DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS - A slow death by the torture of many small wounds, none lethal in itself, but fatal in their cumulative effect. This torture was a form of execution in ancient
British terrorists using Africa as secret staging post
Home-grown British terrorists have been flying to countries in Africa that do not require visas from London before transferring to Pakistan for training in al-Qaeda camps.
The countries are believed to include Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar, where visas are available on arrival, and South Africa, which requires no visa for a stay of fewer than 90 days.
There is evidence that al-Qaeda has been looking for loopholes and weaknesses that can be exploited by volunteers in order to evade intelligence services in the West.
Africa is fast becoming the continent preferred by British Pakistanis who want to reach Pakistan to enter the terrorist training camps without alerting the authorities. Countries in Africa that do not require a visa from London are seen as ideal staging-posts for terrorist recruits who do not want to risk flying directly to Pakistan.
About 30,000 British Pakistanis fly to Pakistan every year, which poses a substantial challenge for the British and Pakistani authorities in their attempt to identify those who are planning to link up with groups affiliated to al-Qaeda.
