Algeria concerned over merger of GSPC and al-Qaeda
2006-10-20
Algeria is remaining vigilant in the fight against terrorism as evidenced by numerous search operations carried out over the past two months against the Salafist group for Preaching and Combat. The nation is particularly concerned by the group's recent merger with al-Qaeda, which may undermine its national reconciliation plan.
By Nazim Fethi for Magharebia in Algiers – 20/10/06
 [Getty Images] A GSPC-provided image showing spiritual guide Sheikh Ahmed Abu al-Baraa with leader Abu Musaab. |
While the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) was long thought to have links to al-Qaeda, the recently-declared merger of the two groups has Algeria concerned.
Al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri released an internet videotape on September 11th indicating that al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden had given his personal approval to the "blessed union" between the Algerian network and al-Qaeda.
"The leadership of al-Qaeda doesn't have a secure base left anywhere else in the world," Liess Boukraa, a terrorism expert in Algiers, told the Washington Post, adding, "So al-Qaeda needs the GSPC at the logistical level. The GSPC needs al-Qaeda at the ideological level."
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika reiterated on September 27th Algeria's determination to continue to fight GSPC elements.
"The abject remnants of terrorism are inescapably bound to disappear. We shall not be happy until we have eradicated it forever as the rule of law becomes established," he declared.
Algerian authorities had been a bit less concerned with the GSPC in recent years, as it was mainly confined to the Kabylian scrublands and its few demonstrations of strength included roadblocks of military convoys.
However, the return of former GSPC leader Hassan Hattab has made the GSPC a more serious threat. The return was announced in an unauthenticated communiqué dated October 7th, which was published by the Algerian state press.
Hattab, who had for some time indicated that he might negotiate with the government, seemed to renounce the national reconciliation policy, which has been a source of hope for many Algerians recovering from the wounds of a decade-long civil war in which an estimated 150,000 civilians were killed.
In the communiqué, Hattab's successor Abdelmalek Deroukdal vowed the GSPC will not allow itself to be captured like Madani Mezrag's Islamic Salvation Army. He declared jihad and that his organisation "has patience, ultra-modern weaponry and experienced men".
Algeria and its neighbouring countries are seeking broader anti-terrorism co-operation as security and stability of the whole region are at stake. The nations also want to target the conditions which caused it to emerge.
Algeria, which shares a border of more than 2,000 kilometres with Mali and Niger, is preparing a co-operation policy with both countries to guard against terrorism and criminality.
The security threat in the Sahel-Saharan region has been a focus of attention in recent years for Algeria and its strategic partners, including the United States and the EU. Algeria continues to draw its partners' attention to the vulnerability of the Sahara to terrorism.
Boubacar Gaoussou Diarra, the new director of the African Centre for Study and Research into Terrorism (CAERT), asked African governments on October 5th to increase their joint efforts and co-operation in the fight against terrorism at a terrorism-themed meeting of the Council for Peace and Security for the African Union in Dakkar. He called on them to offer support to the CAERT, particularly in exchanging intelligence.
The extension of the GSPC beyond the Algerian border across five nations, as well as its connections with other groups and the risk of al-Qaeda cells being set up, have led to an appreciation in recent years of the need for strengthened policies from the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan region to combat terrorism co-operatively and to secure borders.
Recognising the threat, the United States has been working to fight against terrorism in the region.
Since January 2004, the US military has deployed resources to support the local armies' fight against the GSPC and its local connections through the Pan Sahel Initiative.
In June 2005, the US army carried out three weeks of anti-terrorist exercises in the Sahel, which included Algerian participation, as part of its "Operation Flintlock 2005", which aimed at preventing the desert zones from becoming terrorist hideouts.
The programme, developed by the Pentagon, Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department has expanded from Niger, Mauritania, Mali and Chad to the upper Maghreb.
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ahmed Posted 2006-10-26
I agree with this Algerian policy.
مغني الراب من سكيكدة Posted 2006-11-01
The GSPC is one of us! That is Jihad is an obligation upon whomsoever claims to be Muslim. However I do not support that a Muslim kills another (government soliders) as much as I do not support the security forces conducting military operations. I, as a 20 years old man, I want my government to implement Islamic law. The enemies of Islam, ie: the Americians and Zionist Israelis, claim to be in war against terrorism by practicing terrorism in Iraq and Palestine. You Muslims are the ones who are exterminating your brothers and sisters. Your time will come when you will be exterminated too. GSPC represents the hidden force of the Algerian goverment like Hizbollah in Lebanon. Be one hand and you will be victorious over your enemies. We will wipe out the leftovers in our countries. From the bottom of my heart, I call upon you countrymen, fighters, policemen, and all Algerians to sit on one table and strike with an iron fist the Zionists and Algeria shall become a fortified source of Jihad againt all the faith rejecters and the enemies of God. I believe this the stand of every Algerian. Our goal is to free the Jerusalem and this was the purpose of our late honorable fighter Howari Boumedian (former Algerian president). For Jerusalem I shall live and die and our ultimate reason to live is "God is All prevailing and Long Live Jihad"
سهيلة Posted 2006-11-13
GSPC is a bunch of twisted minds led by weak people. It is no more than the remnants of colonial destructionism. My advice to these youth is to go back to their authentic beliefs and they will not go astray and that is The Holy Quran and the tradition of our Prophet who preach the call to the path of God with wisdom and good counselling, and mature debate. Islam is a religion of no compulsion and does respect other faiths. Satisfying other people is a priceless aim in life. Since the advent of mankind, a war between good and evil has always prevailed that is why there is paradise and hell. When Mecca was captured, the Prophet peace be upon him allowed its residents to stay even though they embraced their own faith and when wars are waged, he would strongly advise his army not to kill women and children and the elderly. In one story one pagan was about to be killed by one of the prophet's companions when the pagan pronounced the declaration of faith, but the companion killed him anyway, when the Prophet knew about it, he was reprimanding and furious at the warrior who did not know what was the intention of the pagan before he killed him. What about you who wrongly kill people. Whomsoever intentionally kills a Muslim believer will be thrown into hell fire and he will eternally be cursed. Please go back to your sound thinking and know that repentance is always open for sincere servants of God who lays his mercy at night so that the day sinners may repent and does so in the day so that the night sinners may repent too. Please rush to the mercy of your Lord so that you get the reward that extends to the heavens and earth prepared for the righteous. Know that killing the innocents, defenseless, raping women, and killing children and the self is never a way to win God's favour. By God Islam is not such a religion and has never been a source of wars and killings amongst the Muslims and Arabs. Instead of directing your war against the European infidels who have wronged you, you engage in killing your own people. Have mercy on yourself and the people so that God may bestow His on you! Seek the forgiveness of God and thank him, good will prevail. I hope these words find the enlightened ones so that they return to the right path! God forgive me and you, and peace be upon you. Peace be upon all of you
حيدر عزيز Posted 2006-11-15
Ousama Bin Laden is a dog who has destroyed the Islamic image with his dirty works. damn the terrotists and exclusion advocates the first of whom is Bin Laden
مسلم Posted 2006-11-21
To whomsoever claims to be supporting Jihad, you should go back to your sound thinking... Islam is a religion of mercy and not violence (Oh peaceful Soul, return to your Lord with satisfaction and enter among my good servants and enter my paradise) the Lord is all truthful. Oh Allah we seek your guidance for me and my fellow Algerians for what is good for the country and the people. Amin
محمد Posted 2007-01-01
This is to the reader Haidar Aziz whose comment was posted on 11/15/2006. You called Osama Bin Laden a dog. Did you know that you shall be held accountable for what you say on the day of judgment. Sheik Osama Bin Laden is a warrior in the path of God seeking to establish an Islamic State and rule according to divine scriptures considering that any other form of rule is a transgression of the will of God Who Said in the Quran "Whomsoever seeks a rule other than what Allah has revealed shall be among the disbelievers" (Chapter Anaam) [Translator's note: quote may not reflect intended meaning]
هناء Posted 2007-01-10
In the name of God, the merciful the beneficent! First of all we are Arab Muslims. It is not proper to use inappropriate words to describe Islam and Muslims even with the worst of our enemies. We ask the Lord to make us among those who hear preachings and implement better understanding. We must follow what has been revealed in the Book and the tradition of our beloved Prophet. No right of a wronged person shall be lost whether they are governing or governed!
sammy Posted 2007-01-11
As a faithful tunisian reader of magharebia. i am shocked to see a such content of radical islamist who openly calls of jihad, jihad against who? who are the faith rejecters? christians and jews are faith rejecters? i am moslim and i do not agree with these evils, i support magharebia for giving every one chance to discuss and give his opinion but not to those who support ben laden ( greatest terrorist on earth) or the salafist who are responsible of killing woman, children and every innocent, those are barbaric criminals kidnappers i refuse to give them a room to predict their hatred towards all who believe in peace, tolerance. some of these peoples hopes to see Algeria a fortified source of jihad!! well don't you think you are already succeed?? i want to remind you that many of those terrorist have in fact found their support in all the arabic sites and tv channels like aljazeera, and alarabiya who are realy behind the support of terror, you will be shocked to see what they predict over there, you won't find a single word of peace, just terror and hatred calling peoples for jihad against their own people, own presidents, or leaders. those are behind all the terror and nobody is saying a words about, i can't understand a country that has produced 14 from the 19 terrorist of 9/11 still have all the space to call and predict terror, and we still saying they are our brothers?? hell no
عادل Posted 2007-01-23
There is some kind of ignorance that killed those ignorant people under the leadership of Ben Laden, they’re just destructive on earth, exploiting the weakness of our youth and the extremism with which their minds are filled up to offend Islam and Muslims on earth. If they call for jihad, they will only face loss as they’re confronted by the strongest and greatest countries in the world. Have they succeeded with their extremism and following the path of satan. They only brought us shame and disgrace, look at Iraq, and Afghanistan, and they swim in the blood of their children…
salim Posted 2007-02-22
I have no comment because those who brand their brothers as disbelievers are the true disbelievers and are totally ignorant. They are adulterers, thieves and bandits..and terrorists, harsh on the Muslims and lenient toward the pagans...dissidents as the Prophet, May the blessing of the Lord be upon him said "This kind of people understand religion according to their whim" and are too proud to ask people of knowledge about the things they have no knowledge of; the do not seek advise. They even accuse the scholars of Islam like Othaimeen, Ibn Baz, Albani of heresy. Are they not the true pervert callers by waging a war against the very people who proclaim that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. Oh brothers and fathers...scholars of our nation, fight these killers who target the young and the old, the orphan and even animals. Fight them with religion and the legacy of the beloved Prophet, you are more knowledgeable of religion than we are...the permissible and the forbidden are clear cut and there should be no war against those who declare that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. This is the situation of Algeria and all the Muslim world.
عبد الله Posted 2007-04-12
In the name of God, to every Muslim protective of his religion and nation, to every Arabic having the nobility of Islam, to everyone carrying an atom of faith in his heart to every noble Arab I say: there is no God but Allah and Mohamed is the prophet of God. Our Islam is a legacy we have inherited from our forefathers, our acts are alien to Islam and Islam disowns them. So if we want to change, change starts from the self, then the home, and we shouldn't ban the youngs and commit the most eveil deeds, what about Islamists who use the sword and bomb with each other and kill ourselves, our children and women and every living person what for? For the sake of authority and money, I swear by God that all wars are for authority and power. Is our Islam today that says fight in the name of God, kill a soul without right, they're fighting in retaliation and for money and power. This is not the holy war, it's corruption on earth. But tomorrow will come soon for the looker. Muslims killing Muslims this is the strangest thing ever. They say those are renegades and they forget themselves. Fight yourself first then return to God, bear yourself accountable, this self which orders you to killing and corruption, read the quran and the life of the beloved prophet. And by God you'll see that what you do isn't worth an atom in the life of the best man in all humanity.
خالد Posted 2007-04-16
You traitors you think you're Muslims and you're distorting it with your abject deeds which show that it's not linked to Islam..............traitors
سمير Posted 2007-04-18
Fear God, which jihad are you talking about, in which parts of bodies and bodies are thrown away? And the Prophet of God, whom God has granted wisdom, when his people hurt him, God sent an angel at the service of his messenger. If he wanted to torture them but the answer of the kind Prophet was 'Please my God forgive my people as they are ignorant', there's a wide gap between this and the calls of your 'semi-scholars' wake up from your sleep God have mercy on you
نبيل الجزائري Posted 2007-04-28
Salam Alaikoum my brothers, the topic which was published in this site is an operation to gather information, they are conducting an awareness operation, they want to read your thoughts and concerns to terrorize you, and this war which is against Muslims in the name of Islam. Ben Laden and Al Qaeda, and an optimism for Al Qaeda, Iraq and the Maghreb are a new play produced by the rabbis of the Jews and zionists, don't be afraid worshipper of God, God exists, don't worry America will get what it deserves and what won't hurt Muslims. My brothers Al Qaeda doesn't exist in the world, and Ben Laden lives in the American Pentagon quite comfortable and honoured. And you sell your secrets, [unclear], God is great without Al Qaeda.
بخبخ Posted 2007-05-15
May God guide you
ذعدنان Posted 2007-06-08
We weren't touched, I have no comment
سليم Posted 2007-06-09
May God help you my brother Mujahids, may God grant you success towards paradise, we the young people of Biskera wait for your intervention to stop the mess of the oppressors and infidels I'm with you 100%.
khosseila Posted 2007-06-11
Algeria is a land of love. There is no such thing as an intolerant Islam. Islam is not a religion of destruction. Islam respects all believers. There is only one God. He is good to all men. There is no better religion. Only men try to oppose this.
kripo Posted 2007-07-07
This site is a Moroccan site, and we Algerians are known for the Jihad, our people are Mujahids, the biggest people known by history, we don't fear death or the stupid and cunning terrorism supported by the neighbouring states like Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and other states. But they're very poor countries and their people live in povert, but Algeria will never be beaten or impoverished inchallah with hard work, long live the victorious Algerian Army
رزيق Posted 2007-08-18
Terrorism has scattered the minds of old people and mothers for their sons in Algeria. It takes Algeria back to dark ages, and we believe that there are outside hands in terrorism and as they say, 'divide and conquer'. We say, 'why is the Moroccan leadership stupid?', and this is a suitable name, they kill the minds of young people with drugs which crosses the borders from Morocco to Algeria and this slowly kills the generation of our young people. There are many Moroccans in Ourasse mountains and Kabyle, and here we wonder. Thank you.
abbes Posted 2007-09-03
It is the end for you, terrorists! Long Live Bouteflika!
الصاروخ Posted 2007-11-19
You're filth on earth. And I swear that I will join the national popular army to destroy you. I’m the Boufchiche rocket; I belong to the people and hate religious terrorists who kill in the name of religion. Religion disowns such filth. I call upon the people to be mobilized against you. God’s curse on you, enemies of God. Hamada Hamadi, Hamoudi Haima the ordinary soldiers are waiting for you with trifle and hay… the Rocket group brothers will eradicate you in your hideouts with a rocket… a new secret weapon, it’s stored in international laboratories, may God grant it victory. Ziyane is currently studying at university , he will receive a diploma from university to fight you in the name of Hamada the ignorant.
الحمد Posted 2008-01-06
We thank Al Qaeda for the good and hard work, may God reward you in the challenge.
احمد Posted 2008-01-07
By God, we haven't understood whom they are fighting the people or the State. May God guide them. This is not Jihad, by God they have gone astray.
Anonymous Posted 2008-01-27
You're street dogs.
imad Posted 2008-02-12
Try to be decent in your conversation.
اخ في الاسلام Posted 2008-02-14
To the Islamic Group for Preaching and Combat, whom are you killing? You pretend to kill the infidels, but the Algerian soldiers are just Muslims who do their military jobs and most of them are obliged to do that. So whom are you killing? If you are men and protect Islam, go fight America if you can. You have been fighting in Algeria for 15 years, have you brought anything new? What have you done, have you supported Islam? You preferred persecution, which is more severe than slaughter, if you know Islam.
سيداحمد المغناوي Posted 2008-03-21
In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful. Oh Lord forgive our brothers in the mountains because they have stirred tumult in Algeria for 15 years. But what is their interest in killing over 150,000 innocents? They are your brothers and you have destroyed families' futures.
دانيا Posted 2008-04-01
I love Algeria so much, but violence against children is completely unacceptable. OK, Dania from Saudi Arabia.
ايمن Posted 2008-06-03
I am against terrorist acts.
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