Al-Qaida Missile Manual in Mali Uncovered

An Al-Qaida missile manual has been uncovered in Mali. According to The Associated Press, the manual is used in the training of Al-Qaida fighters in the region. The documents were recovered from an abandoned Al-Qaida building in Timbuktu. The content of the document, however, is greatly concerning. The manual demonstrates the use of a surface-to-air missile capable of taking down commercial aircraft.

The missile in question is the SA-7, known within the Pentagon as “The Grail”. The manual also demonstrated that Al-Qaida fighters were being taught to properly use Man Portable Air Defense Systems, potentially recovered from the armaments of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The existence of the manual heavily suggets Al-Qaida possesses the weapons, unless the training was a “what if” scenario.

The U.S has long been concerned with Al-Qaida getting their hands on a surface to air missile. Worries had been voiced from 2006 onward, and, in 2011, the arms of Libyan dictator Gadhafi were sought. The caches were later found looted.

The Al-Qaida missile manual could well be excerpted from a greater “terrorist encyclopedia” that was edited partly by Osama Bin-Laden himself. The page numbering of the manual suggests this link.

The evidence for the missile in the manual has changed the manner in which the French are conducting their operations in the country. Flights and airports are being given careful attention. Should the U.N stage a peacekeeping mission in Mali, they would likely have to copy the French security efforts.

The SA-1 missile was introduced in the 1960s by the Soviet Union. Portability was at the heart of its design. The weapon has proved easy to use, but its effects on aircraft have been disastrous. The manual contained photographs of past usage, and detailed instructions. Its pages were left behind as Al-Qaida fled the French, but the knowledge and weapon may well have gone with the fighters.

Those acting in Mali will undoubtedly have to keep security tight, especially if the Al-Qaida missile manual has truly indicated that a surface to air missile has fallen into the wrong hands.