Terrorism Bulletin Says Highlighting Al Qaeda Racism Could Deter African Recruits
EmailA National Counter Terrorism Center terrorism bulletin from October 2009 makes the argument that highlighting al Qaeda racism could deter black African recruits, thus shedding a light on a recent charge by the White House that al Qaeda is racist, as first reported by ABC News earlier this month.
The Oct. 19, 2009 “National Terrorism Bulletin,” obtained by ABC News, is headlined “Highlighting AQIM’s Racism Could Deter Black African Recruits.”
AQIM is an acronym for Al Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, a terrorist group based in Algeria that the NCTC says was “originally formed in 1998 as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), a faction of the Armed Islamic Group, which was the largest and most active terrorist group in Algeria. The GSPC was renamed in January 2007 after the group officially joined al-Qa‘ida in September 2006. The GSPC had close to 30,000 members at its height, but the Algerian Government’s counterterrorism efforts have reduced the group’s ranks to fewer than 1,000.”
The NCTC concluded that a “strategic communications campaign that spotlights the cultural and racial insensitivities” that AQIM “holds towards blacks in North and West Africa probably would hinder the group’s growing efforts to attract black recruits in those areas. Widespread discrimination against black Africans is a contentious issue in North and West Africa, particularly in regions where slavery still exists…”
The bulletin says that some recruits “claimed that AQIM was clearly racist against some black members from West Africa because they were only sent against lower-level targets.”
Moreover, the bulletin reports that AQIM leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar in August 2009 stated “he wanted to attract black African recruits because they would agree more readily than Arabs to becoming suicide bombers and because poor economic and social conditions made them ripe for recruitment.”
On July 13, President Obama commented on the Uganda bombings by Al Shabbab, a terrorist group in Somalia that has ties to al Qaeda, telling the South African Broadcasting Corporation that, “what you've seen in some of the statements that have been made by these terrorist organizations is that they do not regard African life as valuable in and of itself.”
Elaborating on the president’s comments, a White House official told ABC News that the message was: "al Qaeda is a racist organization that treats black Africans like cannon fodder and does not value human life."
The NCTC analyst suggested that “highlighting AQIM’s preferential treatment of Arabs and exploitation of blacks probably would resonate with the local black populations. Some black Africans probably would be receptive to messages comparing AQIM’s treatment of black Africans to the condition of slave castes in their countries. … Nearly 500,000 black Mauritanians, 43,000 black Nigerians, and 7,000 black Malians are enslaved from birth, often by Arabs or white Moors.”
– Jake Tapper
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage 
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
“Highlighting Al Qaeda Racism Could Deter African Recruits” – ABC News
I’m sure that’s true for the fence sitting moderate African Muslims but it, without a doubt, will push others off the fence to the AL Qaeda side because our President spoke negatively about the Jihad and it’s leaders.
For me, who cares.
They are going to hate us enough to have suicide fighters no matter what we do.
What difference does it make if they have 1000 recruits one month, 1500 another month and 800 in yet another month.
This race component is small small potatoes.
Posted by: Noz | July 24, 2010, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
he wanted to attract black African recruits because they would agree more readily than Arabs to becoming suicide bombers and because poor economic and social conditions made them ripe for recruitment.”
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Possibly this reading of the situation made our intelligence agencies miss the fact that the very wealthy Abdulmutallab had been recruited to bomb us on Christmas day.
Posted by: MayBee | July 24, 2010, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
I don’t understand why a greater counter-propaganda effort has not been made before now. There are a lot of areas in which al-Qaeda works against Islam’s teachings, where Imam’s in Spain and other places have officially condemned (fatwa) al-Qaeda leaders, etc.
Posted by: The_Mick | July 24, 2010, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
You think that’s bad, you should see what they do to their women. From genital mutilation during childhood to having to wear a potato sack over their heads for the rest of their lives; if they complain, they get stoned to death by a cheering crowd of cretins.
And the list goes on and on, everybody knows that in Muslimland women are inferior beings, just one grade above animals, who don’t even get to eat with their masters, the men, because they are dirty and impure!
Recruit, quotha? I think the people should stand up and rebel to overthrown their tyrannical slave-masters. Or should they be quiet, bow their heads and abide; expecting to surreptitiously corrupt and undermine their husbands’ authority, hoping that, somehow, they’ll grow old and fat and friendly, and just forget to beat them anymore?
Some people would rather live in freedom, or die trying. Others are quite content to live on their knees, shame on them!
Posted by: John S. Mill | July 24, 2010, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
Elaborating on the president’s comments, a White House official told ABC News that the message was: “al Qaeda is a racist organization that treats black Africans like cannon fodder and does not value human life.”
Yep. And they’re also terrorists. That means they will kill ANYONE regardless of color. That means they will recruit anyone regardless of color. That means they will capture and use for bait anyone regardless of color. Get it through your heads folks, they aren’t into the “racial thing”, they are into the Islamic, power grab, rule the world thing.
If you read the quote from above article:
Moreover, the bulletin reports that AQIM leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar in August 2009 stated “he wanted to attract black African recruits because they would agree more readily than Arabs to becoming suicide bombers and because poor economic and social conditions made them ripe for recruitment.”
You’ll notice that Belmokhtar said “because poor economic and social conditions made them ripe for recruitment.” I gather he is saying that financial indicators and way of life are the driving forces, not race.
Regardless, recruitment for Al Qaeda in any way, shape or form in disgusting. But for the Obama team to grab at straws and go the “race card” route isn’t much better.
Posted by: Shoe | July 24, 2010, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm
You know, If the United States had applied its strategic psychological abilities,along with Israel, towards creating a peaceful mid east, by now we would all be well on our way to a peaceful world….ditto for North Korea and ditto for any other enemies we have acquired through our greed, and delusions of grandeur(AND GROTESQUELY ALIVE RACISM JUST BELOW THE SURFACE)… As for Blacks being considered fodder by Al Qada…well I really dont know much of what Al Qada considers anything…but it seems to me there are an awful lot of Blacks fighting with the Muslim extremists, and hardly any fighting for us….wonder why? IN MY HONEST OPINION….IF THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL WANTED PEACE IN THE MID EAST THEY COULD HAVE IT….IF THE US WANTED PEACE IN ASIA, THEY COULD HAVE IT…THE GREED AND DELUSIONS JUST KEEP GETTING IN THE WAY AND ITS HONESTLY KILLING US!!!!!! TRILLIONS DOWN THE DRAIN FOR NOTHING BUT STUPIDITY. JUST SHEER STUPIDITY THAT IN THE END WILL ACCOMPLISH ABOUT AS MUCH AS VIETNAM DID FOR US, BUT WITH FAR FAR WORSE CONSEQUENCES!
Posted by: Pete | July 24, 2010, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
When the right wing, in the person of Limbaugh and his peers, heard of president’s staff making the statement as reported by Tapper, they immediately took it to mean it was another form of Obama’s hatred of Whites and his innate racism.
These right-wingers should give consideration and due dilengce to their acts of pushing disenfrancised hispanic and black minorities toward outlets such as al Qaeda and 1311 gangs.
The Limbaughs’ and Hannitys’ may be gaining market share amongst their Lemmings, but they may be doing it at the expense of creating racial and terrorist havoc within this country.
For every action the right wing takes to inflame their groups, it also does the same to the other side that is being used as fodder. It is those groups who already feel theya do not have skin in the game which graviate toward the radicals.
My fear, in this copy cat world, as evidenced by recent car bombings in Mexico, is once the methodolgy of violence begins there is no stopping it.
We are more lucky than we know to have a multi-racial president in the whitehouse at this time. His presence slows the temptation to move in the anti-American direction by minority indiviuals within this country, which is the foot hold al Qaeda seeks to exploit.
Posted by: Patrik | July 24, 2010, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm
Yes they’re playing the race card as a propaganda tool against al Qaeda recruitment in Africa. If anybody is clutching at straws it’s right-wingers trying to think up ways to criticize it.
Posted by: Skip | July 24, 2010, 9:10 pm 9:10 pm
When is ABC and the rest of the mainstream media going to run a story on the Op Ed piece Senator James “Jim” Webb (D-VA) ran in the Wall Street Journal, where he uses divisive and racist language to castigate affirmative action programs. Maybe I missed the NAACP’s rapid response and the condemnation by the Obama Administration, The New York Times, the Washington Post MSNBC, CNN, and CBS. Or, maybe Senator Webb’s vicious attack of affirmative action programs, using racist language, is acceptable to the liberal mainstream media and the NAACP because he (Webb) is a democrat who won his seat because of racially insensitive remarks by his opponent (former Senator Allen).
Posted by: SelmaAla | July 24, 2010, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
Ha ha ha…I cannot believe this is news…This is like pointing out the fact that Jeffrey Dahmer ate with his mouth opened…nevermind that he was eating his victims…can I ask, who doesn’t know that Al Qaeda discriminates?? They are psycho, radical terrorist. I guess now that they have been deemed ‘racist’ the liberals will begin to take them as a serious threat…Liberal media is a joke
Posted by: geoffssmallen | July 24, 2010, 10:18 pm 10:18 pm
“what you’ve seen in some of the statements that have been made by these terrorist organizations is that they do not regard African life as valuable in and of itself.”…President Obama, THEY DO NOT SEE ANY LIFE, AFRICAN, AMERICAN, ASIAN, CUBAN, CANADIAN, etc. etc. AS VALUABLE!! This is a joke, right?? I mean, our president didn’t just come to realize that they don’t use a code of ethics within these jihad groups?? This president is a joke
Posted by: geoffssmallen | July 24, 2010, 10:24 pm 10:24 pm
Mr President, have ya seen any of the videos, beheadings, things of that nature??? Probably have, but those aren’t important…But it is important that they discriminate against Africans…To all the Obama lovers out there, TAKE HIM…if you want to back this idiot up, go right ahead
Posted by: geoffssmallen | July 24, 2010, 10:27 pm 10:27 pm
Using race as a tool to divide people and organizations is not limited to this administrations foreign policy.
As for Al Qaeda, anyone that can server their jihad is expendable. Those that are loyal to the jihad are expendable; with a promise of great rewards that are limited to the imaginations of their mentors. Their distinction between cannon fodder and loyal subjects is irrelevant. Even as their concern for race is none existent since their motivating strength is the fear of being expendable or a hope for salvation through martyrdom.
The use of race when dealing with Al Qaeda can only prejudice Africans against Arabs.
And its use domestically is a cruel attempt to divide Americans and give credence to a small number of people associating themselves with groups that fear irrelevance. The racial healing over the many decades has been genuinely sought for by an overwhelming majority of Americans. It is very disheartening that a political ideology has decided to use race as a divisive means to retain or gain power over the American people.
Posted by: TX-MBell | July 25, 2010, 1:02 am 1:02 am
We are more lucky than we know to have a multi-racial president in the whitehouse at this time. His presence slows the temptation to move in the anti-American direction by minority indiviuals within this country, which is the foot hold al Qaeda seeks to exploit.
Posted by: Patrik | Jul 24, 2010 7:32:32 PM
This is complete fantasy on your part. You have no proof that Obama’s presence has slowed down recruitment or the “temptation to move in the anti-American direction” (whatever that means) in America. It is just wishful thinking and assumption.
Posted by: MM | July 25, 2010, 4:29 am 4:29 am
pushing disenfrancised hispanic and black minorities toward outlets such as al Qaeda and 1311 gangs.
Btw, Patrik, when I ask what groups, I mean more specific than the generic terms you used in blacks and hispanics. Let’s see some hard facts.
Posted by: MM | July 25, 2010, 4:40 am 4:40 am
Posted by: TX-MBell | Jul 25, 2010 1:02:07 AM
As Morgan Freeman says, “Stop talking about it.”
Posted by: MM | July 25, 2010, 4:44 am 4:44 am
And as Alan West says, “if you stick a knife in me, I’ll bleed red, white and blue.”
Posted by: MM | July 25, 2010, 4:46 am 4:46 am
“al Qaeda is a racist organization that treats black Africans like cannon fodder and does not value human life.” – White House official
Al Qaeda doesn’t value hardly anyone’s life.
How many of the 911 terrorists were Black Africans?
Why didn’t Al Qaeda use cannon fodder for those missions?
This latest play of a race card isn’t really about Al Qaeda or their racism.
What’s going on is the USA is profiling Arabs and Muslims and watching out for them in order to stop terrorist acts here in the USA. Common knowledge. Al Qaeda has figured out that if they can recruit some Black Africans then it will be easier to get them in to the USA. This administration does not want to profile Black Africans, heck look at the extremes they are going to regarding Mexicans. The NoBo admin is worried about Al Qaeda getting too many Black Africans so they are playing their Psycho Games to try and keep that from happening. It won’t work, it’s too easy to see through it all. Heck I did.
Posted by: Noz | July 25, 2010, 7:47 am 7:47 am
When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
Posted by: mesquito | July 25, 2010, 11:56 am 11:56 am
First – race is a weapon of the democrats to divide Americans and conquer.
Second – Seriously, this is an excellent weapon to use against our enemies. First of all, no way Obama would have done this on his own. Some mid level staff came up with this and it should work. Saddam did the same thing in the Iran/Iraq war. The argument of Muslim vs. Muslim shouldnt happen was repackaged as Arab vs. Persian.
The US should use ever weapon it has to disrupt and destroy Al-Qaeda.
Posted by: John | July 25, 2010, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm
yeah – calling everyone that disagrees with this admin a racist is working out so well, why not use it against AQ. these dopes are getting stupider. i should say acting stupidly-er maybe. jimmy carter is really going to be breathing a lot easier in a couple years. (if not already) he wont be the worst president in the last 50 years anymore. but on the bright side, this admin is the FUNNIEST i have ever seen. and i’ve seen about 10 or so. if they weren’t so damn inept and dangerous they would be comedy gold.
Posted by: fred1962 | July 25, 2010, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
The administration is so out of touch with reality that it aims to divide what is indivisible.
Intelligence reports may think that a divisive policy will work when we know that race is not the binding factor that unites these terrorists.
It’s RELIGION and its name is Islam. One quote from the Quran or the Hadith and a whole truckload of these terrorists will have one common goal -the destruction of anything perceived as un-Islamic.
The hordes of young men that join these organisations are already marginilized in their own societies, unemployed or have members in the families who have “martyred” themselves and they buy into the fiery speeches their clerics preach on Fridays that all their sufferings are due to America and all things un-Islamic emanates from America.
It is this Administration’s incredibly infantile, naive and disconnected understanding of why these men take up arms that is going to doom us all sooner or later.
Radical Islam is not something you fight against with emotional software and platitudes of your own but with hardware and secure borders.
To they think they can simply say AQ is racist and expect men to not join in the jihadists’ goal of global Islamic domination if not for it’s incredulity is truly laughable, but it’s not funny because the threat that the world faces is no laughing matter.
Wise up Mr. President, let’s no try to pacify, pretend that these people are not so bad afterall and attempt to build bridges with them because, Mr. President, you will only be greeted with someone who has strapped a bunch of TNT on them to blow up that bridge!
Posted by: MentisMortis | July 25, 2010, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
The idol worshippers in the WH/MSM were convinced that Obama’s charm would be enough to change hearts. Surely the first black (biracial) president could convince other blacks to not join AlQ.
Now that reality has slapped them in the face the WH resorts to their favorite tactic–call the opposition racist. Obama doesn’t like to call AlQ terrorist so he’ll call them racist.
Why not just accuse AlQ of being in the Tea Party. Then the MSM will use that in their talking points.
Posted by: mick | July 25, 2010, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
I think Obama himself is quite a recruitment tool for AlQaeda. He brags about his Muslim ties–which he avoided like the plague in the campaign.
If Muslims see him as one of their own, yet he is the one continuing two wars in Muslim countries, stepping up drone attacks that kill civilians, and has continued most of Bush’s policies.
And to top it off GITMO is still open.
Posted by: ollie | July 25, 2010, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
It might mean a little more if it wasn’t coming from a closet racist in Barack Hussein Obama.
ABC knows that Black Liberation Theory is a racist marxist ideology.
ABC knows that Trinity and Jeremiah Wright are Black Liberation organs.
ABC knows that Barack Obama “baptized” children into this vile “faith” and that Barack\Michele Obama donated funds to Trinity to spread this vileness.
Barack Obama is a David Duke clone and you leftists elected him President.
Posted by: LogicalSC | July 25, 2010, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
Maybe family members of the Lockerbie victims will want to ask why he claimed to have been “surprised” at the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, when he knew all along he was being released.
His lying is getting to the point of being unignorable.
Posted by: tanarg | July 25, 2010, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
So they’re taking to that road with that racism claim and expecting the world to shake in their boots. Of course AQ is racist. The whole world is racist, prejudiced, bigoted… They just don’t preach about it 24/7.
Posted by: smartlillena | July 26, 2010, 7:21 am 7:21 am
IDIOTS…Al Qaeda is racist. The word for slave and black man are the same in Arabic. Muhammad himself said that “the darker a man’s skin, the darker his soul.” Blacks are still kept as slaves throughout Africa and the Middle East. And Al Qaeda supports the genocide against black MUSLIMS in Darfur.
And yet 1 in 4 terrorists these days is Black. Mislead young Africans are doing the dirty work of their Arab masters. Now our president is acting on the suggestions of intelligence analysts to highlight Islamic racism. And he is using the bully pulpit of being the first African-American president to appeal to the African masses to shun Al Qaeda. It is a bold and gutsy move, and it could alienate Somalians and others from them.
Yet somehow, the Hannitybots manage to attack him and accuse him of “playing the race card.” If it works to kill terrorists, good! Even if you dislike him, at least acknowledge the good things that he has done.
Posted by: Rajeev Kumar | July 29, 2010, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
AQ seems to fit every flipping agenda.
Racist now…next it’ll be against blue turbans or something idiotic.
The whole world is racist, governments are racist, armies are racist…Why does it matter if AQ is racist…
OB should stop name calling and actually catch OBL since it’s been how many years?
Jumping up and down shouting my family are Muslims aren’t going to make Muslims love you, you kill other Muslims which make Muslims dislike you…They don’t care if your generation are Muslims…So stop the act and actually fix these issues of AQ and the war.
Posted by: Cheri | August 5, 2010, 10:37 am 10:37 am