On November 12th, 2004 French officials took twelve suspected members of Clandestini Corsi into custody in the northern Corsican town of Bastia.  On December 8, 2004 the Fronte di Liberazione Naziunale di a Corsica (FLNC), a well-known Corsican nationalist group, claimed responsibility for several recent bombings on police stations and French owned houses on the island.  In its communiqu&#233;, the FLNC threatened "military action" against targets in Corsica and France if members of the Clandestini Corsi group were not freed. <P><br /><br />Clandestini Corsi has not been responsible for any attacks since 2004, but tensions between immigrants and native Corsicans remain high.  To that end, there is a possibility that Clandestini Corsi could be responsible for violence in the future.

Fronte di Liberazione Naziunale di a Corsica (FLNC) -- Supported Cause

Clandestini Ribelli is the name of a Corsican nationalist-separatist group that claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on a regional government building in Ajaccio, Corsica, in August 2006.  No injuries were reported in the attack, and the building suffered minimal damage. <P><br /><br />The previously unknown group claimed responsibility for the attack and called for a revolt against France and the Corsican regional government.  The group also said it had ties with <a href=http://tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=74> Fronte di Liberazione Naziunale di a Corsica (FLNC)</a>, the major terrorist outfit operating in the region. <P><br /><br />Minor terrorist attacks such as these are common in Corsica.  Groups such as Clandestini Ribelli generally target regional government buildings, police stations, and mainland-French owned houses or businesses.  Generally these groups demand independence (or self-governance) for Corsica and seek to preserve endemic Corsican culture and language.<br />

Shortly after the attacks, authorities arrested a man named Jean-Baptiste Andreani in connection with the shootings.  Police sources say that Andreani was put under investigation for "criminal conspiracy linked to a terrorist enterprise and damage to public buildings through dangerous means, in an organized group."  Sources also say that Andreani had a history of mental health problems although this has not been confirmed.  The status of this investigation is currently unknown.<P><br /><br />Although Clandestini Ribelli has not been responsible for further violence, and it is possible that the group was solely made up of Andreani, it is a near-certainty that low-level terrorist attacks will continue in Corsica.  To that end, Clandestini Ribelli can be considered an active terrorist group and a minor to moderate security threat in the region.       <br />