• Peg It on GarageMonkey
AMA News & Notes - February 2008
An attack linked to al-Qaida and terror threats against the Dakar Rally forced organizers to cancel the annual race...
AMA Communications  |  Posted January 17, 2008   Pickerington, OH

An attack linked to al-Qaida and terror threats against the Dakar Rally forced organizers to cancel the annual race on the eve of the 5,760-mile trek across North African desert scrubland and savannah.

It was the first time the automobile, motorcycle and truck rally has been called off in its 30-year history. In a statement, organizers blamed "threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organizations", the Dec. 24 killings of a French family and international tensions.

The race's central appeal - its course through African deserts, scrubland and savannas - is also its weak point, making it difficult to protect thousands of people as they cross remote regions. 550 car, truck and motorcycle drivers were expected.

Officials say the cell is linked to the Algeria-based al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa, which has claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks, including the Dec. 11 twin suicide bombings at U.N. offices and a government building in Algiers, which killed at least 37 people.

In the past, terrorism fears have forced organizers to cancel individual stages or reroute the race. In 2000, several stages were scrapped after a threat forced organizers to airlift the entire race from Niger to Libya. Several stages were also called off in 2004, reportedly because of terror threats in Mali.

Metropolitan Manila (Philippines) Development Authority (MMDA) recently said they are not in favor of moves banning motorcycle along major thoroughfares in the metropolis, saying motorcycle owners have the right to use all roads like other vehicle owners.

Officials went on to say the best thing to prevent road accidents is road discipline citing such things as: intensified safety education, particularly among young riders, ensuring riders are speed-conscious, use of proper safety equipment, and drunk driving as contributing factors to the rising trend of traffic accidents.

Earlier, two legislators filed bills at the Lower House aimed at preventing road accidents particularly those concerning motorcycles as well as calling for their regulation. In this they described the popular vehicle as a growing concern as its number increased to 40 percent annually in the last three years.

On average, in Metro Manila, 250 died from motorcycle-related accidents since 2004, averaging 83 fatalities per year. Last year, 1.551 million motorcycles were registered nationwide clearly outrunning cars and utility vehicles at 1.097 million and 536,049 units, respectively, figures showed.

Someone with bad intentions is using the honored name of the "Patriot Guard Riders" as part of a phone scam. The solicitor targets veterans, and asks them to join the Patriot Guard Riders, along with submitting a membership fee. But in reality, the Patriot Guard Riders doesn't collect membership fees. Anyone who has information about this, or has been contacted by the scammer, should contact 316-522-2000.
Page 1 of 3
Prev
123
Next
ama_communications's avatar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AMA Communications

American Motorcyclist Association

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | FAQ | Terms of Use | NEW Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | National Geographic | IGN | AskMen
The Motor Sports Authority, SPEED and associated logos are registered trademarks of Speed Channel Inc.
All Rights Reserved © Speed Channel, Inc. 2013

All external links will open in a new browser window. SPEED.com does not endorse external sites.