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IN PHOTO: An abandoned colonial military base is seen next to the port of Nouadhibou June 25, 2014. Mauritania's SNIM iron ore mining company aims to produce 13 million tonnes in 2014, around the same level as last year, the majority state-owned firm said. SNIM mines black iron ore in the northern town of Zouerate, a remote desert location which nevertheless attracts people from all over the country looking for work. SNIM employees proudly call their firm the lung of their nation's economy and the train that ferries the ore to the coast stretches some two kilometres, making it one of the world's longest. Picture taken June 25, 2014. REUTERS/Joe Penney

An Al-Qaeda leader, who had reportedly planned terror attacks on Australia, was jailed for 20 years in Mauritania. The North African Islamic country charged Younis al-Mauritani who had also planned attacks on Europe and the United States.

The top Al-Qaeda leader as well as two other top extremists was arrested in Pakistan after Pakistani and U.S. spy agencies had conducted a joint operation in 2011. The arrest, which took place only four months after Osama bin Laden’s death, was believed to be a major blow to Al-Qaeda.

The senior Al-Qaeda leader was extradited to Mauritania in May 2013. U.S. authorities flew from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan to hand him over to Mauritanian security forces.

State prosecutor Ahmed Baba said that al-Mauritani had been sentenced on Monday and would serve time in Nouakchott's central prison. Western intelligence confirmed that he was an integral part of Al-Qaeda.

Mauritanian authorities issued an international warrant for al-Mauritani’s arrest. He was accused of taking part in a lethal attack on army barracks in 2005. According to a Mauritanian official, 17 Mauritanian soldiers were killed in the attack. He was allegedly involved in a shootout with police in Nouakchott in 2008 as well.

According to Pakistan Army’s statement after al-Mauritani’s arrest in 2011, Osama asked al-Mauritani to target Australia, Europe and the United States. "He was planning to target United States economic interests including gas/oil pipelines, power generating dams and strike ships/oil tankers through explosive-laden speed boats in international waters," the statement said.

The statement also said that al-Mauritani was planning attacks on power-generating dams, oil tankers and gas and oil pipelines in Western countries. Explosive-laden speed boats were supposed to hit those from international waters.

When Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz became Mauritania's president in 2008, there was a sharp increase in the number of Al-Qaeda attacks and kidnappings. However, Aziz claims to have turned his country into a peaceful nation with the reorganisation of security forces and the military.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb bases were raided by Mauritanian troops in Mali. The preventive raids had been carried out before the armed militants could launch attacks on Mauritania.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au

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