ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a historic overview of terrorist groups operating in North and West Africa, specifically al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and Boko Haram. These two groups are products of domestic insurgencies in Algeria and Nigeria. It examines their roots, the political conditions that motivated their historical and contemporary manifestations, and how regional governments—in particular Algeria and Nigeria—have acted to combat them. The chapter argues that these groups pose a limited threat to North and West African stability. To the extent that they succeed in launching attacks and holding territory, they provide a demonstration effect—a warning to those who do not invest in governing institutions and fail to comprehend the structural role Islam plays in the politics of North and West African states.
