1. Amir Lechner examines the growth of kidnapping for ransom in North Africa,
and finds al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is funding its wider terrorist
26 operations with the proceeds 27
unification of the GSPC with the al- Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and While the AQIM operates under the
HOSTAGE TO
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Qaeda umbrella organisation, under the Tunisia, where it has ties with local “Jihadi” agenda, the motivation behind
name al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb criminal groups and rebellious tribal the kidnapping of foreigners is purely
(AQIM). The AQIM continued with its fighters who carry out kidnappings on financial and has become its main
predecessor’s terror campaign. the group’s behalf or simply sell their source of income to fund its activities.
However, due to the number of civilians captives to the AQIM. Instead of abducting hundreds of locals
killed in its attacks, the group has While the kidnapping risk to foreign and ransoming their families or
TERROR
suffered a sharp decline in popularity employees in the above countries businesses for relatively small cash
and is now focusing its attacks on the remains high, abductions of locals have amounts – and constantly evading the
security forces in Algeria and declined. In May 2008, the Algerian ever-improving tactics of the Algerian
neighbouring countries, and foreign Interior Minister announced in a speech security forces – the group is now
companies. In order to protect to parliament that 375 cases of taking fewer hostages for much higher
K
idnapping for ransom is not a according to Algerian authorities has foreigners working in the country, kidnappings had taken place in the ransoms and moving them around the
Most recent kidnappings of
new phenomenon in Algeria. links to al-Qaeda, had led the group of many of whom work in the oil and gas country in 2007. Out of this number, lawless areas of the Sahel. A recent case
foreigners in North Africa industries, the Algerian authorities have 115 kidnapping cases were related to – in which the Spanish government
During the height of the Islamic militants that kidnapped the 33
insurgency, Algeria suffered a wave of Mauritania, 18 December 2009: An Europeans the previous year. The 2008 greatly increased the security around terrorism while the other 260 incidents reportedly paid US$10 million for the
such kidnappings. The Salafist Group Italian retiree and his Burkinabe-born Dakar rally was cancelled due to similar these worksites, and many of the were criminally related, including two safe release of three Spanish nationals
for Call and Combat (GSPC), an wife were kidnapped by the AQIM in fears, and since 2009 the race has been companies have hired Western security kidnappings related to human organ whom the AQIM kidnapped in
outgrowth of the brutal Groupe Mauritania. The couple was freed in held in the South American countries of companies and upgraded their employees’ trafficking. A total sum of six billion Mauritania in November 2009 –
Islamique Armée (GIA), was known to mid-April 2010. The Italian Foreign Argentina and Chile. shuttle services to armoured vehicles. dinars ($93million) was demanded for demonstrates the profitability of
kidnap business owners and their family Minister was quoted as saying that the On September 11, 2006, al-Qaeda’s In response to the increased security, ransom in the reported cases, of which foreigners’ abductions compared to
members, mostly from remote northern release was “the fruit of intense second-in-command, Ayman al- the AQIM has started cells throughout a total of 1.2 billion dinars those of locals.
towns and villages, but also from the diplomatic work that led authorities in Zawahiri, officially announced the the western Sahel region, including ($18.7million) was paid. The AQIM also uses the abductions
coastal city of Boumerdes. Mali to take decisive actions to reach to gain political concessions. In the
Although locals were the main targets this solution”. A ransom or prisoner case of the three Spaniards, their
of these abductions, the best-known exchange most likely took place. release came just days after Mauritania
such incident took place in March 2003 extradited Omar Sid’Ahmed Ould
when the GSPC kidnapped a group of Niger, 19 April 2010: A 78-year-old Hamma who, according to some
33 European tourists in Ouargla. One of French aid worker and his Algerian reports, was the mastermind of their
the hostages, a 45-year-old German driver were kidnapped in northern Niger. kidnapping, to his home country of
national, died of exhaustion; the rest The driver was released shortly after. Mali. Mali also freed four militants from
were released in two groups in Mali Following a botched rescue operation, jail after the AQIM threatened to
after five million Euros (6.7 million US the hostage was executed. execute Pierre Camatte, a French aid
dollars) in ransom was paid by the worker who was kidnapped in Menaka,
German government. The kidnapping, Chad, 6 June 2010: A British aid near the Niger border, if the four were
which was widely reported in the worker was kidnapped in Abeche, in not released.
international media and generated such eastern Chad, along with a Congolese The decline in the kidnapping of
a large ransom amount, planted the colleague and a Chadian driver who locals is likely to continue as long as
seed for future kidnappings of foreigners were released by the kidnappers shortly the AQIM is successful in extorting
and even larger ransom demands. after the abduction. The third victim ransoms from those European
In 2004, reports emerged that French was released by Chad’s security forces, governments who regard ransom as a
intelligence agents had foiled a plot by who intercepted the kidnappers about “necessary evil” or as a legitimate tool
Islamic terrorists planning to attack the 25 miles from the Chad-Sudan border, for resolving kidnappings and releasing
Dakar Rally and kidnap several of the in the Guereda region. their nationals. Though common, the
drivers. The plot was confirmed by a practice of paying ransoms is a well-
spokesman for the French Ministry of Chad, 14 September 2010: A Chinese kept secret and sees little publication in
Defense after a French magazine national working for an engineering the media. The number of foreigners
published an article claiming that a company in Chad was kidnapped in Am- working in high-threat countries is
group of militants, believed to be the Djarass in the northeast of the country constantly waning, however, rendering
Free Salafist Group (GSL, a splinter and taken to Sudan. Though it was not expatriates working in such locations
group of the GSPC with links to al- clear who abducted the engineer, the even more of a “prize” to terrorists and
Qaeda) had planned to target the event. kidnappers in the region are usually criminal groups.
About 100 heavily-armed militants, led Arab tribesmen demanding ransoms Building a “fear factor” to provide
by a renowned local leader known as and development for their areas from credibility to their threats during
Abderrazak “El Para” (currently jailed in the government. He escaped his ransom negotiations, the AQIM has also
Algeria), planned to attack drivers kidnappers on September 17, 2010. executed Western hostages. In May
during the 7,000 mile race. The attack 2009, British national Edwin Dyer, who
was to take place during the race’s Niger, 16 September 2010: AQIM was kidnapped with four other tourists
desert stages in Mali. As a precaution, militants abducted five French nationals, on the Niger-Mali border after attending
the organisers cancelled stages 11 and a Togolese and a Madagascan working a nomadic cultural festival in late
©Getty Images
12 of the 18-day event, which would for two French companies from their January, was beheaded. His execution
have seen competitors race across the secured villa in the uranium mining town was likely due to the refusal of the
Sahara Desert. Abderrazak, who Arlit in Niger. British government to pay a ransom for

2. 28 HOSTAGE TO TERROR
his release.
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In June 2009, a US aid worker was
shot dead in Mauritania’s capital,
Nouakchott, as he resisted when two
armed men attempted to abduct him.
The AQIM claimed responsibility for his
murder, claiming he was spreading
Christianity in the country.
Similarly, in July 2010, 78-year-old
French aid worker Michel Germaneau
was executed by the group in retaliation
for a botched rescue operation by
French commandos and Mauritanian
forces which left six militants dead.
Another retaliatory attack for the foiled
rescue operation took place in late
August when an AQIM suicide bomber
attempted to drive a truck loaded with
explosives into an army barracks in the
town of Nema, about 680 miles east of
the capital, Nouakchott. The driver was
©Getty Images
shot and killed after refusing to stop at
the entrance, but the ensuing explosion
damaged surrounding buildings.
While foreigners, regardless of their Spanish aid worker Alicia Gamez was freed by her al-Qaeda kidnappers in Mauritania
nationality, are all at risk of kidnapping, after four months
several nationalities likely stand at a militants in Raz-el-Ma, in the northern research is essential; a traveller should
higher risk than others for harsh Mali desert, during which at least 12 know something of the culture they are
treatment from the AQIM. Topping the militants and five soldiers were killed. entering, something of the overall crime
list are US and UK nationals, due to The timing of the attack suggests that it rate, and something of the reliability of
their governments’ leading role in the was likely related to the kidnapping. The local authorities. They should take pains
international “war on terrorism”, as well message added that the group would not to stand out – avoid wearing visible
the military campaigns in Iraq and issue its demands to the French expensive jewellery, guard their cell
Afghanistan. Historical sentiment government “shortly”. phone use and, as much as possible,
toward France since its colonial days in A “proof of life”, in the form of a adopt the local customs of dress to
North Africa and its recent veil laws has video clip, was released by the AQIM at avoid being identified as a foreigner.
also put its nationals at a higher risk of the end of September showing the They should use only trusted
kidnapping and harsh treatment. hostages being interviewed by their transportation services, such as those
Scandinavian nationals are also at risk captors. Despite the threats, France sent provided by a reputable hotel, and keep
due to the 2005/2006 controversial commandos and a surveillance aircraft a close eye on local news for any
prophet Mohammad cartoons. to Niger to enhance the search for the potential catalysts for change in the
The most recent AQIM kidnapping hostages and their kidnappers. France local security situation. Maintaining
took place on 16 September 2010, when also reportedly asked the United States communication with their employer
seven people (five French nationals, a for its assistance, with the latter and/or local embassy is essential,
Togolese and a Madagascan) working for operating a listening post in southern keeping them generally informed of
the French state-owned nuclear Algeria monitoring regional radio and planed schedule and whereabouts. For
company, Areva, and Satom telephone traffic. The French Minister of extended stays in high-risk areas, they
Construction, were kidnapped from Defense, however, revealed France was should avoid utilising the same routes if
their guarded villa in the uranium attempting to get in touch with al- at all possible. i
mining town of Arlit in Niger by a Qaeda to discover any ransom demands.
group of about 30 armed men. With the recent failed rescue operation
Just days after the kidnapping, the and the execution that followed, it Amir Lechner is founding partner of
AQIM claimed responsibility in an audio ThreatRate Risk Management LLC, a
remains to be seen whether the French
message broadcast on the al Jazeera security and crisis management
government will attempt yet another
news channel and several Islamist consulting firm. He served in field
rescue operation or join the group of
forum sites on the Internet. In the intelligence in the Israeli Defense
governments who have paid the
audio message, the unidentified speaker Forces (IDF). He moved to the United
demanded ransoms.
warned the French government against Regardless of the many variations in States in 1991, where he worked in the
“doing anything stupid”. This likely kidnapping cases, there are some security department of the General
referred to the July 2010 botched rescue general guidelines one employers Consulate of Israel in NYC and the
attempt or the 19 September clash should follow prior to travelling to security department of El Al Israeli
between Mauritanian troops and higher-risk regions. Education and Airlines.