Religious justification eludes leaders of al-Qaeda in the Maghreb
2008-04-18
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's shift towards suicide operations in the region have provoked criticism from many sources, but perhaps most significant is the rift it has revealed between the armed group and radical religious leaders, many of whom have refused to justify the violent strategy.
Analysis by Nazim Fethi for Magharebia in Algiers – 18/04/08
 [Getty Images] Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leaders are hard pressed to find religious justifications for their adoption of suicide attacks, such as this one on the UN headquarters in Algiers on December 11th 2007. |
Since the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) announced it was aligning with the al-Qaeda cause in December 2006, the group led by Abdelmalek Droukdel, alias Abou Moussab Abdelouadoud, has shifted its strategy from kidnappings and roadblocks in Kabylia to the kind of bloody suicide attacks claimed by terrorist groups in Iraq. To many analysts, the change indicated a desire among GSPC leaders to prove their allegiance to Osama bin Laden’s network, forgoing – at least in the short term – any religious justification for the new direction.
The new suicide bombings revealed problems within the new partnership, even drawing criticism from the heart of the al-Qaeda network itself. According to accounts from numerous reformed terrorists, a large number of the terrorist network leaders have decided to suspend their activities and wait for guidance, or fatwas, from ulemas in the Salafist movement.
This is why highly-regarded Salafist imams have been pressed to provide religious legitimacy for such actions. According to local media, al-Qaeda network members have recently urged Mohamed Ali Ferkous, Abdelghani Rouissat, Cheikh Lazhar and other Salafist leaders around the world to voice their interpretations of suicide attacks.
Several internationally-renowned Salafist ulemas, such as Tartoussi, Abou Bakr El Djazairi and Youcef El Qaradhaoui, have denounced the use of suicide attacks.
The most damaging criticism of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, however, has come from an Algerian terrorist leader. Salim El Afghani, whose group refuses to swear allegiance to Droukdel, has publicly compared the activities of al-Qaeda to those of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), responsible for widespread killings in the 1990s under the orders of Antar Zouabri. His analysis caused a stir in the ranks of al-Qaeda in the country, pushing a number of its members to ask Droukdel to justify his suicide attack strategy with religious arguments.
The suicide attacks perpetrated by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have even provoked a reaction from a purported leader for al-Qaeda in Iraq. In a February interview with Qatar's Al-Arab daily, Algerian Abdallah Khalil, alias Abou Tourab El Djazairi, publicly rejected the suicide attacks perpetrated in Algeria. He said the al-Qaeda network in the Maghreb mostly consists of "adolescents motivated by revenge and resentment towards the ruling regime". He also accused them of ignoring Islamic rules, saying that attacks targeting civilians and even soldiers on meagre salaries do not constitute jihad in any way, and are merely "foolishness".
Al-Qaeda operations in the Maghreb are suffering greatly from the silence and criticism of the religious elite. In the past, terrorists in the region commonly based their actions on arguments developed by Sayed Imam, the "jihadists' theologian" and Ayman al-Zawahiri's former mentor. While the theologian's recent statements and latest book, "Correcting Jihad in Egypt and the World", represent a considerable step back from the radicalism of his previous theories, al-Qaeda leadership clings doggedly to his earlier position.
"Al-Qaeda has no ideology apart from bin Laden's personal whims. Whoever objects gets kicked out. This approach is what led to the September 11th attacks," Imam told al-Hayat in a December 2007 interview.
Imam also questioned the ideological motives of al-Qaeda and other groups, declaring that "those who target innocent people are working outside the parameters of Sharia".
The theologian added, "They place their own desires and will before that of God."
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Abou zaitoun Posted 2008-04-18
Thanks for the information. I was very pleased to read this message: it was time to disclose who these bloodthirsty people were, who were destroying the Muslims and the Arab countries in the name of Islam. This terror is a crime against humanity. This is a brutal attack on innocent people. Islam is a religion that represents “peace”. In the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, God commands the believers to bring peace and security to the world. Terrorism and all the other turpitudes on this earth are acts that God ordered Muslims to avoid. Islamic morals are not the source of terrorism, but its remedy. Those who take recourse to terrorism or who support it in the name of Islam are severely mistaken. They are committing a crime against that God disapproves of in the Qur'an. All Muslims need to denounce all types of terrorism and share in the victims’ grief. Thank you, Magharebia, for this message.
acharif moulay abdellah bouskraoui Posted 2008-04-18
No religion allows others to kill innocents and to destroy instead of building. As for the Prophet, Sidna Mohamed—and I am proud to be a one of his descendants as a charif—he came to have peace and law reign, not war, not to have blood spilt. So, enough playing around with religion.
BEN Posted 2008-04-19
A political reading of the Qur'an is not a spiritual reading of it. It was Judaism that opened the former conception of religion.
caudron Posted 2008-04-19
The article and the interview with Sheikh Zemzmi are incomprehensible to non-Muslims, who know a bit about peace. How long must we wait for the spokesmen of Islam to join Pope Paul VI’s plea to the UN, which was taken up again by his successors, to “Never again have war”. How long must we wait for Islam to prohibit all homicide?... for Muslims to pray to Allah the Merciful, Allah the peaceful?
slim16 Posted 2008-04-20
In Response to Caudron: The cry of Pope Paul VI, “No more war ever again”, must have been, I think, priority addressed to war-makers!!! But, who are the war-makers??? This question deserves consideration. Who are the looters of other countries? Who uses force to push themselves on other countries that are only asking to live their own lives with their own mores and their own customs? Why do they want us to follow their culture? Is their democracy better than ours? If a headscarf worn by a Muslim disturbs an entire country, then this is shameful on their part. So, they believe they know everything, but they know nothing of Islam. Then, they interpret it as they please and turn it to their own advantage to start wars. There resemble those who are called terrorists, who mix things up the same way the aforementioned do and who are also war-makers. Islam has always prohibited the death of innocent believers. that is something we have to remember, that and that all good Muslims pray to Allah five times a day. -From Algiers, bye
caudron Posted 2008-04-21
We do not fully understand ourselves. “No more war ever again” means that no war is just. We do not have to pick and choose amongst the victims, choosing from them to take the lives of some of the innocents in order to legitimise the death inflicted upon others. We need to condemn all wars, all capital punishment; we need to reread Mr. Badinter’s speech on abolishing the death sentence in France. When will Islam join its words with those of Pope Paul VI and Justice Minister Badinter?
slim16 Posted 2008-04-21
To Caudron: It is curious that all Westerners think the same way about certain subjects! I, as a Muslim, am not saying that we must condemn all war. Rather, I say that we must prevent all wars. Unfortunately, this is the responsibility of the high-ups — the very same ones I describe as the war-makers! Allow me to doubt the validity of your reasoning so long as the law of the survival of the fittest is applied in force against people who are oppressed and killed at the drop of a hat, not for just motivations but instead out of the interests of greedy, lawless and godless men! I would also like to add that, say whatever you will, Islam existed long before Mr. Badinter and Pope Paul VI! I hope that you will understand that a Muslim does not have Mr. Badinter and the Pope as a point of reference, but the Qur'an and its prophet, Mohamed (Peace Be be Upon Him.) It is for this basic reason that you do not understand Muslims. Your position is far too outside ours for us to make it our own. Respect must be mutual—something that is not the case now in this so-called “civilised” world! This is nothing but sand in our eyes and lies! God is Great! Allahu Akbar! Above all else, do not think that I am one of those people you call “Islamists”; I am a modest Muslim and proud of it. -From Algiers, Bye
محمد Posted 2008-04-22
Al-Qaeda is of American production to destroy Islam, don't you understand?
SALUT DE RABAT Posted 2008-04-22
Bravo Slim-16! You made your points well. We need to tell Badinter and BHL to condemn Israel’s crimes!!! -Bye from Rabat
Caudron Posted 2008-04-23
Condemning all wars or preventing wars—as far as I am concerned, I do not see a difference. Everyone is and must be free to choose his point of reference. What I am trying to understand is why "Thou shalt not kill" without any exception whatsoever is not remembered by anyone who chooses to make reference to the Qur'an (or even a few of them). Mr. Badinter did not refer to a religious ideal, but secular humanism. If a non-religious person advances with such a conception, then it seems to me that religious people should too. I salute Algiers and all of Algeria, which are in my heart.
hamide Posted 2008-04-24
Long live Algeria.
ريمة Posted 2008-04-24
These terrorists who think that they are right will be punished in this life and the afterlife for their acts against millions of innocents. They hide behind Islam which has fought violence and terrorism at all the times and everywhere. So woe to you from the punishment of a great day. You will receive the punishment you have so long been wishing. I ask God to guide you and transfix your hearts on the religion.
slim16 Posted 2008-04-24
To “Caudron”: The difference!? The difference is just that you don’t differentiate between this and that! To make a condemnation is just denouncing a war that is going to take place all the same; it is not preventing the war!!! That said, if you prefer the first solution—and I hope you will support my opinion on this question because I think it is necessary to do so—then “SALUT DE RABAT”, whom we remember so well, at least condemns Israel’s crimes, failing to be able to stop the war it has been levying for ages. For a more precise response, it would be good for you to study the notion of Jihad! -From Algiers, bye
cheibany Posted 2008-04-24
The Arab world has been fooled for years by the “holy war” in Afghanistan. Certain governments closed their eyes to the massive exodus of their citizens. The result is that Al-Qaeda went international and every country is feeling the consequences. The former Afghans returned to the country, creating a core that would in turn recruit from among the young people. The explosion of Jihadist literature was tolerated—rather, sponsored—by the ulema of the umma. Now, this jihadist culture has without a doubt found its niche in the inequality of opportunities between two worlds that make up the population of the Arab world. The answer to the jihadists’ is the law having a long arm, education, social security and bread for all. The response to the jihadists is to have the rule of law, the feeling of belonging to a country that respects you, cares for you and houses you in a decent place to live. I am one of those who advocates zero-tolerance for the jihadists. There is no question that the Taliban has taken an entire people hostage with its pointless, cowardly acts. Blowing yourself up and taking the lives of innocents along with you is a barbarous and heinous act. Islam is a open and tolerant religion representing a middle-ground.
سعيد Posted 2008-04-26
Terrorism is a concept which is widespread and no one knows its causes. They may be poverty, unemployment, cultural and religious void; maybe it is the policy of the new imperial coloniser international policy so that Arab and Islamic states remain under the control of the West. Islam is old, its age is over 14 centuries. It has offered huge services to the world and humanity in all the sectors. It is simple, tolerant and accepts the other. Islam takes care of both life and the afterlife. Islam is moderate…
hamda Posted 2008-04-28
May God support the right and assist Mujahids in lifting the flag of the religion. Allah Akbar (God is the greatest), Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, defeat the infidels, Amen Lord of all creatures.
لطيف Posted 2008-04-29
Salam alikoum. The concept of terrorism has become a synonym of blood and random killing in the understanding of the public. So we come and explain it simply, the concept of terrorism is the support of capitals for a number of individuals for a specific goal. The simplest example is that Israel funds some individuals of Palestinian citizenship with abundant money to determine goals through discs to decide the place. And the wise can understand.
abou yassine Posted 2008-04-30
A Message to Acharif Moulay Abdellah Bouskraoui: Stop repeating all the time that you are a descendent of the prophet, may prayers and peace be upon him. The only charifs there are are those who love Him and who do what He said: that we should do and follow His path. You are nothing at all!
farid Posted 2008-04-30
To Caudron: When God said, “David, fight Goliath” he meant “Jihad! Jihad!” He wants us to break those who do bad to us, without exception. If you have come to talk to me about Bin Laden and his friends, then I will answer you by saying, “This is a cult, and they exist in all religions.”
Anonymous Posted 2008-05-01
Hamda; The infidels are terrorists like the GSPC and Al-Qaeda. The faithful are those people who died by the hands of the terrorists. These innocents had already lifted the flag of religion—the same flag the terrorists are now soiling. Allah is Great. He will judge the terrorists who are killing innocent children and people. The GSPC and Al-Qaeda’s bloodthirsty dogs are just cowards who know nothing of mercy and clemency.
ابو مصعب Posted 2008-05-01
The nation should rebel against the corrupt tyrants 25
slim16 Posted 2008-05-02
Did Caudron leave?
nadia Posted 2008-05-04
Algeria suffered for more than a decade from murderers. Almost every country turned its back on us during this time. I would like to pay a heartfelt tribute to all our intellectuals who preferred to stay in this country. My thoughts go out to our journalists in the independent press.
SALIM-Fr Posted 2008-05-06
To Nadia: Can you tell us who the real killer is? The killers are still on the run. We Algerians are too narrow minded and understand what we want to understand. This is called stubbornness. It is better to shut up rather that say stupid things. Can you tell me who assassinated President Boudiaf? To this day, this crime remains unpunished. Step out of your country’s shoes just a bit in order to get a little bit of an idea how others see us from the outside. We have been inculcated by the socialist-communist government, which is having trouble relinquishing power.
tounsi Posted 2008-05-10
Censorship is not only legal but a must with the rising stupidity among our youth who choose to follow a bunch of sexually-obsessed Egyptian and Saudi brainwashers. Our Tunisian youth denounced our long history of freedom of thought and belief, enlightenment and equality between males and females to substitute them for stupid black veils and monstrous beards which make them look like penguins and sexual maniacs running out of madhouses. They made a split with their TUNISIAN identity and today they have more respect to stupid and backward Egyptian and Saudi cultures. Some even denounced their own fathers and mothers as kuffars and think that Quradhawi or amr khaled knows better. And one last thing about censorship: Does Islam allow opponents to have a voice? Can anyone criticize Islam in Muslim countries? Muslims always want some rights that they would never give to anyone if they come to power.
Alain Posted 2008-05-11
Hi All, I can see that religion is a sensitive subject for all of us and it has certainly always been this way for the same people. A lot of people cannot imagine that I am GOD! I was, I am and I will always be eternal. Without naming you pitiful ones who use others’ belief in Me to perform your dirty tricks, I will have you know that I am reserving the choicest place in the Lake of Fire for you! Since the beginning of time, an eternity ago, men use ignorance and its likes to make their livings doing nothing. It is for this reason that they invented the gods, making it seem as if they alone could meet with them. But, God does not need a middleman: He is LIFE! I have had enough of all of those who have died committing suicide bombings. These are crimes against God. The so-called religious leaders who advocate this are also committing crimes against their own God. May He have pity on them! As for me, I do not believe in His existence. I am right to lead my life as humanist, rather like a Buddhist who accidentally happens to be an ex-Christian. Love one another is the first commandments and not murdering is the second. God or no, this remains an incontestable moral value. Thank you for having read this.
RASLEBOL Posted 2008-05-13
To Alain: The issue of terrorism in Algeria has nothing to do with God or any belief. This is a purely political affair. We have people who have been clinging to power since 1962 and who do not want to leave. They are not up to their responsibilities. We even had a president who wanted to clean things up a bit and the generals assassinated him. So what is the solution? We want a real democracy and the right men in the right places.
SALIM-FR Posted 2008-05-13
To Nadia: You make me laugh when you speak about the independence of journalism in the Arab countries, especially in Algeria. It would surprise me that you do not know what freedom of expression is. You need to go abroad so you can realise that they write what they want to write. And, “they” follow us abroad in order to corrupt us.
algerian Posted 2008-05-13
I think there are a lot of terrorists who are still defending the cause of other terrorists!!! It is bizarre that an Algerian, when speaking about Boudiaf, asks who killed the president. My question is: who killed the thousands of innocent children, and why are Ali Benhadj, Abassi, Haddam and several other terrorist still alive? Do we not have the courage to put an end to these bloodthirsty people who lit Algeria on fire? Everything that has been going on in Algeria, ever since the arrival of this pitiful FIS is because of the former FIS members. The GIA, MIA and GSPC are all bloodthirsty, former FIS members. Despite all the generals’ and government’s talk, I agree that they are corrupt. But, I deny that they killed innocents and babies. This never happened in Algerian history until the arrival of other cultures here—for example: the Afghans with their taste for blood and the Russians with their inability to stop killing. They are lacking in their own blood. They are neither Muslims, nor Algerians. These people are just devils, lapping up the blood of the Algerian and Muslim people.
abou -zaitoun Posted 2008-05-13
Before getting into details, we need to know the source of Islam—the Holy Qur'an. So, according to the Qur'an, one of the greatest sins is killing a human being who has not committed a crime. Whosoever kills a person not guilty of a murder or evidenced corruption it is as if one killed all mankind. And, in giving your life for someone, it is as if you are giving your life to all mankind. In effect, our messengers have come bearing evidence. Moreover, in spite of this, many of us bring ourselves to acting in true excess. (see Quran, surat Al-Ma’ida, verse 32). “Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment.” (Quran, Surat al-Furqan, verse 68)
slim16 Posted 2008-05-13
To Alain: Based on your comment, I feel that you are a bit lost on the spiritual side. If you really want to live like a humanist, then I propose Islam to you so that you may be able to “believe” and to say, “There is no God but God.” I think that you lack the faith necessary to be able to be at ease inside. There are books in French that can guide you to understand all Its precepts. You can bring yourself closer to understanding and then go to the place of the Muslim religion— the Mosque— in order to have an experience that I think will be the salvation of your moral and spiritual well-being. I do not want to force my hand here; this is just a simple suggestion because you seem to be a bit lost. Sincerely,
nadia Posted 2008-05-16
To Salim: We may not be on the same wavelength, but there indeed exists an independent press that enjoys complete freedom of expression. Whether you like it or not, there has been an overall improvement in this domain. Personally, I want to pay homage to this. “Le Soir d’Algérie” is proof. Thanks to all the Algerians who stood up to the FIS, GIA and GSPC. Because of them our country was able to climb back up this slope. Let us try to have a positive attitude in order to make progress with peace of mind!!! In spite of everything, I love you, my country.
amara lotfi Posted 2008-05-17
Terrorists who are committing crimes against humanity don’t represent Islam or Arabs. I consider them agents of Israel who are following the orders f the Jews, thirsty for the blood of Muslims. The terrorist killers don’t want an Islamic rule in our Arab countries as they pretend. This is a plot with Israel to serve the Jews and interests of the terrorist killers, traitors and agents and also to serve the interests of those agents.
abderrahmen mouslim Posted 2008-05-19
Eh ‘Tunisian’ you shouldn’t have insulted Muslims even if you pretend to be saturated with the values of free thought, belief, illumination and equality. But those ‘penguins’ and people with ‘monstrous beards’ and ‘stupid veils’ are only responding to the order of their God and the order of their prophet. Not everyone with these characteristics is a terrorist. But it seems clear that you bear a strong hatred for Islam and Muslims and this led you to deliberately confuse Muslims with Islamists and extremists, putting them in the same basket. I say to you and to people like you, the extremist fundamentalist secularists, that it is high time for Tunisia to implement the principles of freedom of belief, freedom of the individual and everything associated with that. Not as the secularists want but as they are understood by humanity in all parts of the globe, so Muslims in Tunisia can establish their religion as they understand it and not as you and others like you want to make it understood.
Tunisien Posted 2008-05-23
Islam is very ambiguous. The verses and hadiths are myriad and overly vague. Anyone can say anything because everyone is right. Islam is a rather violent religion. You have well said that Islam does not tolerate the murdering of innocents, but the facts speak for themselves: the suras and hadiths do not lie. Islam is not a religion of peace and love, but an ideology capable of far worse. The fatwa of Tatarros is quite real, the recommendations of Ibn Taymia are quite real and the muftis in Saudi Arabia who allow murder are also quite real. I am not proud to be Muslim; I am rather ashamed. I think that one day I will convert; it is inevitable. Muslims do not tolerate those who change their religion. I will be accused of being a Harki and so on. Yet, at the same time, they are the first to proclaim that this is a tolerant religion. Well, I will leave you here. No, wait. One day Mohamed ordered somebody to be dismembered for some crime I do not remember. Dismembered!? Do you understand what this means!?
mourad Posted 2008-05-24
To Alain: You are a Buddhist and I respect your religion. We Muslims have a great scholar by the name of Ahmed Dedat. One day, standing in front of a Buddhist temple, he posed a question to a Buddhist priest: “Is Buddha a god?” The priests responded: “The gods rendered him unto us.” So, my dear friend Alain, you are completely lost. Wake up before it is too late.
zaki Posted 2008-05-26
It seems to me that Al Qaeda organization in the Islamic Maghreb is associated with senior officials abroad who support them with weapons and medicines. This is from a reliable source. They found with a terrorist some medicines which don’t exist in Algeria or the Arab World. So we understand from this that terrorism is supported by foreign forces which want to disseminate terror, strife and divide nations.
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