An Al Qaeda affiliate in northern Africa has vowed to avenge the deaths of Muslim Uighurs in China by targeting Chinese workers in Africa. The World’s Gerry Hadden explains. Listen

Unrest in western China

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JEB SHARP: A group calling itself Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, appears to be calling for attacks against Chinese living and working in North Africa. Several web sites have published the threats which call for revenge against the killing of Uighers in Xinjiang.   From Rabat, Morocco, The World’s Gerry Hadden assesses the threats.

GERRY HADDEN: For al-Qaeda, the Chinese have long been incidental in their jihadist fight in the Middle East and beyond. Justin Crump heads terrorism analysis at Sterling Assynt, a London based security firm.  Crump says his sources suggest that Al Qaeda’s North African offshoot, has decided to make the Chinese direct targets, to avenge Uigher deaths in recent weeks.

JUSTIN CRUMP: So it’s an autonomous decision but it reflects, you know, what’s going on.  And as such they’re tapping into a grassroots sort of mentality of anger over what’s seen as a slight to fellow Muslims.

GERRY HADDEN: Crump won’t say how he learned of al-Qaeda’s decision, but he says online chatter has spiked on al-Qaeda related websites.  He says the threat to the tens of thousands of Chinese living and working in North Africa is real.

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GERRY HADDEN: In the capital of Morocco, Rabat, Chinese immigrants tend to own restaurants, or small clothing stores like this one in the city’s main bazaar.  The Chinese owner here is so new to town that he doesn’t speak Arabic or even French, but his employee, Faiza, is a local resident.  Faiza says he’s not worried about Al Qaeda targeting his employer.

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GERRY HADDEN: “I don’t think it will happen,” he says, “the Chinese are not push-overs, you know? If they feel that their interests are threatened they won’t hesitate to strike back.” Faiza’s sense of security is not uncommon in Morocco, where al-Qaeda has not pulled off a major attack in several years.  But next door in Algeria, some 50 thousand Chinese are working and living.  Last month Al Qaeda attacked a convoy of Chinese workers, killing one of them and 18 of their security guards.  Scott Stuart is an analyst with Stratfor, a U.S. based global intelligence company.  He says he doesn’t think this week’s reports that al-Qaeda will target the Chinese marks an important change in the situation.

SCOTT STUART: And, you know, and quite frankly in Algeria, they are working in the mountains to the east of Algiers, which is quite hostile territory for anyone.  And, you know, there really doesn’t need any statement to tell them they’re in danger.

GERRY HADDEN: Local Moroccan newspaper editor, Mustafa Khalfi, isn’t so sure. He says the Chinese need to move quickly to diffuse a potentially explosive situation in the Magreb.

MUSTAFA KHALFI: The government of China has great responsibility in managing and addressing this issue without having a genuine policy, a new policy, to recognize and to respond to the demand of the Muslims within China. I think the situation will be worse.

GERRY HADDEN: The Chinese today have made appeals to the Muslim world, trying to assure it that they’re treating their Muslims fairly. For The World, I’m Gerry Hadden in Rabat, Morocco.

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