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Abu Musab Abd al-Wadoud, head of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), issued a call to arms Aug. 12 in response to the coup in Mauritania on Aug. 6. Although AQIM has shown a presence in Mauritania, and recent attacks there have killed police officers and foreign tourists, AQIM has thus far not shown an ability to seriously threaten Mauritania. Al-Wadoud is using the coup in Mauritania as an opportunity to recruit members and build AQIM’s support base, but the group will continue focusing its energy in Algeria.

Al-Wadoud joined many other voices in condemning Mauritania’s most recent coup. He accused the coup leaders of being backed by Western powers such as the United States and France, and he urged Mauritanians to “wake up and prepare for the war; the cross is marching toward you.”

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In fact, the United States and France also condemned the coup. Both countries withdrew all nonhumanitarian financial assistance to the country Aug. 8 — a move other European countries are contemplating. The United States specifically has worked closely with Mauritania since 2003 to increase the country’s counterterrorism capabilities and provided training and funds to the country’s cash-strapped military. Together, the United States and France cut off slightly more than $20 million in assistance to a country whose military expenditures in 2005 were estimated at $80 million.

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November 20, 2008 | 1849 GMT

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