SA sounds al-Qaeda warning
2005-08-29 22:18
Cape Town - Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils warned on Monday that al-Qaeda members were possibly trying to set up networks in southern Africa and that it would be easy for them to attack African harbours.
"There are groups in Africa that claim to be part of al-Qaeda and other structures and here in southern Africa they have been discovered seeking refuge and quite possible attempting to set up networks," he told a naval conference in Cape Town.
"There is nothing to stop terrorists attacking a maritime target in Africa, along our busy sea lanes or in our harbours," he added.
With sub-Saharan Africa's coastline of about 18 000km, it was vital that African countries shared intelligence and co-ordinated surveillance and reconnaissance activities, he said.
"We must also note the potential for terrorist groups to use the sea... Africa is not immune to this," Kasrils said.
"The challenge to us is to develop our maritime power, our naval power, to a level where this continent will no longer be an easy target... and to discourage adventures by foreign actors be they states or non-state groups such as international terrorists, narcotics smugglers or mercenaries."
Admirals and other leading naval officers and experts from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania are meeting in Cape Town until Wednesday to discuss maritime co-operation, naval participation in peace keeping, and security.
"The growth on the offshore oil and gas industry will present a whole new set of lucrative targets to these criminals, and of course also to terrorist groups," Kasrils said.
Earlier this month Zambia repatriated to Britain Haroon Aswat, 30, reportedly wanted in connection with last month's deadly bomb attacks in London.
He has been named in US and British media reports as the alleged mastermind behind July 7 terrorist blasts in London that killed 56 people, including the four suicide bombers.