21 October 2004
Luanda — The Intelligence Services of Angola admitted Wednesday in Luanda there has been an attempt of penetration into the country of groups linked to terrorist organisations.
This was revealed by the director of the External Intelligence Services for Information and Analysis, Constantino Vitiaca, during a talk on Angola's position about the fight against terrorism. The specialist told participants, mostly International Relations Institute (IRI) students, that the penetration of terrorist cells into the country has been noted through contacts with businessmen and Non-Governmental Organisations with Islamic connections.
Vitiaca said as well that his services are on the watch for these organisations activities, and are aware of the involvement of certain local figures who, out of ignorance or lack of patriotism, set up firms or other dealings with Al-Qaeda agents, without spending a single coin.
The penetration of these people, he added, is done through forged documents, as many files of the country's registration and notary services were destroyed during the war, thus becoming difficult to tell "who is who."
According to the source, most of these people are assumed to come from Brazil, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan and Mali, Mauritania, totalling 60 countries that have settled here, pretending to be honest and peaceful citizens.
"Angola is vulnerable to the penetration of these networks and has no condition, at the moment, to control its long maritime and land borders, entries normally used by these people," he stated. However, Constantino Vitiaca said, measure are in progress to arrest the action of such terror agents.
Explaining how these Al-Qaeda agents infiltration is effected, the specialist said, they pretend to be businesspeople interested to invest in basic commodities for the population and set up stores and shops in various areas of Luanda.
He said the items sold in such outlets are highly competitive in price as they get the goods on consignment, through someone overseas that sends in the money and gets part of the profit of the operation that looks legal.
"With this practice, these agents try to control the informal market and the circulation of money that does not enter the banks. As the money does not reach the banks, they can influence the country's exchange rate and thereby outline strategies to strike blows against the Angolan economy," Constantino Vitiaca also said.
He recalled that the private investment law currently in force in the country opens a route for the penetration of these people as it admits that any foreigner with at least five US Dollars sets up a business, no mater where the money has come from and who the dealer is, provided he follows all legal requirements.
The Intelligence Services officer warned the local citizens that some Islamic organisations have opened primary and secondary schools with a view to indoctrinate the populations on the Koran. He also warned of Islamic organisations that are engaged in providing military training to youths, a task that he said, is an Angolan State's sole responsibility.
The talk was the first of a cycle of four, under an initiative of the Angolan International Relations Institute (IRI), an organ of the Foreign Ministry (MIREX).
The second seminar will take place on 28 October and will focus on "new problems of international law", with a French academician as a speaker. The third topic will tackle "the religious factor in the political scene of States and in international affairs", to be presented by Rev. Ntoni Nzinga.
The last seminar is set for 30 November and will debate about "the reforms in the United Nations". This topic will be presented by the UNDP representative to Angola.
The International Relations Institute was founded on 01 September 2000 and runs a university degree in International Relations.
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