French and Niger Troop Rescue Fails, Al Qaeda Kills Two French Hostages

Vincent Delory, one of the two French hostages killed after being kidnapped in Niger

This is the second failure by the French military in Africa to rescue citizens of France who have been abducted by members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb as after the two French citizens were taken on Friday night, French and Niger troops were hot on their heels and during the subsequent clashes, the two hostages were killed.

From the report at The Telegraph:

The 25-year-old men from northern France were seized at gunpoint from a bar frequented by expatriates, bringing to eight the total number of French nationals kidnapped in the west African country in recent years.

The failed rescue operation is the second since July to involve French troops in the arid Sahel region, where Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – the network's North African affiliate – is active in several countries.

Niger's military and French special forces chased the kidnappers into the desert as they headed for the lawless borderlands with Mali. Troops clashed twice with the gunmen; the hostages were found dead after the second firefight, in which several of the kidnappers were reportedly killed.

"At this stage, everything makes us believe that they were executed by the terrorists," a French military spokesman, Thierry Burkhard, said.

The members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have made a name for themselves as the kings of abduction - they have regularly abducted Europeans, not just French, due to their desire to receive ransoms. This al Qaeda franchise in northern Africa is not one of the more well to do branches - they have been hurting for cash for a long time and at least the French are sending the signal to them that if they continue to abduct, they will be hunted down. Unfortunately, the hostages are not faring well in this scenario.

One aspect of this story is the sobering fact that al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is expanding their operations. There simply is no denying that fact. Early on this group was operating mainly in Algeria and due to the feeble response by the Algerian military, the al Qaeda cell grew and grew - I don't have proof of it but I do feel that their ranks has swelled due to the loss by the jihadis in Iraq that sent hundreds of north African jihadis back to their homes and into the arms of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Two French hostages killed by al-Qaeda kidnappers during failed rescue attempt


Two French nationals kidnapped on Friday in Niger's capital Niamey by suspected militants linked to al-Qaeda were apparently executed amid a failed rescue bid by French and Niger troops.

The 25-year-old men from northern France were seized at gunpoint from a bar frequented by expatriates, bringing to eight the total number of French nationals kidnapped in the west African country in recent years.

The failed rescue operation is the second since July to involve French troops in the arid Sahel region, where Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – the network's North African affiliate – is active in several countries.

Niger's military and French special forces chased the kidnappers into the desert as they headed for the lawless borderlands with Mali. Troops clashed twice with the gunmen; the hostages were found dead after the second firefight, in which several of the kidnappers were reportedly killed.

"At this stage, everything makes us believe that they were executed by the terrorists," a French military spokesman, Thierry Burkhard, said.

The childhood friends had come to Niger as one – a former aid worker in the country – was due to marry a local woman next week. His friend had just arrived that evening.

The kidnapping was the first to take place in the capital of uranium-rich Niger, with previous attacks launched in remote desert regions. Mr Burkhard said that it was "likely" that the kidnappers were members of AQIM.

Last July, another French national seized in Niger was executed in retaliation for a botched rescue attempt by French and Mauritanian troops that left six militants dead. Seven employees of French nuclear group Areva and construction firm Vinci – including five French nationals – remain in captivity after being kidnapped in northern Niger last September.

Analysts have warned that the weekend's operation could endanger hostages still being held by the al-Qaeda-linked militants.

Anne Giudicelli, Managing Director of Paris-based security consultancy Terrorisc, told The Daily Telegraph that the botched raid "sends a message that the French are no longer willing to tolerate hostage-taking. The captors are surrounded militarily and there is no longer an advantage to keeping the five hostages alive." France today told its nationals to avoid all travel to the Sahel region, one of the world's most hostile. Foreigners have repeatedly been kidnapped throughout the region, with Canadian, Italian, Swiss and Spanish nationals among those held for extended periods.

Briton Edwin Dyer was executed in June 2009 after four months in captivity in Mali.

Good Grief....Al Qaeda Is In Niger Now?!!

I'm telling you...I can't keep up with the number of countries that have al Qaeda jihadists or terror groups linked to al Qaed in them. I ran across this story of two Canadian diplomats kidnapped in Niger and lo and behold...a videotape has emerged that basically proves that the kidnappers are al Qaeda. Here's some of the details from The Globe and Mail:

One of the kidnapped Canadians seems exhausted. The other is still clutching his briefcase. Standing behind them are armed men, posing for the camera - the trademark of the al-Qaeda terrorist group.
This is the latest description of a videotape that apparently shows the disturbing fate of Robert Fowler and Louis Guay, the two Canadian diplomats who were kidnapped in December in the West African nation of Niger.
The existence of the video was revealed yesterday in Mali, a desert country bordering Niger. It appears to confirm that Mr. Fowler and Mr. Guay were taken across the border to Mali after being abducted on a highway near Niamey, the capital of Niger.

"Behind him are armed men, which is the signature of al-Qaeda Islamists when they carry out kidnappings," the RFI correspondent said, quoting two sources in Mali who have seen the video.

Now, for those of you geographically challenged like me...Niger is just south of and borders Libya and Algeria but this spread of al Qaeda is disturbing that it is south. Most of the northern tier of countries in Africa have been tainted by al Qaeda but to see this moving south is disturbing.

When you take the time to consider the spread of al Qaeda throughout SE and central Asia and the Middle East, and then you throw in this spread going through Africa, it has become apparent that efforts to curtail it just are going to come up empty. At one point in time, I thought that it COULD be contained in the Middle East and in Pakistan/Afghanistan but we are seeing it spread to new strength in places like Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Algiers and now we see it starting in Niger.

It is sobering to say the least and it comes at a time when the Lion of counterterror, the President we knew as George Bush is gone and his replacement has shown no desire to stop terror anywhere.

Video suggests diplomats in clutches of al-Qaeda

JOHANNESBURG — One of the kidnapped Canadians seems exhausted. The other is still clutching his briefcase. Standing behind them are armed men, posing for the camera - the trademark of the al-Qaeda terrorist group.
This is the latest description of a videotape that apparently shows the disturbing fate of Robert Fowler and Louis Guay, the two Canadian diplomats who were kidnapped in December in the West African nation of Niger.
The existence of the video was revealed yesterday in Mali, a desert country bordering Niger. It appears to confirm that Mr. Fowler and Mr. Guay were taken across the border to Mali after being abducted on a highway near Niamey, the capital of Niger.
The video adds further evidence to the theory of al-Qaeda involvement in the kidnapping. The leading theory among the investigators - including Canadian, American and United Nations security specialists - is that the two Canadian diplomats are being held by a cell of al-Qaeda's branch in North Africa, which is already suspected of masterminding a series of similar kidnappings of Western tourists in Mali, Algeria and Tunisia.

The video, which lasts only a few minutes, was reportedly given to the Canadian government after the kidnapping. Ottawa has steadfastly refused to comment on any aspect of the case.
In the video, Mr. Fowler asks the federal government to "respond" to the demands of the kidnappers, according to a report yesterday from the Mali correspondent of Radio France Internationale.
"Behind him are armed men, which is the signature of al-Qaeda Islamists when they carry out kidnappings," the RFI correspondent said, quoting two sources in Mali who have seen the video.
"On the cassette after Mr. Fowler is the second Canadian diplomat, Louis Guay, who introduces himself. According to our sources, he was rather exhausted. ... Mr. Fowler still had his briefcase, which can lead one to think that the video was filmed a little after their kidnapping."
Officials from the federal government and the UN refused to comment. "We are aware of the reports of such a video but we can't comment further, and we won't comment, because we could endanger the lives of the Canadians," said Catherine Loubier, a spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.