drugs, stolen cars, diamonds, and people, using the money to buy weapons to supply insurgent groups. He also kidnapped for ransom dozens of Westerners, including diplomats, aid workers, doctors, and tourists from France, Germany, Austria, England, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada.[4][33] The kidnappings are believed to have netted him what the US State Department estimated as $50 million in ransoms for the Europeans.[17] The global intelligence company Stratfor reported that Belmokhtar commanded an estimated $3 million per European captive.[34][35][36][37][38][39] In 2003, for example, he kidnapped 32 French, German, Austrian, and Swiss tourists in the Sahara Desert, for whom he is believed to have received a $6.5 million ransom.[4][40]

In 2003, the U.S. military had Belmokhtar under surveillance in the desert in northern Mali. Military commanders suggested launching a missile airstrike against him. But Vicki Huddleston, the U.S. Ambassador to Mali at the time, vetoed the operation, arguing that a strike was too risky and that Belmokhtar was not important enough to risk the possible repercussions. General Charles Wald wanted to share intelligence and gear with Algeria and Mali, so they could arrest or kill Belmokhtar, but said that he was over-ruled by civilian U.S. leaders.

Posted by 3dc 2014-04-14 01:43|| 2014-04-14 01:43|| Front Page Top

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