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Description

The United States faces an important strategic question in northwest Af- rica: what level of activity by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) would constitute a sufficient threat to U.S. national security interests a more aggressive political, intelligence, military, and law enforcement AQIM already poses the greatest immediate threat of transnational terrorism in the region, and its operational range and sophistication continue to expand. Since 2007, the group has professed its loyalty to Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda’s senior leadership and claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks in the subregion. These attacks have included the use of suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, kidnapping operations, and assassinations.

Document Type

Policy Brief

Region(s)

Africa, Northwest Africa, Sahel

Topic(s)

Terrorism and Extremism, National Security, Homeland Security

Publication Date

7-2011

Publication

Strategic Forum

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Keywords

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Islamist militant threat in Northwest Africa, Trans-Sahara terrorism, kidnapping and ransom operations, regional extremist networks, Sahel-Maghreb security environment

The Evolving Threat of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

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