From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:NORTH AFRICA: IRAN-SUDAN AXIS CAUSING WIDESPREAD CONCERN
Date: 16 Dec 92 02:59:39 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Africa, southern
Reference: Middle East
Title: NORTH AFRICA: IRAN-SUDAN AXIS CAUSING WIDESPREAD CONCERN


an inter press service feature

by abdelmajid bejar

tunis, dec 8 (ips) -- as the role of iran in promoting muslim
fundamentalist terrorism in north africa becomes more evident, a
test of strength is ensuing between fundamentalists and the
governments of egypt, algeria and to a lesser extent, tunisia.

while in tunisia the fundamentalist ''ennahdha''
(renaissance) movement has been almost completely dismantled,
the islamic salvation front (fis) in algeria and the ''jihad''
in egypt continue to pose serious difficulties for the
governments of these two countries.

the ''iranian threat'' to algeria and egypt is further
complicated by the increasing role of sudan as an accomplice in
exporting the iranian revolution.

according to certain analysts here, a whole range of
historical, economic, demographic and social reasons, lie behind
iran's decision to centre its revolutionary efforts on egypt and
algeria.

firstly, in the spirit of the mullahs (muslim scholars
learned in islamic theology and sacred law), the
''reconversion'' to muslim fundamentalism of algeria and egypt
are likely to tilt the whole arab world into the sphere of the
iranian revolution.

algeria and egypt are also key countries in iran's strategy
because of their size.

algeria has 25 million inhabitants and covers a territory of
2.38 million sq kms, with large deposits of oil and natural gas,
while egypt with its 50 million citizens wields enormous
political weight in the middle east.

the sudan is today under the almost total influence of the
extremist fundamentalist religious leader, hassen tourabi, of
iran whose essential aim is to mobilise an international islamic
army.

the sudan has thus become a ''bastion of terrorism'', and
together with iran forms an axis which has been given concrete
form by the opening of military bases and training camps for
extremist elements, who first receive an ''ideological culture''
in iran before being sent on to the sudan.

according to concordant reports circulating in several north
african capitals, teheran has allotted some 20 million dollars
for the operation of these training camps in the sudan.
(more/ips)


north africa: iran-sudan (2)

like sums are said to have been graciously offered or
promised by iran to fundamentalist organisations in north
africa.

according to the same reports, fis, which iran has since 1985
considered a serious candidate for power in algeria, has been
promised the sum of five billion dollars once it becomes master
of the country.

in a dramatic reaction to the existence of the training camps
in sudan, the tunisian government august decided to close its
embassy in khartoum. in oct. 1991 the tunisian government had
already recalled its ambassador to that country. tunisia,
however, has continued to have diplomatic relations with iran.

meanwhile, algeria in november reduced its diplomatic
representation in teheran ''to a symbolic level'' and asked the
iranian government to do the same with its embassy in algiers,
accusing the iranians of ''interference and open hostility''.

earlier, iran had denounced the cancellation by the algerian
government of the parliamentary elections won by fis in
february.

meanwhile, the head of the algerian government, belaid
abdessalem, recently delivered a severe warning to ''certain
foreign countries'',

observers here believe this warning was directed in the first
place to iran and the sudan, and indirectly to pakistan and
france, where members of fis, as well as ''ennahdha'', often
find refuge and continue their subversive activities unhindered
by the local police.

similar reproaches of ''hostility and interference'' have
been made by egyptian president hosni mubarak, who last month
accused teheran of ''interfering in the domestic affairs of arab
and islamic countries''.

he also declared that egypt would assure protection for the
gulf states against ''iranian hegemony''.

mubarak's declarations aroused virulent reactions in iran,
where the press reported several death threats made against the
president of egypt. the egyptian president reacted by accusing
the iranian government of having recourse to ''state terrorism''.

''the iranian threat'' and ''the drive for hegemony in the
region by super-armament and fundamentalist agitation'' have
likewise been denounced by the secretary general of the arab
league, essmat abdelmajid. (end/trd/ab/tt/tvh/92)