Al-Qaeda's Droukdel makes new bid to defend killing of civilians
2008-09-24
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelmalek Droukdel issued a new audio message in which he attempts to explain the massive losses of civilian life caused by his group's attacks.
By Said Jameh for Magharebia in Algiers – 24/09/08
 [Said Jameh] Despite Droukdel's assurances, recent figures show that 98% of the victims of al-Qaeda suicide bombings have been civilians. |
In an audiotape released Sunday (September 21st) on jihadist websites, al-Qaeda’s Maghreb leader Abdelmalek Droudkel attempted to defend the group's recent deadly attacks in Algeria, claiming his men "were doing their best to spare the civilians". He said recent terrorist operations carried out by elements of his group were "carefully selected" to target security forces
Droukdel's claims run counter to official statistics. Since the Algiers bombings of April 11th, 2007, the majority of victims from the group's suicide attacks have been civilians.
Between the August 19th suicide bombing of a gendarmerie training school, the August 20th attack on a bus carrying workers for a Canadian company and another the same day on an army barracks, 61 people were killed.
Official statistics appearing in Echorouk last month show that 98% of the victims of al-Qaeda suicide bombings have been civilians.
This week's audiotape was the first media appearance for Droukdel since giving an interview to The New York Times in July.
Analysts say the message contains no new information, and that it is merely an attempt to defend the group's actions in light of the number of innocent deaths.
Security expert Hamid Yacine said the tapes show Droukdel is seeking to remain visible in the media and is "looking for a legitimate cover… after he ascertained that the victims of the suicide operations were civilians".
Droukdel also issued a warning in the tape, advising Algerians to keep away from official buildings and gatherings of Westerners, particularly Americans and the French. "These (gatherings) are legitimate targets for the group," he said.
He called for holy war against "apostate regimes" in the Maghreb and the West, levelling his strongest invectives against Algeria and Mauritania
These accusations are not new, Hamid Yacine told Magharebia. "They just reflect old positions and speeches which al-Qaeda used to make in an attempt to raise public opinion in the area."
Droukdel's threats come in the wake of broad security measures taken by Algerian security forces before the start of Ramadan. The programme includes tightened surveillance measures on official headquarters, diplomatic missions and other sensitive locations. For the first time, the government also sealed off districts that host embassies and other institutions, such as the Presidential Palace, following the news of a foiled plot by a terrorist cell preparing to target the official residence.
The threats should nevertheless be taken seriously, said Yacine, as Droukdel's agents are waiting for any lapse in vigilance on the part of security agencies to strike anew.
The posting of the audiotape also coincided with criticisms of the group made by Abdelkader Boukhemkhem, former leader of the banned Islamic Salvation Front (FIS).
In an interview with El Khabar, Boukhemkhem said the acts committed by Droukdel and his followers have "nothing at all to do with Islam".
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Anonymous Posted 2008-09-25
These criminal operations to kill innocents aren’t associated with Islam. Those who commit these acts are criminals and deserve punishment in this life before the afterlife. “Announce to them a painful suffering”. God says the truth.
soumame Posted 2008-09-25
Thank you for this so very beautiful website.
abdallah ZAOUI (SIVEX)SUISSE. Posted 2008-09-25
Algeria got what it deserved in terrorism! Algeria is a country of corruption and mafia that is directed by a few Harkis from the French junta. Algeria is a destabilising element in the Arab Maghreb. Algeria deserves death and terrorism!
aah Posted 2008-09-25
The tribe of Ali Benflis has been a terrorist nest since 1955. This Harki family has blindly fixed itself on being traitors. Even the attempted assassination of Bouteflika belongs to the tribe of Benflis from Batna.
Anonymous Posted 2008-09-25
Droukdel is an fabrication by the generals and the Algerian government, formed of the former Harki colonial reserve forces. The Algerian people have turned into idiots.
Laurent Aisée Toulon FRANCE Posted 2008-09-28
Quite so! Fortunately, the Islamists are in Algeria and the Algerian government is incapable of managing the affairs of the Algerian people, meaning that sooner or later the FIS is going to return to power. That will be a great victory for the Islamists in Algeria.
salomon Posted 2008-09-29
Salam Alaikoum, In response to Abdallah and the other Internet-goers who so hate the Algerians, you are not Muslims but, rather, surely slaves to the Jewish lobby.
JAMEL ZEID - BERLIN - ALLEMAGNE Posted 2008-09-29
In the name of God, the Merciful and Generous, leave Abdelaziz Bouteflika alone, Sheikh Droukdel. He does not have anything to do with us FIS people. Our enemies are: 1) Ali Benflis from the wilaya of Batna, 2) General Mohamed Lamari from the wilaya of Biskra, 3) General Mohamed Gunaizilla from the wilaya of Tébessa, 4) and in general Sheikh Drokdel and all the people from East Algeria are our enemies, especially from the wilayas of Kenchala, Batna and Oum el Bouaghi. These are the people who led a campaign against the FIS during the 1990s with the support of the Algerian army.
mohammed Posted 2008-09-29
Droukdel is just a puppet. This criminal commits criminal acts against the sons of his country and the interests of his nation undoubtedly to serve foreign interests. In the history of the Islamic Maghreb, there were similar examples. I mention as an example the revolution of the owner of the donkey who committed atrocious crimes against kids, women, old men and all the people in the region. The sun will shine one day, certainly, and the whole truth will be uncovered.
Abou soufiane Posted 2008-09-29
To Abdallah ZAOUI (SIVEX)SUISSE: This is quite shameful for someone who believes in God. Your heart is full of hatred. God be with Algeria. Terror is a crime against humanity; it is a brutal attack on innocents. Islam is a religion that signifies 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 wickedness that exists are acts that God has ordered Muslims to prevent. Islamic morality is not the source of terrorism, but its remedy. Those who resort to terrorism or who support it in the name of Islam are making a grave error: they are committing a crime disapproved of by God in the Qur’an. All Muslims need to denounce terrorism of all types and share in the grief of its victims.
ABDALLAh - ALGER - ALGERIE Posted 2008-09-30
Long live the FIS! Long live the FIS! Long live our hero, Droukdel! We are here and, God willing, we always will be!
mohammed Posted 2008-10-01
May God guide those who wish the death of their brothers and pray for them with evil. They need education and instruction. They must record their names at school for the new year both the Algerians and non Algerians. I noticed a flagrant deficiency in the way and style of communication with others. They badly need to learn how the wise expresses their ideas, feelings and thoughts without hurting others. Turn aside from the ignorant and admonish them.
أبو نجوى Posted 2008-10-02
When the ties of society break up and it becomes inclined to fade out, its structures secrete phenomena of different grades of gravity. These phenomena constitute, in our case, a salient sign of the disequilibrium of power and distortion of relationships between conflicting components. Therefore, they lose all their characteristics which distinguish them (Zayd becomes like Amr). You find the people in a mess. There is no programme up to their ambitions or which concretizes their will and reflects their hopes. There is no party which indulges in public affairs clearly and carries out within its circle the slogans it calls for. There are no state institutions which carry out their mission except institutes of the security sector. In such a juncture, it seems difficult to condemn the accuser even if he is convicted. It becomes useless to attribute all problems to “Droukdel”, the generals or others. I think that we must firstly make a scientific conception of our reality then we can address accusations, fix charges and install sanction mechanisms to everyone who damages the public affairs of our nations, allows plundering the resources of our region and contributed with his decisions to keeping us in the circle of underdevelopment even if only a few kilometres separate us from the status of development.
nasserbastiano Posted 2008-10-03
This message is to the team that manages this website. I find it unacceptable on your part to publish and to not moderate such comments made by a terrorist who is spreading such a message with such stupidity and such pettiness. But, the truth is that it is not his fault: he is just a little idiot, who should be ignored. But, obviously you have let him spread his message!!!??? Shame on you!!!
محمد الأمين/الجزائر Posted 2008-10-05
In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful. Firstly, I address my words to those who see that terrorism is deserved by Algeria as a result of the existing corruption. I think that they support terrorism by granting it legitimacy. Therefore, they are either terrorists, enemies of Algeria or ignorant. Any human being, by his nature, knows that killing a soul without any right is an enormous deed. Secondly, I have a few questions. What are the cause which led to the emergence of terrorism? Why are terrorist operations present more intensely in some countries than others? What are the objectives of terrorists? On what basis do they rely to kill innocents whether they are civilians or members of the security forces? I will try to reply in a succinct way. I will focus in my discussion on my country Algeria. Concerning the causes of their existence, they say that they fight corruption. But corruption is present in all the countries in the world. To those who say that terrorism is a global phenomenon, this is wrong. We see that there are countries in which no single terrorist act was perpetuated. Therefore, this is a false cause. The real cause is to serve those who have interest in the instability, insecurity, enemies of Algeria. About the high number of terrorist operations in Algeria, this is not due to the weakness of the security forces or lack of awareness of the people. Algeria is the second-richest country in Africa after South Africa. In 2010, its army will be the strongest army in Africa especially the aviation. Therefore, the intensity of terrorist operations confirms the first cause that is to serve the enemies of Algeria. As regards some terrorist operations such as the destruction of the twin towers in the USA, it is just a camouflage so that the world believes that it is a global phenomenon. The presence of terrorism can be identified in third world countries and particularly in Islamic countries. This serves major powers, the enemies of Islam and distorts the image of Muslims. As regards their support in killing innocents, they have no principles. Security forces are members of the public even if some deserve to be punished. However, God defined for us according to Islam the punishment for every wrongdoer. The punishment for the thief for example is to cut his hand if he is convicted and not be killed in a suicide attack. If they think that they are Mujahids, here is the occupied Palestine, let them liberate it if they were men. But you won’t do because I know that you are the enemies of Algeria or ignorant whose brains were washed and misled. So fear God before death comes suddenly to you.
mohammed:à abdellah Alger Posted 2008-10-06
Silence is a fool’s response!
maazouza Posted 2008-10-06
To ABDALLAh –ALGER – ALGERIE: This website has unmasked many a vermin of your likes. Vermin like you do not have any concept of morality or humanity. Droukdel’s vermin and all their other bloodthirsty likes are perverts, rapists and paedophiles who are given to defamation, lying, hatred, sexism, homophobic and racist talk and disinformation in the name of Islam. How much longer must we tolerate the GSPC’s lying, insulting and defamation? The Algerian people are not fooled by this. (Maybe in 1992 they were, but not now!) All the Algerians are well informed about the Islamists’ practices.
هشام Posted 2008-10-09
This message is addressed to the administrators of this site. I think that it is unacceptable to publish comments without examining its contents. They are written by a terrorist and they are published with such idiocy and idleness. In reality, it is not his mistake. You are encouraging the corruption of this nation. But, God willing, you will get what you deserve of life punishment before…Long live Algeria. May God rest the souls of our faithful martyrs.
abidine Posted 2008-10-09
May these Islamists instead attack at the general’s political-profiteering mafia and their collaborators, the DRS, which is the source of all evil here in Algeria, both poverty and emigration! May they leave the civilian population alone! We are just poor people!
hicham Posted 2008-10-11
In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful. Fear God in yourselves. This site publishes the comments of readers as I did. There is no control or censorship over words. Stop backwardness Arabs. You have become a joke to the west. You move backwards while the world moves forward. You still think with the mentality of Ben Laden and Saddam. I don’t care. I disown you. I hope that Sharon defeats you. These verses are just copied. I wrote them to show you the Jewish harassment of Arab sites. God willing, you will learn from the article. Long live Algeria and Morocco. They are friends whatever they say. Algeria+ Morocco.
Claude Risis - PARIS- FR Posted 2008-10-14
Algeria does not want to conform to the law. Algeria does not want to adhere to the global development plan for its state. The GSPC will continue its fight and it will win because the Algerian army has done nothing but pump the Algerian people for their oil money. This crisis that persists in Algeria is going to raise the FIS into the Algerian government.
عبد السلام عين فكرون Posted 2008-10-17
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful. Peace and mercy be upon the most honourable prophet. My question is addressed to those who pretend to be Mujahids for the cause of God. How do you allow killing and violating the sanctity of Muslims while it is banned in our tolerant religion? To you who are misled, return to God and repent. Don’t tell lies about God while you know...
Anonymous Posted 27 days ago
Terrorism is supported by traditional enemies of Algeria: Morocco and France. They continue to support it. They are allies…?!
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