Mauritania says al-Qaida cell busted

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Mauritanian officials have detected and dismantled an al-Qaida support cell operating in and around the capital Nouakchott, a source told Med Basin Newsline.

"We believe this has been a major achievement as this cell was helping in terrorist attacks," the unnamed security source told the news organization Tuesday. The source said the cell was part of the al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb movement, founded two years ago in Algeria.

The source said the al-Qaida cell contained at least 12 members from different Mauritanian cities, including two high school teachers from Aleg, the scene of the terrorism-related deaths of four French tourists late last year.