American Officials in Nigeria to Help Find Kidnapped Girls as Report Says Government Had Warning of Attack
Photo Credit: Fox News
American and British security experts are in northeastern Nigeria to help search for at least 276 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamic militants more than three weeks ago, as a new report suggests the Nigerian government did not respond to warnings of the impending attack.
At the same time, senior U.S. officials with knowledge of the search told Fox News the U.S. believes the schoolgirls have been broken up into smaller groups and may — or may not — still be in Nigeria.
A senior U.S. official also said there was some discussion about whether to send drones to help in the search, although they would need to be requested by the Nigerian government.
The kidnapping of more than 300 schoolgirls on April 15 in the town of Chibok has sparked accusations that the Nigerian government is not doing enough to stop the militants. While at least 53 of the girls—ranging in age from 16 to 18—escaped, the Nigerian government says 276 are still being held captive by the terrorists.
The American team was joined by six additional military officers and more are expected soon, said Pentagon spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby. The U.S. officers will do a “gap analysis,” an assessment to identify what the Nigerian military needs that the U.S. could provide in the search for the girls, he said.
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Report: US Unwilling to List Boko Haram as a Terror Group
By Drew MacKenzie.
The Obama administration was afraid to label Boko Haram a terrorist organization in 2012 because of concerns that it would result in the Islamic extremists becoming more powerful and more dangerous, U.S. officials told The Washington Times.
Sources told the newspaper that the government was reluctant to add the Nigerian-based group to its terror list over fears that it would enhance its reputation internationally, and therefore be able to recruit more members and carry out even more inhumane acts.
Now Boko Haram has exploded onto the world stage by kidnapping more than 300 Nigerian schoolgirls — 276 are still missing — with plans to possibly sell them off as slaves in the name of Islam – and even al-Qaida appears to be horrified by the abductions.
However, in June 2012 the State Department was only willing to designate just three of the group’s leaders as “global terrorists” with “close links” to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghrab (AQIM).
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