view Boko Haram's increase in capability to attack strategic foreign targets in major cities, such as the federal capital Abuja, is more easily attributable to support from members of the security forces than to help from Al Qaeda."
Even if the link were to exist, former US ambassador Campbell says it would only make a limited difference -- almost certainly not enough to prompt Boko Haram to turn its attention anywhere outside Nigeria's borders.
"Even if they were moving towards becoming part of Al Qaeda's franchise, what would that mean?" he says. "The whole point of Al Qaeda is that they are anti-Western -- they wanted to blow up the London Underground, for example. Boko Haram is nothing like that." (Reporting By Peter Apps)
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