Christopher Ervin Leggett

����DAKAR, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The terrorist group al-Qaida claimed responsibility for slaining a U.S.

aid worker in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott this week, according to Al-Jazeera TV monitored here on Thursday.

����Citing a statement by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the Arab satellite TV station said Christopher Ervin Leggett, 39, was gunned down in an attempt to convert Muslims to Christianity on Tuesday.

����Mauritania, where the military junta and opposition politicians are still negotiating before the July 18 presidential election, has thrown a probe into the killing, with the Interior Ministry vowing to bring the criminals to justice.

����Senegal successfully brought the rival parties in neighboring Mauritania early in the month for the election to end the crisis, which was triggered by a military coup on Aug.

6.

Al-Qaida is reportedly eyeing African countries in turmoil such as Somalia for new bases.�

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/25/content_11600910.htm