"French secret agents foiled a bid by Islamic militants to kidnap contestants in the Paris-Dakar rally earlier this month as they raced across the Sahara desert state of Mali, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday." This from Reuters, with thanks to Nicolei.
A spokesman said the DGSE foreign intelligence service had played a key role in preventing what the Le Point weekly news magazine said on Thursday was a plot by a 100-strong gang to attack participants in the rally.The 10th and 11th stages of the 11,000 km race were scrapped due to the security alert.
"French intelligence had information which led us, with our colleagues in Mali...to take decisions which you have been able to read about in the press," a Defense Ministry spokesman said.
Le Point, whose details the ministry declined to confirm or deny, said Defense Minister Michele Marie-Alliot discussed the threat during a trip to Mali's capital Bamako in December.
It said the French-backed operation had prevented leading French driver Stephane Peterhansel and Spanish motorcyclist Nani Roma from falling into the Islamists' hands.
Le Point said the group, heavily armed with machineguns mounted on their all-terrain vehicles, had intended to kidnap the pair in Mali's southern Sokolo region on Jan. 10.
The magazine said the group had fled north once they realized the ambush scheme had been discovered.
Did France truly foil a terrorist plot, or did they simply not get offered enough money to look the other way? France and "Jock" Chirac, through all of their posturing have made themselves both laughable, and not believable.
D.C. Watson (OHIO USA)
I think they very well may have foiled a plot, simply because I believe--being the eternal optimist--that even Chirac and Co. are waking up to the very real peril that is foisting itself on France in particular. France, in my opinion, has very few options regarding its' problems:
1) Ignore the threat/Appease the radicals, and simply hope to put off the date of implementation of sha'ria in France.
2) Make half-hearted and misguided efforts to force assimilation. The veil contretemps is a perfect example of this. It is misguided in that it places Judaism and whatever is left of Christianity in that country on the same PC plane as Islam, which is the root of 99% of religious violence EVERYWHERE.
3) Punt.
4) Finally, implement Draconian laws and take away many Westernfreedoms in the name of safety/security. This may happen in any case.
Actually, there is a fifth option that nobody wants to discuss: Quit accepting muslim immigrants, and explain to those already in France that they WILL respect the freedoms offered there or they can be shipped back to the third-world, tinpot, Islamofascist hellhole from whence they came.
Well written, Doug. I'm just very hesitant to give them too much credit of substance. I agree with you, and spent alot of energy writing on the column regarding Hizballah making their way into the U.S. through Mexico.
Hence, given the options you supplied.....For both France and America D.C. Dub will pick OPTION 5.
Again, very well written commentary.
If Franch intelligence discovered the plot such a long time ago,why din`t they go along with it,and stage a joint force operation,to capture the would-be kidnapers?!
Probably the plot was concocted in France,by french muslim citizens,under the nose of their intel.services...
And for France to take any efficient measures to correct the situation in their country,i believe it is too late now.
Doug's 5th option is my choice.
Unfortunately for France and many other Western countries, many of the residing Muslims are citizens with all rights of the country. One problem is that these Muslims go back to the country of origin for spouses which limits any chance of true assimilition of this segment of the population into the larger population.
jihan
Keep in mind folks the "terrorists" like to cause fear; they have their fear mongering all over the Internet in fake news sites, fake charities (money going to America's enemies( with fake names, sometimes linked to real email addressess designed to stuff email boxes with complaints to the wrong place as an act of revenge or tom foolery.
Drug Cartellers, Intl criminal fat cats, Anarchists, Communists, Islamofascists, Globalists, Iranian, N. Korian, Syrian, stock market gamblers, and every other malcontent and dissident with nothing better to do seems to be involved. Don't fall for it and be very, very careful and if I were you I wouldn't give money over the Internet unless you were POSITIVE where the money is going.
And Condaleeza Rice should NOT testify, under oath in front of the Sept. 11th Commission because they have totally politicized it and it's nothing more than another sleazy Democratic (Kommunist and every other malcontent) trick to try to catch her in some of her words.
Haven't you noticed it's been one dirty trick right after another????
There will be more because these people don't know the meaning of the word "honor".
The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius.