AfricaDigest 9/22/10

[AfricaDigest Manager]

France investigates al-Qaeda claim of Niger kidnapping

French intelligence agents are looking into a claim by al-Qaeda in the
Islamic Maghreb to have kidnapped seven foreign workers at a uranium
mine in Niger.
A statement purportedly by the militant group said it would issue
demands to the French government "shortly" and warned it against
"anything stupid".
France has sent troops to hunt for the hostages, five of whom are
French. The others are from Togo and Madagascar.
They were last seen heading towards Niger's borders with Mali and
Algeria.
Two of the French nationals were employees of the French nuclear
energy firm, Areva, which operates the mine near Arlit.
The other five hostages worked for a subsidiary of the French
construction company, Vinci, which was a subcontractor there.
'Blessed operation'

In an audio statement broadcast by al-Jazeera on Tuesday, a spokesman
for al-Qaeda's North African offshoot said a group led by Sheikh Abou
Zaid had managed to evade the tight security in place at Arlit and
kidnapped "five French nuclear experts" early on Thursday.
"The men were able to attack the mine at Arlit, which is considered
one the world's most important sources of uranium that France has been
stealing from for decades," Salah Abou Mohammed said.
"We claim responsibility for this blessed operation and tell the
French government that the mujahideen will inform it with their
legitimate demands at a later time."
"We also warn them from doing anything stupid," he added.

The French Defence Council later met at the Elysee Palace to discuss
the statement, which has not yet been authenticated.
Niger's government said evidence suggested the kidnappers were
affiliated to Abou Zaid, the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
(AQIM) in northern Mali.

On Monday, France said it had dispatched 80 military personnel to
Niger's capital, Niamey, to help search for the hostages.
Long-range Breguet Atlantique aircraft and a Mirage jet, equipped with
sophisticated monitoring equipment, were also sent.
The hostages and their captors were last seen heading towards
Inabangaret, an important well and stopping point in north-western
Niger.
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), an offshoot of the Islamist
militant group, is active in the region and has kidnapped French and
other European nationals in the past.

In July, the group announced that it had executed a 78-year-old
retired French engineer it was holding hostage in Mali, after a raid
by the French and Mauritanian armed forces failed to free him.
The following month, the Spanish government is believed to have paid
millions of euros to free two of its nationals seized by AQIM in
Mauritania.
Niger is the world's sixth biggest producer of uranium, and the
radioactive heavy metal is its main export. Areva gets much of its
uranium from the two mines it operates in the country, Arlit and
Imouraren.
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'Lost' frogs found after decades
By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News

A mission aimed at rediscovering amphibian species thought to be
extinct has yielded its first results.
Conservationists have turned up live specimens of two West African
frogs and a cave-dwelling salamander from Mexico.
The salamander was last seen in 1941, and was rediscovered by
abseiling into caves deep in the forest.
The expeditions are partially designed to bring attention to the
plight of amphibians around the world, with a third of species at risk
of extinction.
"It's pretty extraordinary to think about just how long it has been
since these animals were last seen," observed project co-ordinator
Robin Moore of Conservation International (CI).
"The last time that the Mexican salamander was seen, Glenn Miller was
one of the world's biggest stars.

"The Omaniundu reed frog disappeared the year that Sony sold its first
ever Walkman."
The expeditions, formally launched last month, collectively aim to
find out whether 100 species thought extinct are in fact still alive.
The West African species - the Omaniundu reed frog (Hyperolius
sankuruensis) from Democratic Republic of Congo, last seen in 1979,
and the Mount Nimba reed frog (Hyperolius nimbae) from Ivory Coast,
unknown since 1967 - are particularly intriguing, as both countries
are subject to fairly intensive habitat loss.

As the human footprint expands, many amphibians are being pushed back
into marginal areas, such as the Mexican cave system where the cave
splayfoot salamander (Chiropterotriton mosaueri) turned up.
There had been no sightings of this salamander since its initial
discovery in 1941.
It was thought to need humid caves, and conservationists feared it had
been wiped out as the forests dried out after extensive logging.
"These are fantastic finds and could have important implications for
people as well as for amphibians," said Dr Moore.
"We don't know whether study of these animals could provide new
medicinal compounds - as other amphibians have - and at least one of
these animals lives in an area that is important to protect as it
provides drinking water to urban areas.
"But these rediscovered animals are the lucky ones - many other
species we have been looking for have probably gone for good."

The re-discovery mission is scheduled to produce its final tally
before October's summit of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity,
to be held in Nagoya, Japan.
There, governments will discuss the human factors that are pushing
many plant and animal species towards extinction, with amphibians in
the vanguard.
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Somalia's Prime Minister Sharmarke resigns

Somalia's prime minister has resigned amid a power struggle with the
country's president.
President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's UN-backed government is battling
Islamist group al-Shabab for control of the capital, Mogadishu.
Correspondents say his squabbling with the prime minister has hampered
the fight against the insurgents.
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke has been under intense pressure to
resign for some months.
He said he had been "unable to work with the president".

The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Somalia says little is likely to
change on the ground as a result of the resignation.
However, he said it could come as a blow to the insurgents who were
happy for the political turmoil to continue.
Islamist militants now control most of southern and central Somalia
and the government, backed by African Union peacekeepers, runs only a
few parts of the capital.

Somalia has been wracked by conflict ever since President Siad Barre
was ousted in 1991.
But insurgents from the al-Qaeda linked al-Shabab group have recently
intensified their campaign. Earlier this month suicide bombers
attacked Mogadishu airport, killing two African Union peacekeepers and
a number of civilians.

'Save the nation'
Mr Sharmarke said he had decided to step down in the national
interest.
"After seeing that the political turmoil between me and the president
has caused security vulnerability, I have decided to resign to save
the nation and give a chance to others," he told reporters.
President Ahmed thanked him for his "courageous decision".
The two leaders disagreed over a new draft constitution.
A vote of confidence in the prime minister had been due to take place
at the weekend but was postponed.
In May, Mr Sharmarke rejected as unconstitutional a vote by parliament
calling for him to stand down.
President Ahmed is now expected to name a new prime minister and the
current cabinet will lose their posts.
Our correspondent says his position at the head of the government will
have been boosted by the prime minister's resignation.
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South Africa police smash 'rhino horn ring'

Nine people have been arrested and are to appear in a South African
court on Wednesday for their alleged role in a rhino poaching
syndicate.
The suspects include a businessman and two veterinarians operating in
the Limpopo Province.
An official told the BBC the gang allegedly sent rhino horns to Asian
markets.
More than 200 rhinos have been killed for their horns since the
beginning of this year.
Rhino horns are sold in the black market and used in some Asian
countries for medicinal purposes.
"It is a huge breakthrough for us and we believe it will serve as a
deterrent and message to would-be smugglers that the net is closing in
on their operations," police spokesperson Col Vish Naidoo told the
BBC.

An undisclosed number of rhino horns were also seized during a raid in
Musina, on the border of Zimbabwe and South Africa, where the group
was operating.
The suspects will face charges relating to the killing, selling and
dumping of rhino carcasses, Col Naidoo said.
The men linked to "hundreds of other incidents" are to appear in
Musina magistrate's court on Wednesday.
South Africa recently tightened its anti-poaching laws but the
industry continues to thrive in the country, authorities say.
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Corruption fighter Ribadu to seek Nigeria presidency

Nigeria's former corruption fighter Nuhu Ribadu has said he will seek
to stand in January's presidential poll on behalf of the main
opposition party.
Mr Ribadu says he wants to stand on behalf of the Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN).
He came to prominence as head of the country's anti-corruption agency
before being sidelined in 2007.
Several prominent Nigerians have recently announced they will stand.
However, the poll may be postponed.
On Sunday, election officials said they were looking at ways to delay
the poll so they could work on a credible voters' roll.

The BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos says Mr Ribadu's entrance into
Nigeria's presidential race will be met with excitement.
While many Nigerians will celebrate, some will be very worried, she
says.
Our reporter says many people see Mr Ribadu as a folk-hero, who
infuriated powerful politicians.
However his enemies say his investigations were politically motivated.
Mr Ribadu returned from exile in June, after saying he had fled
because attempts had been made on his life.
Our reporter says that in the past, senior ACN figures have faced
accusations of corruption, so it will be very difficult for Mr Ribadu
to allow the party to bankroll his campaign.

Nigeria's previous elections have been marred by widespread violence
and allegations of fraud.
The election had been set for January, partly to allow legal
challenges to be completed before the inauguration in May.
Election officials say that even if the election date is changed, the
swearing-in will still take place in May.
Mr Jonathan has promised to introduce electoral reforms, but
correspondents say it will be difficult to implement radical changes
before January.
Keenly contested race

Several heavyweight figures are vying for the presidential nomination
for the governing People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Kwara state governor Abubakar Bukola Saraki has become the latest
candidate in the PDP race.
He joins President Goodluck Jonathan, former presidential security
advisor Aliyu Gusau, former military leader Gen Ibrahim Babangida and
ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The PDP has won all of Nigeria's elections since military rule ended
in 1999 and its candidate will be seen as the favourite for next
year's poll.
However, it could face splits along north-south lines.
All candidates, except Mr Jonathan, are northern Muslims.
The PDP has a tradition of alternating power between the north and the
mainly Christian and animist south for two terms each.
Under this unwritten rule, the party's candidate in 2011 should be a
northerner.
Kano state governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has said he wishes to
stand for the opposition All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP).
Former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari is seeking to become the
presidential candidate for the opposition Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC).
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Confusion is a word we have invented for an order which is not
understood. -Henry Miller, writer (1891-1980)
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