Tunisian authorities prepared an expulsion order against Mauritanian religious extremist Mustapha Weld Beb Ahmed Chinguiti.Chinguiti was arrested in Bardo on charges of carrying out extremist activities in Tunisia and for establishing ties with militant groups there. He was notorious for his salafi activities in various regions of Tunisia, Radio Mosaique reported on Monday.
"The deportation came against a background of preaching and conducting activities that violate public security as well as calling for hatred," Tanitpress reported.
The 42-year-old has two children with his 16-year-old wife.
| When did they start the family? |
On the first night of Ramadan, Ansar al-Sharia leader Saif Allah bin Hussein (alias Abou Iyadh) urged those whom he described as Tunisia's secularists "to come back to their senses, true identity and origins", adding that "those who fight Islam will be signing their own political and existential suicide note".
| But mostly their literal suicide note... |
"We all know that Tunisia is currently suffering from a salafi current and we cannot deny its relationship to al-Qaeda," Sahara Media journalist Cheikh Ould Mohamed Horma told Magharebia. "This is due to the migration of this organisation to Tunisia, Algeria and Libya."
"Also, the preaching branch of al-Qaeda is dominated by Mauritanians and therefore it is natural that there are connections with Tunisian salafists," he added.
Tunisia is not a member of the Sahel's joint military command in Tamanrasset, which, according to the analyst, eliminates a potential route for security co-ordination.
Furthermore, "there is no Maghreb security apparatus, but only an African one," Ould Mohamed Horma noted. "These gaps can give this kind of organisation freedom of movement between Libya, Tunisia and Algeria."
Some groups in Mauritania are trying to imitate the experience of Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia, albeit in a less violent form. Mauritania's Ansar al-Sharia is demanding the application of Sharia in Mauritania at all levels. Their latest move was to oppose the decision to ban under-age marriage. They've also expressed also their support for Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia.
"Mauritania is already suffering from the growing tide of religious extremism," analyst Khalil Ould Ibrahim said. "It is not surprising that we find among its sons some who are active all over the world, especially in Tunisia, Algeria and Libya."
Security alliances and enhanced co-ordination between Maghreb countries is imperative, he added.