GLOBAL JIHAD UPDATE

The NY Times reports, "French Ask Volunteers in Mali, Niger to Leave" Feb. 18:

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The French government is asking citizens who are volunteering for charity organizations in Mali or Niger to leave immediately due to the growing threat of kidnappings by an offshoot of al-Qaida.

A copy of the letter signed by France's foreign minister and dated Feb. 7 was shown to The Associated Press this week.

The government's request indicates that the terror group's reach is growing. Although large sections of the Sahara desert including the portion stretching across northern Mali and Niger has been considered too dangerous for foreigners for some time, the capitals of the two countries have long been considered safe.

Dozens of foreigners have been grabbed over the past several years in Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Algeria by al-Qaida, known by its [N. Africa] acronym, AQIM.

Terrorism expert and former CIA official Charles Allen quoted by VOA Feb. 8:

Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb or AQIM, along with its affiliates in Yemen and Somalia, has been using this region as a breeding ground for its activities.

"It functions as an umbrella organization for a disparate collection of Sunni Muslim terrorist elements determined to attack what they see as apostate regimes in Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Morocco. The bulk of AQIM forces are located in southern Algeria, northern Mali and Mauritania," he said.

More, Toronto Star Feb. 11 - "[Two] young Frenchm[en]were snatched by several men wearing turbans... just across the border in Mali. The ensuing clash left nine people dead, [one] who was killed with a point-blank gunshot to the face."