Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb claimed the kidnapping of Canadian diplomats

The North African branch of Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of two Canadian diplomats and four European tourists in Niger, in an audio recording broadcast by Al-Jazeera satellite channel in the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.

•     "We are pleased to transmit to the Islamic nation the good news of the success of the Mujahidines in achieving of two operations in Niger,"says on this soundtrack the spokesman of Al Qaeda in the Maghreb, Salah Abou Mohammed.
  
      Mujahidines "reserve the right to manage the case of six hostages by Islamic law (Sharia)," adds the spokesman, without further detail.
  
      The recording was posted on the website of Al-Jazeera.
  
      The disappearance of Robert Fowler, Special Envoy of UN Secretary-General to Niger, his colleague Louis Gay and their Nigerian driver, Soumana Moukaïla were reported in mid-December, west of Niamey. They had previously made a private visit in a gold mine operated by a Canadian company in Samira, on December 14.
  
      Four European tourists were kidnapped on the 22th January, in the Mali-Niger border.
  
      Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb seeks to unify the Islamic groups in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, and expand to the south such as in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Niger.
  
      In 2008, the North African branch of the network of Osama Ben Laden has committed several suicide bombings in Algeria.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/M. O.