Mauritania: Should have stayed a French colony?

I'm sure this will be a big deal in another week or so. As far as I can tell an Al Qaeda related terror cell is being linked to the murder of four French family members. There was only one survivor, the father. I think there is probably a bit more to this though.

Initially police had said the gunmen were attempting to rob the French family as they picnicked on the side of a road near Aleg, a small town 150 miles east of Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott. But a day later, Mauritanian prosecutors called the slaying an act of terror and said the suspects are believed to be members of a regional al-Qaida-linked network.

Mauritania is a 100% Islamic country, but it is comprised almost entirely of the either blacks or Moors (which apparently don't like each other very much). They have no long-standing ties to terrorism as a whole, but its not unreasonable that Al Qaeda would have a sleeper cell in a location like Mauritania is it? I think its more likely that a disaffected group of Muslims killed four French people out of old animosity towards France, but what if it is some elaborate plot to attack France? If it is, then this would only further prove that AQ's greatest strength is also their most apparent weakness - they cannot control their followers. Decentralization is nice, but not when you can't get your people to start listening when you need their attention. Attacking the French in any way would be pure idiocy on AQ's part. I guess we'll just see what facts bubble up...until then CONJECTURE!

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon:

"I assure you that French authorities are determined to shed light on this tragedy,"