The AlQaida - group

Al-Qaida in the Islamic maghreb (AQIM) has allegedly claimed for kidnapping four Europeans in Mali and Mauritania in the last month which is claimed by a spokesman.

Saleh Abu Mohammad (spokesman) declared on the tape, “Two units of the valiant mujahedeen managed to kidnap four Europeans in two distinct operations: the first in Mali where Frenchman Pierre Camatte was seized on November 25, and the second in Mauritania where three Spaniards were held on November 29″ .  He did not speak in detail about the demand but  included that “France and Spain will be informed later of the legitimate demands of the mujahedeen”

In the Sahel region of nothern Mali,Camatte a frenchman was kidnapped from a hotel on November 25. The three Spaniards named Roque Pascual, 50, Alicia Gamez, 35, Albert Vilalta, 35, were also kidnapped on 29 November when they were delivering humanitarian aid as volunteers,in Mauritania .

This year AQIM allegedly claimed for killing Briton Edwin Dyer, reported by a US-based monitoring group. In January, one of a group of six westerners  kidnapped in Niger.Unless the British Government releases Abu Qatada, from the UK prison, the group declared and threatened that they would kill Dyer.