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France Takes Part in Raid on Al-Qaida Group

   VOA News 23 July 2010

   France  says  it  provided support to Mauritanian troops in a military
   operation  against  an  al-Qaida  group  suspected of holding a French
   national hostage since April.
   The  French Defense Ministry said logistical and technical support was
   given  to  Mauritanian  troops  in  the  raid targeting members of the
   al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb.
   Earlier, the Spanish daily El Pais reported French soldiers killed six
   militants  but  found  no  sign  of  the  hostage,  78-year-old Michel
   Germaneu, or the base where he was believed to be held. Â
   Al-Qaida  in  Islamic  Maghreb  gave  France  15  days from July 12 to
   arrange a prisoner exchange for Germaneau.  Â
   The  group is also holding two Spanish aid workers, Albert Vilalta and
   Roque  Pascual,  kidnapped  in  November  2009.   It   is accused of
   killing a British hostage a year ago. Â
   The  group said in an Internet statement that French President Nicolas
   Sarkozy  would  be  responsible  for  Germaneau's life and that if Mr.
   Sarkozy  did  not  respond, he will have committed "the same folly" as
   former  British  Prime  Minister  Gordon  Brown.   The al-Qaida group
   killed  British  captive  Edwin Dyer last year after London refused to
   yield to its demands.
   Germaneau  and  his  Algerian driver were kidnapped in the vast desert
   region  near  Niger's  border  with  Algeria  and Mali in April.  The
   driver was released later that month.
   The  U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group reported in May that the North
   African branch of al-Qaida had issued a statement saying it would free
   Germaneau in exchange for the release of its members jailed in France.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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