Report: Maghreb doubts al-Qaida threat

RABAT, Morocco, June 4 (UPI) -- Sources say intelligence agents from key North African nations believe the United States is exaggerating al-Qaida's threat in the Maghreb.

Citing unnamed intelligence sources, Med Basin Newsline reported military analysts in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia doubt the U.S. assessment that al-Qaida's presence in the region is growing, and that the American military may be using a scare tactic to recruit a host country for its new African Command.

"There is significant disagreement over threat assessments and many of the African countries believe this is meant to scare us," an intelligence source told the news agency.

The source said in reality, al-Qaida was having little success in recruiting and carrying out operations in the Maghreb, and governments have determined the terrorist group is more interested in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa and in Western Europe.

U.S. officials say they are not trying to find a host country for their Africom operations but are interested in closer securities ties with the region.