Kidnappings as a Terrorist Instrument of AQIM and the MUJAO

• Author: Carlos Echeverría Jesús
• Position: Carlos Echeverría Jesús is Professor (Profesor Contratado Doctor) of International Relations at the Open University (UNED), in Madrid. He is Analyst of Jihadist-Salafist terrorism at the Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos (GEES), Spain, and Member of the Scientific Board of the African Journal for the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism of the AC...
• Pages: 161-166

KIDNAPPINGS AS A TERRORIST INSTRUMENT OF AQIM AND

THE MUJAO

carloS echeVerría jeSuS3

I.- INTRODUCTION. II.- THE GSPC AND AQIM: THE CENTRAL

ACTORS. III.- MOVEMENT FOR ONENESS AND JIHAD IN WEST

AFRICA (MUJAO) AND THE NIGERIANS BOKO HARAM AND

ANSARU, AS AQIM’S EMULATORS. IV.- CONCLUSIONS.

KIDNAPPINGS AS A TERRORIST INSTRUMENT OF AQIM AND THE MUJAO

ABSTRACT: This article updates to the Spring of 2013 the kidnappings implemented by a

number of Salast-Jihadist groups acting in the Maghreb, the Sahel, and Nigeria, providing

analysis. Since then, a number of hostages have been released and other foreigners have

been kidnapped, but the key-issues dening the terrorist groups’ strategies remain. The

threat is always there, and their most negative consequences (payment of ransoms and

release of Jihadist-Salast prisoners, among others) do remain as well.

KEYWORDS: AQIM; Algeria; Ansaru; Boko Haram; In Amenas; Jihadist-Salast

terrorism; kidnappings; Libya; Maghreb; Mali; MUJAO; Niger; Nigeria; ramsons; Sahel;

SGPC (GSPC, in its more frequent French acronym); Tunisia.

LOS SECUESTROS COMO INSTRUMENTO TERRORISTA DE AQMI Y DEL MUYAO

RESUMEN: Este artículo analiza el estado de la cuestión en la primavera de 2013 de los

secuestros realizados por grupos yihadistas salastas en el Magreb, el Sahel y Nigeria.

Desde entonces algunos rehenes han sido liberados y otros secuestrados, pero los elementos

claves relacionados con la estrategia de los grupos terroristas siguen siendo los mismos.

La amenaza perdura en esta dimensión, y las lacras que produce – en forma de pagos de

rescates o de liberación de yihadistas presos, entre otras - también.

PALABRAS CLAVE: AQMI; Ansaru; Argelia; Boko Haram; GSPC; In Amenas; Libia;

Magreb; Malí; MUYAO; Níger; Nigeria; rescates; Sahel; secuestros; terrorismo yihadista

salasta; Túnez.

LES ENLEVEMENTS, UN INSTRUMENT TERRORISTE DE L’ AQMI ET DU MUJAO

RESUME : Cet article met au jour dans le printemps 2013 et analyse les enlevements

des hotages par les groupes Jihadistes-Salastes actifs au Maghreb, au Sahel et dans le

Nigéria. Suite à çe moment, quelques hotages ont été liberés et des autres kidnappés, mais

les clefs pour dener les strategies des groups terroristes restent les memes. La menace

reste toujours là, et ses consequences les plus negatives (parmis des autres, le virement des

rançons et la liberation des prisonniers Jihadistes) restent aussi.

MOTS CLEFS : AQMI; Algérie; Ansaru; Boko Haram; enlevements; GSPC; In Amenas;

Libye; Maghreb; Mali; MUJAO; Niger; Nigeria; raçons; Sahel; terrorisme djihadiste-

salaste, Tunisie.

3 Carlos Echeverría Jesús is Professor (Profesor Contratado Doctor) of International Relations at the Open

University (UNED), in Madrid. He is Analyst of Jihadist-Salast terrorism at the Grupo de Estudios Estratégicos

(GEES), Spain, and Member of the Scientic Board of the African Journal for the Prevention and Combating of

Terrorism of the ACSRT, African Union, Algiers.

161

Paix et Sécurité Internationales

Num. 1, janvier-décembre 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_int.2013.i1.11