The underneath of Dakar rally cancellation

At what the French foreign policy aims?

El Khabar, 6 january 2008

The French security services argued the pressure put on Dakar rally organization commission to cancel it that it has evidence of the existence of a terrorist plan meant to target the competitors. The think is about wire tapping on phone calls Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb members had.

The French Press Agency AFP reported from French intelligence sources added that the rally should be cancelled because Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has threatened Mauritania in a communiqué aired on December 29 qualifying the regime there with crusaders agent.
However, in spite of the fact that the communiqué has mentioned the rally vaguely, the French intelligence services based their arguments on the assassination of 4 French tourists in Mauritania, blaming it on al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in spite of that fact that the Mauritanian prosecution has made no explicit or tacit allusion to the terrorist organization.
According to many observers, the intimidation campaign led by the French outside their country reflects the aspect of the French new foreign policy since Sarkozy arrival to power aiming at giving the image that the Maghreb region is a source of permanent threats a thesis in line with the US views.

06-01-2008
By Hamid Yes/ Translation by N.K