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African Counterterrorism Cooperation (left photo) as a resource to deepen your understanding of this new front in the battle against radical Islam. This resource gives an excellent overview of terrorist threats in each African region and examines terrorism and counterterrorism efforts on the continent as a whole.
You will read documents presented by distinguished experts at a recent conference sponsored by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. The last chapter gives a succinct summary of U.S. support for African counterterrorism efforts. It is edited by Dr. Andre Le Sage and with a foreword by Gen. Carlton W. Fulford, Jr., USMC (Ret.).
We believe that the war against al-Qaeda and related terrorist groups will no longer focus on Iraq or Afghanistan. Radical Islamists are allying with many African groups who loathe the U.S. and other western democracies. Their jihad is no longer defensive, with the goal to drive western influence from the region. Now, they wage an offensive jihad with the goal of destabilizing western governments and replacing them with holy, Muslim governments dictating Sharia Law. In other words, if all U.S. and NATO troops depart the middle east, their passionate ambition to topple western democracies will not abate.
The continent of Africa is a prime example. Many anti-western groups have been inspired by the Taliban and al-Qaeda. It was in Africa where the first major operations against the U.S. occurred with the 1998 simultaneous truck bomb attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed more than 200 people, most of them Africans. Since then, radical Islamic groups in Africa have proliferated and a few major ones intensifying inside the Dark Continent have the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) on edge.
The IC is closely monitoring Al-Shabab in southern Somalia. They have officially merged with al Qaeda and yearn to impose Sharia Law via terrorism and increased suicide attacks against the UN's transitional government. There’s also al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which emerged in 2007 from Algeria's Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat. AQIM conducts high-profile kidnappings in and around the Sahara desert. Ansar Dine, one of their strongely-linked rebel factions, currently seized towns in northern Mali. Then there's Boko Haram, roughly three years of age since it's inception. It is extremely violent and vows to install an extreme form of Islamic law in Nigeria. Boko Haram was inspired by the Taliban and it's name means “Western education is a sin”. It yearns to unite Muslims under a Caliphate and conducts well-planned, simultaneous attacks in four northern African states.
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Another resource we came across in our research is Terrorism in Africa: The Evolving Front in the War on Terror (left photo). It is a highly-researched book with a scholarly discussion about Africa's rapidly growing terrorist threat and terrorist related violence in the region. It gives an in-depth analysis of the sub-national and transnational terrorists groups that have made Africa the second most violent region in the world.
I remember reading a quote in Natural History magazine spoken by Pliny the Elder, who died in 79 AD. He said, "There is always something new out of Africa." So true.
I remember reading a quote in Natural History magazine spoken by Pliny the Elder, who died in 79 AD. He said, "There is always something new out of Africa." So true.
Robert Morton, M.Ed., Ed.S. is a member of the Association Of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and writes about the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). A portion of this site's ad revenues is donated to the AFIO. The views expressed on this site do not represent those of any organization he is a member of. We're always looking for different perspectives regarding the Intelligence Community- got a thought, article or comment you'd like to submit? Contact us on the Secure Contact Form
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