Belouar has Canadian and European hostages: AFP

Leader of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) is holding the two Canadian and four European tourists kidnapped in Niger, AFP said Saturday citing a Malian source.

• “The hostages — the Canadians and the Europeans — are in the hands of Moctar Ben Moctar nicknamed Belaouar, one of the leaders the GSPC in the southern region,” said the same source.
• He confirmed earlier reports that the terrorist organization had demanded the release of two Mauritian members currently held in one of the countries of the Sahel region that includes Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Algeria, Libya and Chad.
• The same source revealed almost two weeks ago that there was a video tape showing the Canadian hostages one of whom is Robert Fowler, the UN Secretary General’s special envoy to Niger.
• The two Canadians disappeared in Niger in mid-December while the four European tourists were kidnapped last month on the Mali-Niger border.
• Earlier confessions of arrested terrorists show that Moctar Ben Moctar is interested in Mauritania and hiding logistic means including ammunition and fuel in Mauritania.
• It is believed that he had links with his step brothers in Mali.