The terrorist attack on a natural gas installation at In Amenas in eastern Algeria may be an isolated act of revenge for the French intervention in Mali -- or an ominous portent of things to come in North Africa, where Islamist militancy is gaining traction fast. The man claiming responsibility for the operation is a veteran jihadist who is also renowned for hostage-taking and smuggling anything from cigarettes to refugees. Read more: Islamists take foreign hostages in attack on Algerian oil field His name is Moktar Belmoktar, an Algerian who lost an eye while fighting in Afghanistan in his teens and has long been a target of French counter-terrorism forces.
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Belmoktar has long been a target of French counter-terrorism forces
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Analysts believe the attack is too sophisticated to have been planned in days
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Belmoktar earns the nickname "Belaouar" -- the "one-eyed" -- after a battlefield injury
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He allegedly is involved in smuggling drugs, weapon and people
Wednesday's attack in @placeholder was claimed in the name of that unit, which Belmoktar said would include "the best of our youth and mujahideen, foreign and local supporters."