Competition between Islamist militants may fuel big attacks

LONDON (Reuters) - The assault on Kenya's Westgate shopping mall has brought into sharp relief a pattern likely to complicate efforts to counter Islamist militants - competition among jihadis can increase the risk of a major attack.

As with the 2008 assault on the Indian city of Mumbai and this year's raid on an Algerian desert gas plant, the attack in Nairobi by Somalia's al Shabaab was preceded by in-fighting or loss of supporters to other militant groups.