Taking advantage of this situation, the terrorist group AQIM uses the separatists to carry out its criminal operations, giving credence to the theory of "a connection between Al-Qaeda and polisario members," underlined the author of this analysis Antonin Tisseron, a research fellow at the Thomas More Institute.

    Tisseron pointed out that a notorious member of the polisario, arrested by the Malian authorities, "confessed to providing Islamist terrorists in the region with logistical support," noting that this confession echoes the involvement of Omar Sahrawi, another member of the separatists, in the kidnapping of Spanish hostages.

    According to many counter-terror experts, “the AQIM has lifted the right to passage on smuggled goods in exchange for safe-conduct. This allows AQIM to remunerate its intermediaries, mercenaries or informers of the “hybrid industry” of kidnapping, to equip itself with modern communication tools, to acquire arms and ammunition.”

    Tisseron also recalled that many drug dealers are “close to polisario leaders,” a finding that is more alarming than the Interpol’s figures, which say that around 50 tonnes of cocaine- to a total value of 1,8 billion dollars- circulates in West Africa each year. (MAP)

Source: MAP
News and events concerning Western Sahara issue/ Corcas