Ansar Dine could distance itself from AQIM

"It is an Islamist movement and we want to apply sharia in the land of Muslims and not in France or the United States," said Ould Boumama, confirming its commitment to the Sharia. He does not exclude, however, that his group could distance itself from AQIM "for religious justifications."
 
The  Tuareg Islamist group meeting took place as France, which advocates pressing military intervention to oust the terrorists in northern Mali, requires that Ansar Dine distances itself from AQIM and waives the application of Sharia.
 
On Wednesday, the spokesman of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs  said that his country expects concrete action from Ansar Dine. Tuesday, Aharid Mohamed, a member of the delegation of Ansar Dine, Ouagadougou said his group rejects "all forms of extremism and terrorism" and calls for dialogue with Bamako.
 
"Those who know the policy of Ansar Dine know we do not have a relationship with terrorism and extremism," said Sanda Ould Boumama, the spokesman of the group.The group also said it would allow free passage to anyone in its territory wanting to deliver humanitarian aid.