Algerians denounce Droukdel's New York Times interview

03/07/2008

Algerians rejected a number of assertions made by Al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelmalek Droukdel in a recent interview with the New York Times. Terror victims decried attacks that kill or injure civilians while experts said the organisation's capabilities are limited.

By Said Jameh for Magharebia in Algiers – 03/07/08

[File] Algerian citizens have denounced al-Qaeda leader Abdelmalek Droukdel's efforts to defend himself and his group in a recent interview with the New York Times.

A New York Times interview with al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelmalek Droukdel has generated resentful reactions from the families of those killed or injured by his group's attacks. Security experts in Algeria say the terrorist's threats to hit US and Western interests are part of the organisation's propaganda and psychological warfare.

The interview, the first of its kind for the leader, was apparently carried out by an intermediary using a tape recorder. In it, Droukdel claimed that his organisation does not target civilians and that 95% of those who died in the December 11th, 2007 bombings in Algiers were foreigners and Algerian security elements.

Algerians were quick to condemn Droukdel's efforts to justify his operations against civilians.

One reader, himself a victim of terrorist operations, commented on Algeria's Le Matin website that through his interview, Droukdel "has disclaimed all his dignity and honour as an Algerian, in the fullest sense of the word and decided to declare his allegiance to al-Qaeda."

"First and foremost", another said, "the victims of the December 11th attacks were Algerians."

Droukdel said his organisation comprised elements from Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mali and Niger. He threatened more attacks against Algerian authorities and Western interests in Algeria and he claimed that his organisation was prepared to attack outside the Maghreb, including US interests around the world and on American soil.

Security expert Bouelam Ghoumrassa told Magharebia that through his threats against the US, Droukdel was trying to leave the impression that AQIM has a "regional as well as international dimension". However, Ghoumrassa questioned the organisation's ability to hit US interests inside the US.

"If they had had the ability to do so, they would have done it before talking about it," the expert said.

Ghoumrassa downplayed the effect of the interview on the state's efforts to root out al-Qaeda, saying that there will be an unchanged alertness on the part of the Algerian security forces.

The Algerian Government has made no official statement regarding the interview or the threats contained in it. When asked at a July 1st press conference to confirm Droukdel's assertion that 250 al-Qaeda elements are currently operating in the mountains, Minister of Communications Abdarachid Boukerzaza told reporters, "I don't have any comment on the issue."

Mouloud Morchedi, another security expert, played down Droukdal's threats against foreign interests. If Droukdel had been able to carry out attacks against US and French interests in Algeria, he would not have hesitated to so, Morchedi told Magharebia. This is especially true given that one of Droukdel's aims is to pressure foreign companies and foreigners into leaving Algeria, he noted.

The expert added that al-Qaeda has proven unable to hit US interests operating in oilfields in southern Algeria. This is due both to sophisticated security measures and to the organisation's reduced capacity in the South following regional emir Mokhtar Belmoukhtar's renouncement of arms due to disagreements over al-Qaeda's tactics.