Nigeria’s ill president Yar’Adua to “hand-over power” to VP, after 74 days of Nigerians pondering constitutional succession

Nigeria’s ill president Yar’Adua to “hand-over power” to VP, after 70 days of Nigerians pondering his whereabouts and constitutional succession questions Special to USAfricaonline.com and Nigeria360 e-group Lagos, Nigeria, Feb. 6 (UPI) — Ailing Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua will hand over power to his vice president, the BBC reported Saturday. The British broadcaster said the president’s [...]

Battling for life and death in Western Sahara. By Stefan Simanowitz

A day that had begun with Haidar’s hospitalisation ended with the 42-year old mother of two being flown home to her family without having made any concessions to the Moroccans. Her homecoming was, in her own words, a victory for ‘international law, for human rights, for international justice” but it was also significant in that it was the first time in the 34 year history of the conflict that the international community had effectively intervened in Western Sahara to persuade Morocco to adhere to its obligations under international law.

Realities of Nigeria’s diminishing relevance to U.S., Africa. By Princeton Lyman

Nigeria is today NOT making a major impact, on its region, or on the African Union or on the big problems of Africa that it was making before. Now, of course, on the negative side, the collapse of Nigeria would be enormous, but is that a point to make Nigeria strategically important?… But I wonder if all this emphasis on Nigeria’s importance creates a tendency to inflate Nigeria’s opinion of its own invulnerability. Among much of the elite today, I have the feeling that there is a belief that Nigeria is too big to fail, too important to be ignored, and that Nigerians can go on ignoring some of the most fundamental challenges they have – many of which we have talked about: disgraceful lack of infrastructure, the growing problems of unemployment, the failure to deal with the underlying problems in the Niger Delta, the failure to consolidate democracy – and somehow will remain important to everybody because of all those reasons that are strategically important.

Obama on Mutallab U.S. intelligence flaws: ‘buck stops with me’

President Obama said the plot was “not the fault of a single individual or organization, but rather a systemic failure across organizations and agencies.”

Abdul Mutallab gets indicted for terror plot

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Nigeria, U.S. and Mutallab terrorism issues: Voice of America’s interview of USAfrica’s Chido Nwangwu.

“Egypt holds a significant number of radical Islamic zealots. (Ayman) Al-Zawahiri, one of the twin leaders of al-Qaida, is an Egyptian. There are radical elements in Egypt. They were not listed. So the Obama administration needs to look a little further. I know they are being sensitive to the fact that the young man was in a transition movement,” he explained.

To counter tighter restrictions, Nwangwu points out that what he calls “evil geniuses” will continue to devise creative, innovative ways to get around the regulations. The Houston journalist says he supports international efforts to plug the loopholes. But also recalling that the September, 2001 attacks all originated within the United States, he contends that there is no substitute for stepped-up vigilance on all possible front.

Father of Nigerian-born terrorist Mutallab unlikely to attend Jan 8 trial in Detroit

Houston-based USAfrica multimedia networks and USAfricaonline.com can report that based on information, at this time, deriving from multiple familiar sources we spoke to/contacted who are associated with the senior Mutallab: the father of the al-Qaeda-bred zealot and wealthy Nigerian secular and Islamic banking investor Alhaji Umaru Mutallab is not likely going to be at the opening trial; if any. This does not rule out the presence of any of the family members, including the alleged terrorist’s traumatized mother, Aisha. This well-connected person inside Nigeria noted the critical issue is that: “I believe the Alhaji knows it is a different matter he expressed concerns about his son’s religious views and trip to Yemen to the U.S embassy in Nigeria, privately; it is another thing to have him travel to another country (the U.S) to testify for or against his own son. He may well simply be an observer. We all will be watching to see what happens….”

The Mutallabs: terror-bound son Farouk and business mogul father Umar.

While the older Mutallab sought and gained multiple millions in rewards for his core, long-standing interests and skills in business especially in financial services, the younger Mutallab sought to be a foot soldier for bin-Laden’s troops. Evidently, even the luxury and resources amassed by the older Mutallab could not dissuade his 23 years-old son Farouk from being a jihadist and fighter for Islamic fundamentalism through the violent, toxic mechanisms of terrorism, as alleged from his actions on Christmas day December 25, 2009… minutes of a flight into America’s famous Motor City of Detroit.

U.S govt seize 4 mosques linked to Iran govt

The Islamic Education Center is seen in Potomac, Md. on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009. The center rents this building from the Alavi Foundation, which owns the building but does not run the center. Federal prosecutors filed a complaint Thursday seeking to seize the assets of the foundation. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (Jacquelyn Martin, AP / November 12, [...]

Egyptian-American sues FBI for detention, ‘rendition’ in Africa

The lawsuit says Meshal, a Muslim born to Egyptian parents, traveled to Somalia in 2006 “to enrich his study of Islam.” He was forced to flee to Kenya after fighting broke out in the Somali capital, the lawsuit says. Meshal says he was held in Kenya and repeatedly questioned by FBI agents who threatened to send him to Israel or Egypt unless he acknowledged ties to al-Qaida, the lawsuit charges.