State of alert in Mauritania, search operations for the leader of the coupe attempt

A state of security and military alert overwhelms all parts of Mauritania at a time when the security forces intensified the operations of search and inspections for the leader of the failed coupe attempt on June 8, 2003, Maj. Saleh Weld Hanana, who is also accused by the authorities of leading a new coupe attempt declared to be foiled several days ago.

Mauritania's minister of the interior and telecommunications, Muhammad Ghali Weld al-Sharif Ahmad, stressed that Hanana is inside the territories of Mauritania. His pictures were screened in the Mauritanian TV and an appeal was made to all citizens to notify about him in case he is found.

The authorities also circulated his photos on the police and the citizens in order to monitor him. News reports in Nouakchott said that he was arrested while others said not.

On the other hand, the Cabinet in Mauritania yesterday congratulated in its weekly meeting the security departments and the intelligence over their success in disclosing and foiling what he called the new coupe attempt. The minister of telecommunications, the official spokesman for the government renewed his government's accusations against Libya and Burkina Faso.