Mauritania probes Al-Qaeda link in tourist murders

Mauritania prosecutors said they there may be a link between the murder of four French tourists and Al-Qaeda. Five people have so far been arrested over Monday's shooting in the normally safe south of the country including one who in 2006 was given a suspended two year prison sentence for belonging to a terrorist group, they said. Mauritania probes Al-Qaeda link in tourist murders Two others, who according to the governor of the Brakna region have fled south into Senegal, are "young Mauritanians who are suspected of belonging to extremist Salafist groups," prosecutors said in a statement. Both were arrested in 2006 on suspicion of belonging to the Algeria-based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), the statement said. The GSPC has declared allegiance to terror group Al-Qaeda. One of the two was freed without charge while the second was acquitted of belonging to a terrorist organisation, an acquittal that prosecutors were appealing, the statement said. The acquitted man "has taken part in (GSPC) military training outside the country," prosecutors said. The GSPC earlier this year renamed itself Al-Qaeda's Branch in the Islamic Maghreb and has claimed responsibility for several recent deadly attacks in Algeria. Four of those shot dead in the normally safe area of the west African country were members of the same family. A fifth person in his seventies was wounded. "Five people have been arrested and during questioning it has been possible to ascertain the identity of two of those on the run (and) the profile of the third has been established," prosecutors said. "The enquiry is progressing with rapidity and seriousness," they said. A taxi driver told police he had taken the suspects to the border town of Bogue, 50 kilometers south of Aleg, on Monday night. Checkpoints had been thrown up along the border and aircraft were reportedly scouring the area after the suspects' car was found abandoned near the scene of the crime. Two suspects were detained for questioning Tuesday in addition to the three detained on Monday, one of whom was later released, local Governor Sidi Mouloud Ould Brahim told national radio. He told Radio France Internationale that a military plane was involved in the manhunt, and prosecutors said a team of specialist Moroccan investigators were also helping. The tourists -- four male relatives and a male friend -- were on a driving trek between Paris and Burkina Faso and were on their way to Mali when they were attacked, the French foreign ministry said in Paris. Earlier reports indicated two children had been killed but the ministry said the victims included two adult children of an elderly man who was shot in the leg and wounded. His brother and a family friend were also killed. "They were en route to Mali when they were surprised by an armed group comprised of three people who demanded money without success before attacking them in a barbaric fashion," a ministry spokesman said. The attack in the former French colony in north-west Africa happened as the group was preparing to have a picnic by the side of the road, police and officials said. Ould Brahim said the tourists had been followed by their attackers for some time. "It seems that these French people were followed after they changed EUR 50 at the bank," he said, adding that the killers trailed them in a car until they stopped for lunch by the side of the road just outside Aleg. "They demanded money, and were told that there was none. They opened fire."

Mauritania probes Al-Qaeda link in tourist murders

Two others, who according to the governor of the Brakna region have fled south into Senegal, are "young Mauritanians who are suspected of belonging to extremist Salafist groups," prosecutors said in a statement.

Both were arrested in 2006 on suspicion of belonging to the Algeria-based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), the statement said. The GSPC has declared allegiance to terror group Al-Qaeda.

One of the two was freed without charge while the second was acquitted of belonging to a terrorist organisation, an acquittal that prosecutors were appealing, the statement said.

The acquitted man "has taken part in (GSPC) military training outside the country," prosecutors said.

The GSPC earlier this year renamed itself Al-Qaeda's Branch in the Islamic Maghreb and has claimed responsibility for several recent deadly attacks in Algeria.

Four of those shot dead in the normally safe area of the west African country were members of the same family. A fifth person in his seventies was wounded.

"Five people have been arrested and during questioning it has been possible to ascertain the identity of two of those on the run (and) the profile of the third has been established," prosecutors said.

"The enquiry is progressing with rapidity and seriousness," they said.

A taxi driver told police he had taken the suspects to the border town of Bogue, 50 kilometers south of Aleg, on Monday night.

Checkpoints had been thrown up along the border and aircraft were reportedly scouring the area after the suspects' car was found abandoned near the scene of the crime.

Two suspects were detained for questioning Tuesday in addition to the three detained on Monday, one of whom was later released, local Governor Sidi Mouloud Ould Brahim told national radio.

He told Radio France Internationale that a military plane was involved in the manhunt, and prosecutors said a team of specialist Moroccan investigators were also helping.

The tourists -- four male relatives and a male friend -- were on a driving trek between Paris and Burkina Faso and were on their way to Mali when they were attacked, the French foreign ministry said in Paris.

Earlier reports indicated two children had been killed but the ministry said the victims included two adult children of an elderly man who was shot in the leg and wounded. His brother and a family friend were also killed.

"They were en route to Mali when they were surprised by an armed group comprised of three people who demanded money without success before attacking them in a barbaric fashion," a ministry spokesman said.

The attack in the former French colony in north-west Africa happened as the group was preparing to have a picnic by the side of the road, police and officials said.

Ould Brahim said the tourists had been followed by their attackers for some time.

"It seems that these French people were followed after they changed EUR 50 at the bank," he said, adding that the killers trailed them in a car until they stopped for lunch by the side of the road just outside Aleg.

"They demanded money, and were told that there was none. They opened fire."