2007 French tourists killing in Mauritania
Encyclopedia
The 2007 killing of French tourists in Mauritania
happened on December 24, 2007. The attack happened near Aleg
, 250 km east of the capital Nouakchott
.
The victims, five French tourists on holiday, were attacked while they were having a picnic. Four of them were killed and the fifth was seriously injured. The lone survivor had his two adult sons killed along with his brother and a friend. The 2008 Dakar Rally
was cancelled because of this incident.
Mauritanian authorities arrested nine people on January 7, 2008. An assault rifle was recovered by police from a location close to the scene of the killings. The Mauritanian interior minister blamed a terrorist sleeper cell
for the killings. Authorities say suspects are members of an extremist group linked to al-Qaida.
One of the suspects arrested in January, Sidi Ould Sidna, escaped from the police in March but was arrested again in April. Sidna had trained with the group Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb
, which confirmed Sidna was affiliated with their organization.
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
happened on December 24, 2007. The attack happened near Aleg
Aleg
Aleg is the capital of the Brakna Region, Mauritania. It is located at .The town is known as the birthplace of former President of Mauritania, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi....
, 250 km east of the capital Nouakchott
Nouakchott
-Government:The town was first divided into districts in 1973. First it was divided into four. From 1986, the city has been split into nine districts.* Arafat* Dar Naim* El Mina* Ksar* Riad* Sebkha* Tevragh-Zeina* Teyarett* Toujounine...
.
The victims, five French tourists on holiday, were attacked while they were having a picnic. Four of them were killed and the fifth was seriously injured. The lone survivor had his two adult sons killed along with his brother and a friend. The 2008 Dakar Rally
2008 Dakar Rally
The 2008 Dakar Rally would have been the 30th running of the annual off-road race. The rally was to start in Lisbon, Portugal on 5 January 2008, running through Europe and Africa until the finish in Dakar, Senegal on 20 January...
was cancelled because of this incident.
Mauritanian authorities arrested nine people on January 7, 2008. An assault rifle was recovered by police from a location close to the scene of the killings. The Mauritanian interior minister blamed a terrorist sleeper cell
Clandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
for the killings. Authorities say suspects are members of an extremist group linked to al-Qaida.
One of the suspects arrested in January, Sidi Ould Sidna, escaped from the police in March but was arrested again in April. Sidna had trained with the group Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb
Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb
The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat is a radical Islamist militia which aims to overthrow the Algerian government and institute an Islamic state. To that end, it is currently engaged in an insurgent campaign.The group...
, which confirmed Sidna was affiliated with their organization.