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African al-Qaeda 'killed' US man | |
(10 minutes later) | |
Al-Qaeda's North Africa branch has claimed responsibility for the killing of an American aid worker shot dead in Mauritania, al-Jazeera TV reports. | |
The Arab satellite channel said it had received an audio message in which the group said it had killed 39-year-old Christopher Leggett on Tuesday. | |
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said it had targeted Mr Leggett for trying to spread Christianity in the country. | Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said it had targeted Mr Leggett for trying to spread Christianity in the country. |
Al-Jazeera said it could not verify the authenticity of the message. | Al-Jazeera said it could not verify the authenticity of the message. |
"Two knights of the Islamic Maghreb succeeded Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. to kill the infidel American Christopher Leggett for his Christianising activities," the group was reported to have said. | "Two knights of the Islamic Maghreb succeeded Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. to kill the infidel American Christopher Leggett for his Christianising activities," the group was reported to have said. |
Unidentified gunmen ran up to Mr Leggett in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday and shot him several times, witnesses said. | |
Mr Leggett, who grew up in Cleveland, Tennessee, taught at a centre specialising in computer science and languages in a working-class neighbourhood of the city, the Associated Press reported. | |
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is most active in Algeria, where it grew out of the remnants of the country's Islamist insurgency. | Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is most active in Algeria, where it grew out of the remnants of the country's Islamist insurgency. |
The group has also been blamed for attacks in neighbouring countries such as Mali and Niger. | The group has also been blamed for attacks in neighbouring countries such as Mali and Niger. |