Algiers residents immobilised by shock after terror bombings
2007-12-11
Exactly eight months after a twin attack in Algiers, the indescribable drama was replayed today. After a few months of calm, suicide bombers have returned to spread panic in Algiers.
By Achira Mammeri for Magharebia in Algiers – 11/12/07
 [Getty Images] Algerian rescue workers evacuate a victim from a building destroyed by a bomb blast |
Eleven. It will forever be a cursed number for Algerians.
Eight months ago, to the day, a twin attack shook the capital. The first targeted the government palace and the second a police station.
That was Wednesday, April 11th. On Tuesday morning, December 11th, another drama dashed Algeria's hopes for calm. At 9:50, two deadly attacks rocked the capital, killing scores of innocents. Algiers the White weeps for its victims.
The fear is immense. "It's a bomb," some ventured. "No, it is two bombs," others said.
The first images broadcast on foreign television channels confirmed the drama and shocked Algerians who had spent the last few months getting used to the idea of being safe. "Peace in Algeria is a utopia, an illusion. Without a doubt, our country has been condemned to live with terror," exclaimed Said, a taxi driver.
Employees who had arrived early for work were heading home at noon, whether or not they had permission. "I couldn't stay in the office. It’s dangerous," says Farida, a secretary at Andi, the national investment promotion agency. "You can’t tell whether this building will be a suicide bomb target."
The capital itself looks miserable. The week of sunny winter weather gave way to rain and drizzle. "Look! Even the sky is weeping for the dozens of innocent people who have left this world forever. Good God, what have we done to deserve this?" wondered Ali, a pensioner. "No. I’m sure we’ve done nothing. Nothing at all."
Amine, a university student, is wrought with tears over the students who were killed in the carnage. "The terrorists have dragged dozens of families into mourning, and along with them a whole nation that wants to live in peace. No one has the right to deprive us of this, our right."
"The terrorists want to isolate the country," said Said, a journalist for Ouest Tribune. "They managed it during the black decade. I’m really worried they could achieve their aim again this time."
Algerians wonder the same thing after each attack: What is the purpose of these crimes? Who is being targeted? Why now?
"Terrorist groups are hiding behind Islam," says Mounir, who is unemployed. "I say that Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and co-existence. They are criminals with a craving for blood and power."
An imam with El Taqwa mosque in the Algiers suburb of Bab El Oued roundly condemned the two explosions. "These attacks are attacks on the Islamic religion and present a completely false impression of Muslims," he said, preferring to stay anonymous. "Islam will remain a religion of tolerance for all time. These criminals have nothing to do with Islam. In fact, they are Islam’s greatest enemies."
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Toufik Posted 2007-12-11
The dogs of Islam have spoken again. Those who claim Islam is tolerant should openly speak up against these evil acts. I am afraid we are back to the GIA period with its indiscriminate barbaric and savage killings. Allah Yarhamhoum
panda Posted 2007-12-12
Yesterday the presenter of the news at 8 in Algeria received the president of an Algerian Youth Association supporting the president Bouteflika. What’s strange is that this man, with great stupidity, declared that he supports the plan of the president for a third mandate as if he were passionate to appear before the cameras while the corpses of his brothers are burnt in the streets. I say to these people who perpetuate such acts, avoid the innocents of the people, the poor and the students. Target the big heads and don’t go corrupting in the land. What’s the fault of the high school pupil or university student? We are all victims of poverty and took no advantage of this cursed government, but this not the way to change things. The Muslim should begin by changing himself first then his family. The society is lost 100%, the cause of this loss is the TV which presents the dirt and dump of the low satellite channels such as Rhymes and Mules, which is just a blind imitation of the programs of debauchery and nudity of Lebanese channels. To everyone jealous for the honor and sanctity of Algeria, if you don’t want such attacks to be repeated, you should stop your debauchery. You should know that the punishment comes from the type of act, you’ve gone too far in tawdry frivolity, nudity and libertarianism under the slogan of civilization and urbanism, but you were punished for your acts. Finally I say, fear God and He will adjust your situation.
سفيان فلة الجزائر Posted 2007-12-12
Oh Lord take revenge on everyone who wants to harm our country. We say to these criminals that Algeria will remain immovable and steady in spite of crises and the enemies. We’re people known for our patience since the direct oppressive French colonialism to the indirect foreign colonialism imposed on Algeria today. We say it literally to our enemies ‘God is our resort and he’s the best mandate’. Immovable, Immovable Immovable Immovable Immovable….
mima Posted 2007-12-12
down alqaida,down terrorism,die for criminals,let us live in love and peace,stop bloods,stop kills.
محامية Posted 2007-12-13
I want to condemn these acts perpetuated by lost dogs who have strayed from their path and want to destroy everything nice in the name of Islam, which disowns them and their despicable acts. What attracted my attention is a previous reply- I want to respond to him when he said that there's only debauchery in our society. Why can't you see that it's you who can't see what's in you to change it? Your soul is sick, and you can only see the negative around you, disregarding all else
hafid Posted 2007-12-13
Salam alaikoum. May God have mercy on the pure martyrs. Long live Algeria, yes Algeria. No to terrorism. Yes to reconciliation. Your position is in its place, thank you again. I also oppose this vulgarity presented on the only satellite channel. I tell you that in this Algerian channel work only the Kalka and you have to understand this word. Such as the program of Chabab and Fallas, which is concerned here. These terrorists, God is our protector against them, by God they won’t succeed. We’re with the president to death. Yes to a third and fourth mandate. Without this president Algeria will be just losses and not Algeria. Long live Algeria free. Five fingers into the evil eye. Spit on terrorism and who called them terrorist, the donkeys suicide-bombers.
FAROUK Posted 2007-12-13
In the name of God most gracious most merciful. In my name and in the name of all the colleagues I present with all regret and sorrow my condolences to the families…LALOUCHE ABD ELGANI..Martyr for the duty..... Yes you have gone our friend and brother, and how can we forget these days we spent together, you who always had a smile on your face, you’ve left without saying goodbye to us. And we will remain true to the promise, may God grant you a dwelling in His wide paradise, you’re our martyr, and we’re proud of you….We ask God to grant you a dwelling in His wide paradise and welcome you in paradise, and forgive your sins… And to grant patience to your family…Oh God grant him paradise…Oh God forgive his…Oh God have mercy on him…Oh God spare him the punishment of the tomb…Oh God paradise, Oh God paradise…For God we are and to God we shall return…Long live Algeria, and eternity to the pure martyrs…His colleagues KA.KB 2007.
fati Posted 2007-12-13
What has happened in our country is unfortunate: one Muslim killing another Muslim. God willing, we will remain standing.
مجهول Posted 2007-12-13
Oh Lord take revenge on this criminality. A call to the Algerian Muslim nation, oh Muslims, fear God by following His Book and the tradition of His messenger, peace and prayer upon him, the Prophet, peace and prayer upon him, said (I left you two things, if you abide by them, you’ll never go astray after me, the Book of God and my tradition). Have we followed the Book of God and tradition of the prophet peace and prayer upon him? This is an ongoing question, we’re people who were honored by God with Islam, so if we leave Islam, God will humiliate us. And this is our fate. Now you see the man leaving his daughter nude without shame, by God, honor has gone. If we stick to the religion of God, God will honor us and make this country safe. Oh Bouteflika, fear God and don’t forget that you’re a shepherd and every shepherd is responsible for his subjects. Oh Lord reform our rulers and assist them to reform the State and the people. They’re Khaouarej who kill themselves and think that it’s Jihad. Oh Lord, are they leading Jihad against Muslims, they’re the movement of Satan. We’ve all our brothers to abide by the Book and tradition of the prophet.
محمد الجزائري Posted 2007-12-14
These acts by terrorist groups are an attack against the Algerian people. Or how do they say that they have come to make life and they’re only good at cutting corpses and destroying creatures? Hasn’t time come for those coward killers to be stop harming people and terrifying them? Shouldn’t they protect blood and souls whose killing was forbidden by God only rightly? Don’t they know that we’re in one of the sacred months which were highly valued and sacred even by the pre-Islamic and pagan people, while these people in the name of Islam no longer revere anything? We tell them the morrow is coming soon for the patient. Those who kill people, their time will come, and this isn’t far away for God and the sadness of people will be substituted by happiness.
Anonymous Posted 2007-12-14
Terrorists are the dogs of hell.
benzomar@mail.ru Posted 2007-12-15
We, the people of the Maghreb, are all from the same roots, the same Arab-Berber family. We must fight against this phenomenon, which is so foreign to our traditions. Let us move forward, hand in hand.
فراسة Posted 2007-12-16
To every Algerian who bears a drop of Algerian blood in his heart, you’re by God the army of Algeria, you were one day the heroes of Tarik Ibn Zyad, you who were one day the martyrs of the revolution of independence, the state of a million and half a million martyrs. Oh Algeria, get rid of the mourning clothes, you’re the pride of the Arabs. Terrorism won’t break our pride. We’ll stay here forever, we will never give in, because we’re simply the sons of the free Algeria. If you kill Khaled, Omar will be born, and simply because we’re a nation that can’t be beaten by terrorism. They want to humiliate us, they want us subdued, no and a thousand no, because we're leaders, we were born to fight, to survive to live to say yes to life. Because we're the Oumma of Islam, the Oumma of the dear prophet peace and prayer upon him.
wouroud Posted 2007-12-17
The support of God is coming, those who pretend to be Muslims don't have the right to hold arms against their brothers, even if they're rebels in order to avoid fitna.
abdessalam Posted 2007-12-21
Those of you who avenge your brothers, how will God pardon you? You too are criminals.
khadidja h Posted 2007-12-23
Salam alaikoum, I say in this regard that Islam disowns such terrorist attacks. God doesn’t accept killing innocents and forbid killing a soul without any right. May God punish the oppressors and criminals. May God welcome those killed in His wide paradise and forgive them, grant their families patience. For God we are and to God we shall return. Oh Lord liberate the beloved Algeria, for whom a million and half a million martyrs died, from the killers and criminals, oh Lord make Islam and Muslims victorious. Salam.
ali Posted 2007-12-27
Long live the Algerian government and nation.
atoub Posted 2007-12-29
I will be the next suicide-bomber. I would love to explode myself with thousands of bombs because I am unemployed and no one will give me a single opportunity to work. I do not want to live like a zombie in my country of social injustice. There is too much injustice. I can go find the Islamist mujahideen in the media’s networks.
أحمد خليل Posted 2008-01-06
May God guide them.
nawel Posted 2008-01-07
I am a university student. What is going on in Algeria, my one and only country, did not come about from nothing. It is sure that there are enemies who do not want Algeria to remain tranquil while Algerians want Peace. I am sure that Algerians will always be united and, God willing, we are going to move beyond this just like we did in the 1990s.
ahmed Posted 2008-01-12
If the Algerian government is not up to guaranteeing security for the Algerian, it needs to step down, beginning with the president and going all the way down to the last employee. This includes the chiefs of the security agencies (the police, the gendarme, etc.), most especially the chief of police. As far as chiefs go, he is the worst: he only thinks about his own interests, nothing more. We can easily say that all Algerian leaders hate our people. I swear by it. Even the president hates Algerians, and I can swear by that too.
NACER Posted 2008-01-15
It has a brilliant policy
zahra Posted 2008-01-25
I am positive that the Almighty is with the Muslims. Everything that has happened is so sad. There is no God but Allah.
amel Posted 2008-01-31
We Algerians, we people of the Maghreb, will forever have our heads held high in honour. Do you know why?... because we know well and we are conscious that our religion is Islam. It is the pride of God and His prophet (peace and prayer be upon him)! But, these poor people for whom I beg, they have no religion, no real nature, nothing. So, as I see it, they have less than nothing. "Terror does not have a religion." Try to imagine where these people will end up!!!??? They have less than nothing!!! I love my country. - The spokesman of all honoured Algerians.
gol Posted 2008-01-31
You have to look for the origins of Algerian terrorism not in Islam but in the politics of the Algerian state. In effect, the powers that be have an interest in the reign of terror, as it legitimises a third term for Bouteflika. He has failed in his policy of national reconciliation with a referendum to absolve the terrorists! It's not for nothing that the Algerian state refused the UN mission to investigate the attacks...
samir de tunisie Posted 2008-02-01
Poor Algeria! You are so beautiful and you did not deserve this. Your people are amongst the bravest of Arab peoples. What is going on over there is no longer understandable. Why did this happen? Is this Islam!? No, that is impossible: God does not want us to do Bad unto an animal or even a tree. Algerians need a good laugh, but unfortunately Algeria has already lost 20 years of its history without one.
AMEL Posted 2008-02-10
I would just like to say to the Algerian people to stay optimistic because what is going on here has been going on elsewhere too. For certain, it is a nightmare that will never leave us, but we need to stay upright to show others our solidarity in these difficult times. Long live the Algerian youth!!!
عمار Posted 2008-02-15
Oh Lord, magy God grant triumph to Islam and Muslims.
1e algeroiz Posted 2008-02-17
Ok you know that Boutef was there when the bombings occurred, by God- these are politics. They don't let us live at all.
عثمان Posted 2008-02-21
Terrorism is a word referring to destruction and ruin, sometimes there is a profitable terrorism somehow.
imene Posted 2008-02-24
La Ilaha Ila Allah (there's no other God but Allah)
رانيا Posted 2008-03-03
I’m one of the victims of terrorism. We have accepted national reconciliation for the sake of the nation, we have made sacrifices for it. But terrorism won’t humiliate us. We are always resisting. May God retaliate on them and punish them for these carnages. God’s mercy on the victims. May God rescue us and we are patient.
mohamed Posted 2008-03-17
Long live Algiers and long live terrorists because our country is not normal... long live the dogs... and the terrorists
Kabylos Posted 2008-03-19
Whoever messes with my country of Algeria, I swear by my @#%$ that I will @$%# you down. -The words of Dogan
محمد Posted 2008-03-23
The prophet, peace and prayer be upon him, said the blood of a Muslim is forbidden to a Muslim. These people who are killing and destroying in the name of Islam, they are just the Khawarij of the era, killers and criminals who are thirsty for blood. We in Algeria consider terrorism a word foreign to our active, hospitable and tolerant Algerian society. These people who want to undermine the stability of our dear country by killing innocents including old men, children, women and men in the name of Islam, the religion of tolerance, are just ignoring its instructions. These people work for the interests of foreign countries which prey on our country. I tell them you are on the path of aberrance, be reasonable and repent to God. Otherwise you and your acts will be fuel for Hell, God forbid, Allah Akbar (God is the greatest) Allah Akbar. Long live Algeria. long live the Algerian nation. Long live Algeria despite its rough enemies.
malek Posted 2008-07-03
This is a matter of terrorism.
une ALGEROISE Posted 2008-11-19
To “Samir de Tunisie”- The Algerian people are not Arab; they are Berber.
ALGERIEN Posted 2008-11-19
The government is the real terrorist. Terrorism is their creation, made to kill the poor Algerians, and Islam is their cover. Personally, I have seen them up close and they stink of alcohol. Everything that is happening is our fault, because we are not doing anything to change it. No one can do anything against the power of a people, against an uprising!
zeribi a Posted 2008-11-20
To “ALGERIEN”- You are not Algerian; you are Moroccan!
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