By William Tucker
In many ways it was inevitable, that is if this claim by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is indeed true. Mokhtar Belmokhtar, a commander in AQIM, made the claim to the Mauritanian news agency ANI that his group has benefited from receiving some of Libya’s loose weapons, but did not offer any evidence to back up his claim. It is possible that the group managed to secure some of Qaddafi’s weapons during the recent chaotic revolution which removed the dictator of 42 years. In fact, several neighboring nations have reported that their militaries have intercepted weapons shipments of smugglers in recent weeks. The U.S., along with its NATO allies, has been on the ground in Libya searching for unsecured weapons. Of particular concern are man portable anti-aircraft missiles, or MANPADS. It is these weapons that are capable of targeting civilian airliners such as the attempt by al-Qaeda terrorists in Kenya in 2002. We’ll have to keep an eye on militant movements in the region and watch for clear signs of attacks using more sophisticated weaponry. If the claim is accurate, the many nations of North Africa are about to have their hands full.
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