Country Reports on Terrorism 2013 - Mali

Overview: The Government of Mali, both while it was led by an interim government following the March 2012 coup d'état and with a newly elected national government in 2013, has been a willing U.S. counterterrorism partner, if constrained by a number of serious challenges. In 2013, Mali was emerging from a series of events including a January 2012 rebellion in the North, a coup d'état, an attempted counter coup, and the loss of control in the northern two-thirds of the country to violent extremist groups. With the help of a French-African intervention force beginning in January 2013, and the democratic election of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2013, the terrorists were pushed out of the major northern cities, and Mali began to address the debilitating effects of the multipronged crises facing the country. The newly elected government reaffirmed longstanding support for counterterrorism cooperation and has been an advocate for enhanced regional cooperation, including through its membership in the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP).

The January international military intervention led by French Serval forces enabled the Government of Mali to gradually restore control over major northern population centers and begin to deny safe haven to terrorist groups and prevent them from further imposing extreme interpretations of Islamic law, including al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), al-Murabitoun (AMB), the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Ansar al-Dine (AAD). French forces have continued working with the Malian government to degrade remaining violent extremist elements in Mali's vast northern territories. The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission to Mali (MINUSMA) continued to work with the Malian government to facilitate the redeployment of Malian administrators and security forces to the north. Although the ongoing international military intervention has succeeded in wresting control of the north back from violent extremists, these extremist groups have maintained a foothold there and have continued to launch attacks to undermine the security and stability of Mali and its neighbors.

While assistance to Mali had been suspended following the March 2012 military coup that overthrew Mali's democratically elected government, that suspension ended on September 6, 2013, when the United States resumed development assistance to the Government of Mali after the restoration of democratic government.

2013 Terrorist Incidents: Beginning in January 2013, French Serval forces and the Malian government conducted operations in the northern regions of Kidal, Timbuktu, and Gao to counter major terrorist cells of AQIM, MUJAO, and AAD, who occupied the North of the country, held hostages on Malian soil, kidnapped foreigners, and conducted attacks targeting international and Malian military forces. Incidents linked to terrorism included:

• On September 28, suicide bombers targeting a Malian military camp in Timbuktu detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) that killed Malian civilians and injured six Malian soldiers. AQIM claimed responsibility for the attack through public media.

• On October 7 and 8, MUJAO elements reportedly launched mortar shells on two bridges in Gao. One bridge was destroyed in the attack.

• On October 23, four suicide bombers detonated improvised explosive devices targeting a Chadian contingent of MINUSMA forces near a military camp in the Kidal region. The attack resulted in the deaths of two Chadian soldiers, one Malian civilian, and the four suicide bombers. At least six others were wounded in the attack. AMB claimed responsibility for this attack through the press.

• On October 28, four French hostages who were kidnapped in Niger and held in northern Mali since 2010 were released.

• On November 2, violent extremist elements kidnapped and killed two French journalists in Kidal. AQIM claimed responsibility for murdering the journalists on November 6, through public media.

• On November 14, Sultan Ould Badi, a Malian formerly affiliated with MUJAO and currently affiliated with AMB, claimed responsibility for a VBIED that detonated at the Malian Solidarity Bank in the northern city of Kidal. The explosion killed two Senegalese MINUSMA troops and injured seven Malian Armed Forces who were guarding the bank. The perpetrator died in the bombing.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: In May, Mali's legislature enacted a new penal code intended to help counter terrorism and transnational organized crime. The new law calls for the establishment of a counterterrorism center to centralize all terrorism investigations and prosecutions. The new penal code establishes an interagency investigative brigade, analysts, and specialized prosecutors and investigative judges for terrorism offenses.

Malian law enforcement arrested some 200 individuals for crimes in connection with terrorism and rebellion against the state. No case has been successfully prosecuted as a result of these arrests by year's end. Resource constraints, a lack of training in investigative techniques, and inexperience with trying terrorism cases rendered the judicial system weak. Coming out of the post-coup environment, the lack of enforcement of laws, training, and capacity resulted in the judiciary not prosecuting terrorism cases.

French Serval Forces arrested Alhassane Ould Mohamed aka Cheibani in Gao. A Malian convicted of killing four Saudi Arabian tourists near the Mali-Niger border in 2009, Cheibani is subject to a U.S. warrant for the murder of an American citizen diplomat in Niamey in 2000.

Other examples of significant French Serval Force actions included:

• On February 25, French Serval and Chadian troops killed Abdelhamid Abou Zeid. An Algerian national and leader in AQIM, Abou Zeid was killed during military operations to eradicate terrorists from northern Mali.

• On December 9, French Serval forces engaged with AQIM elements during a large scale operation that resulted in 19 killed violent extremists in the Kidal and Timbuktu regions.

The Malian Armed Forces and Air Force under the Ministry of Defense are generally responsible for securing Mali against terrorist threats. The General Directorate of State Security under the Ministry of Security has the authority to investigate and detain persons for terrorism offenses. Law enforcement and military units do not coordinate on counterterrorism missions.

Although Mali has basic border security enforcement mechanisms, law enforcement units lack capacity, training, and mobility assets to effectively secure Mali's porous borders. The gendarmerie and national border police under the Ministry of Defense provide paramilitary support to prevent and deter criminal activity at borders. Customs officials under the Ministry of Economy and Finance monitor the flow of goods and enforce customs laws at borders and ports of entry. Mali receives Interpol notices, but the Interpol database is not available at any point of entry in Mali for law enforcement units to compare travel documents to the Interpol lists. Access to the Interpol list is restricted to senior government officials and is made available to investigators upon request. Mali has rudimentary security features in travel documents. Customs officials have travel forms to collect biographical information from travelers at airports and manifests for information on goods transiting borders. In practice, however, customs officials and border police do not log these forms into databases or compare the biographic data on forms against presented travel documents or manifests against goods possessed.

A major impediment to more effective law enforcement and border security in Mali is that security services, particularly the military, had inefficient command and control capacity after the 2012 coup d'état. Malian law enforcement units remained insufficiently resourced and trained in effective law enforcement, counterterrorism investigative techniques, and enhanced border security operations through the end of 2013.

Although Mali's law enforcement capacity needs improvement, the Government of Mali has recognized the importance of having a security force capable of securing its borders against the threats posed by terrorist elements, organized crime, and narco-trafficking. Mali's Ministry of Internal Security and Civilian Protection initiated an interagency working group December 30 to reform the security sector in Mali. With international support, Mali is working to build security forces that would operate with restored command and control within the military hierarchy. Mali also benefited from international support to enable Mali to proactively detect, deter, and prevent acts of terrorism in its territory. The 2013 EU Training Mission in Mali assisted the Ministry of Defense in elaborating a strategy for defense sector reform and reinforcing command and control within the military. The EU Training Mission provided basic training for more than 2,000 Malian soldiers. French Serval forces, in collaboration with the Malian government, apprehended terrorists during military operations that were transferred to Malian prisons for detention.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Mali is a member of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), a Financial Action Task Force-style (FATF) regional body. A recent FATF/GIABA West Africa terrorism finance typology featured two case studies from Mali: one examined the abuse of non-profit organizations that fund terrorist groups through complex financial maneuvers; and the second examined kidnapping for ransom as a means to raise funds for terrorist organizations. Kidnapping for ransom is considered a problem in Mali, and AQIM has used ransoms to fund its operations.

Mali's financial intelligence unit is the National Center for the Treatment of Financial Information (CENTIF). CENTIF is authorized by law to freeze assets for a maximum of 48 hours while conducting an investigation. The 48-hour period can be extended by a magistrate.

On December 23, CENTIF held a workshop for Malian non-profit organizations on money laundering and terrorist financing. The main impediments to improving the Malian law enforcement response to terrorist finance were a lack of coordination between CENTIF and the law enforcement community, as well as insufficient judicial capacity to transform CENTIF investigations into effective prosecutions. Mali's law enforcement capacity to freeze and confiscate assets remains unclear given that Mali has never identified or frozen any assets under Malian jurisdiction of UN-designated terrorist individuals or entities.

While Mali has the ability to track transactions through formal networks; it lacks the capacity to trace informal networks and alternative money transfer systems such as hawala. Like most West African countries, Mali relies on cash for virtually all daily transactions. While businesses are legally required to report cash transactions over US $10,000, most do not. Mali's new penal code on counterterrorism has a provision to create an interagency investigative brigade, with analysts, specialized prosecutors, and investigative judges for cases specific to terrorist financing.

For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.

Regional and International Cooperation: During the year, Mali significantly increased its cooperation with regional and international partners both militarily and politically. Mali is active in regional organizations and international bodies including the Economic Community Of West African States, the UN, and the AU. Mali is a member of the TSCTP and also participated in the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).

The AU created a follow-up and support group for the political and security situation in Mali and has held six meetings in Mali with international partners on enhancing international cooperation to bring political stability and security in Mali.

Countering Radicalization to Violence and Violent Extremism: The Government of Mali initiated activities to counter violent extremism. In November, Mali held a National Dialogue on the north in November to foster national reconciliation, address the grievances of populations, and identify measures to reduce instances of violence in the north. As one of the first acts of the newly elected president, Mali established a new Ministry for National Reconciliation and Development of Northern Regions. This third-highest ranking cabinet ministry held inter-community dialogues in northern regions to address inter-ethnic tensions and to resolve local conflict. Mali participated in GCTF meetings and is seeking to become a pilot country for grass-roots projects to counter violent extremism.

Mali used counternarratives to denigrate terrorist propaganda and established a mechanism to amplify voices of victims of terrorism. Malian officials and prominent religious leaders routinely condemn violent extremist ideology and terrorist acts. Most Malians practice a tolerant form of Sufi Islam; as a general matter, violent extremist ideologies have not found a receptive audience among Malians. In October, Malian imams began participation in a five-year Moroccan program to train 500 imams in peace messaging and computer literacy.