Al-Qaeda commander Osama Bin Laden has issued a warning to France to leave Africa alone or expect more of its nationals to be kidnapped. Bin Laden expresses anger at Paris’s policy domestically and in Africa.
The Al-Qaeda chief specifically fumes at the ban on the burka and niqab, the culture of face covering by Muslim women. This was made public in an audio recording submitted to Al Jazeera television. If you would remember, in September the North African wing of Al-Qaeda’s kidnapped five French citizens.
Bin Laden was quoted on the tape as saying “the reason why your security is being threatened and your sons are being taken hostage” is that “you intervene in the affairs of Muslims, in north and west Africa in particular” Bin Laden then added: “How could it be fair that you intervene in the affairs of Muslims, in North and West Africa in particular, support your proxies [agents] against us, and take a lot of our wealth in suspicious deals, while our people there suffer various forms of poverty and despair?” The Al-Qaeda group is seen as a significant threats to regions in Africa especially those experiencing political and economical instabilities.
The terror chief is not hiding his intention of assuming the role of a spokesperson for Africa. Recognizing that most African governments do not have the resources to deal with current problems, this is a threat that has to be taken seriously. In my opinion, fighting poverty and getting every school-age kid into school are the best weapons we can deploy against any radical Al-Qaeda in Africa
