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Iraq car bombers from algeria Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1721588,00.htmlhttp://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1721588,00.html
Iraq car bombers 'from Algeria'
15/06/2005 08:00 - (SA)
Dakar - Up to 20% of suicide car bombers in Iraq are from Algeria, a result, a senior US military official said, of growing co-operation between Islamic extremists in North Africa and like-minded Iraqis.
Forensic investigations have provided the 20% figure for Algerian suicide car bombers in Iraq, and shown roughly 5% from Morocco and Tunisia, the US officer with responsibilities in Europe and Africa said on Tuesday on condition of anonymity to defer for reasons of protocol to US commanders in Iraq.
The majority of foreign bombers in Iraq are believed to come from countries in the Arabian gulf, mainly Saudi Arabia and Yemen, US officials say.
In an interview on Tuesday, the US officer said ties between underground terror cells across the region were increasing, resulting in more co-operation, money for the Iraq war and a stepped-up flow of Islamic extremists from North Africa.
The officer said the numbers had increased, but gave no specific figures.
He said increasing efforts on the part of Algerian, Moroccan and Libyans security services to combat local terror cells were resulting in extremists joining international operations, but that they would later return home.
The United States has reacted by funnelling more money and troops into north and northwest Africa to train and equip armies to combat the growing threat from local terror and insurgent groups like Algeria's Salafist Group for Call and Combat, which is believed to have links with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network and is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States.
Providing cash
The Algerian group was accused of involvement in kidnapping 32 European tourists in the Sahara in 2003 and launching a raid into Mauritania this month that left 24 people dead.
Last week, US troops from the European Command - which overseas US military interests in Europe and most of Africa - kicked off a two-week counter-terrorism training exercise called Flintlock involving forces from Algeria, Chad, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Nigeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
The officer said north African Islamic militant groups were providing some cash to the insurgency in Iraq - about US$200 000 so far, mostly funnelled through Europe to Syria and into Iraq.
Underground European networks were providing more cash, while African networks were providing manpower - mostly unskilled militants used for the simple task of driving - and then detonating car bombs that have killed thousands.
Once in the country, extremists join up with the al-Qaeda-linked network of Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Islamic militants are travelling through Turkey, into Iran and crossing into Iraq - many times through un-policed areas along Iraq's vast border.
A handful of Islamic fighters were believed to be returning to their home countries as well - people who can plan, work communications devices and design and set off explosives, the officer said.
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