Al Qaeda in North Africa: Terrorist Home Video of Sahara Emirate

Rare Video of an Al Qaeda North Afircan offshoot, the Sahara Emirate, has surfaced, obtained by the Al Jazeera Network. The video shows how the Sahara Emirate operates in the vast desert of North Africa, bordering Mali, Morroco, and primarily Mauritania.

While the focus of the world right now is Al Qaeda in Yemen it is important to understand that Al Qaeda has a presence that stretches throughout the Middle East and into North Africa.

The video is fascinating. It shows the Sahara Emirate's guns and weapons, where they live (caves), what they eat (lizards).  The Sahara Emirate has reportedly been involved in the kidnapping of Italian and Spanish tourists in Mauritania. 

Apparently, many of the young Sahara Emirate recruits are Mauritanian. The existing government has cracked down on opposition Islamic groups prompting some to join Al Qaeda.

 The video is both fascinating and troubling but the reporting is first rate.

Videos

Al-Qaeda branch in 'Sahara Emirate' - 4 Jan 10

see larger video

sourced by Sudha Krishna