[Maghrebia] Mali will not concede to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's demands to free four jailed terrorists in exchange for French hostage Pierre Camatte, AFP reported on Monday (February 8th), citing security sources in Bamako. Among the 4 prisoners is an Algerian said to be a "high-ranking" AQIM member. Last Friday, al-Qaeda extended the deadline for executing Camatte to February 20th.
In related news, the $5 million ransom demanded by AQIM for three kidnapped aid workers should arrive in Mali from Spain this week, Spanish daily El Mundo reported on Monday. Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam, will reportedly mediate the exchange. |