The interior minister blamed an al Qaeda sleeper cell for the Christmas Eve killing of four French tourists. “The cowardly act of violence toward the French tourists was an act of terrorism,” said Interior Minister Alassane. “There are sleeper cells in Mauritania and one of them committed this act.” Two members of al Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb are said to be behind the killings, and are believed to have crossed the border into Senegal.
