Algeria hit by surge in guerrilla violence

[Al-khiyal]

Ma’az bin Jamal


Al-Zubair Abu Sajeda


Abu Dajana

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the group formerly known as the Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC), claimed three suicide bombings executed in Algiers and Bab Ezzouar in a statement issued to jihadist websites today, Wednesday, April 11, 2007. The suicide operations, indicated to be within the “Badr Battle in the Islamic Maghreb” and the first of its kind in the area, were carried out today by three members of the group, Ma’az bin Jamal, Al-Zubair Abu Sajeda, and Abu Dajana. After careful planning and targeting, the bombers individually struck the seat of the Algerian government in the capital Algiers, and Interpol police headquarters and the headquarters of special police forces in Bab Ezzouar, a suburb east of Algiers. Each member drove a truck laden with explosives, allegedly killing more than 53 individuals and injuring dozens more. According to “special sources” the preliminary total for casualties is 200 between killed and injured.

The group sarcastically addresses the Algerian government and the “Crusaders” to “cheer up” for the arrival of these suicide bombers, and warns that the Mujahideen will not cease their attacks until the every land of Islam is purged of an enemy presence. In addition, the group lists eight attacks executed between Sunday, April 1, and Saturday, April 7, which targeted Algerian forces in Bouira, Boumerdas, Ein al-Defla, Sidi Nouman, and Tizi Ouzou. As is customary for al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the statement also tries to dispel alleged fabrications by the Algerian government and media that the Mujahideen are responsible for attacks intended to hit civilians by claiming resolutely that this is not the case. They state: “And we, Allah knows, have made the greatest efforts to avoid hurting any Muslim. Beware, beware of the campaign of misinformation and falsehood, which will be as great as the strike received by the agents of the cross.”

The GSPC, a militant group based in Algeria, announced on January 26, 2007 that it had changed its name to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb following consultation with al-Qaeda Emir Usama bin Laden, and after formally joining the organization in September 2006. Maghreb, geopolitically, is Northwest Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claims three suicide bombings
in Algiers and Bab Ezzouar, and litany of attacks targeting Algerian forces

[Al-khiyal]

ALGIERS, April 11 (KUNA) -- Twenty-four people were killed and 222 injured in two bombings in the Algerian capital on Wednesday, according to the Algerian Press Agency.

It quoted civil defense sources as saying one of the attacks that occured in the entrance of the government building in Algiers killed 12 people and wounded 135 others.

The sources said the number of casualties was expected to increase.

They said the second bombing occured near a police station in the July 5th neighborhood claiming the lives of 12 persons and injured 87 others.

A group affiliated with Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the bombings.

Twenty-four killed, over 200 injured in Algiers bombings

[Al-khiyal]

Le Pen - Algeria attacks show France on a powder keg

[Al-khiyal]

Ségolène Royal, candidate socialiste à la présidentielle, a exprimé son "horreur" et son "indignation" à la suite des attentats "ignobles" perpétrés en Algérie et avortés au Maroc.

"Ces événements montrent que le terrorisme demeure une grave menace susceptible de frapper chacun de nos pays", souligne-t-elle dans un communiqué.

"Rien ne doit nous faire baisser la garde contre le terrorisme, il faut continuer à se montrer vigilants et résolus pour protéger nos concitoyens", estime la candidate socialiste.

Alger: "Horreur et indignation" de Royal

[Al-khiyal]

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - A Michigan congressman who recently returned from Algeria said Wednesday that intelligence officials had been concerned about a possible attack in the North African nation.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview that he met with intelligence officials in Algeria on Saturday who expressed concern about a possible attack by the country's Islamic insurgency.

"We knew that they were trying to do something. They wanted to have a big event, they talked about their big event and unfortunately, they got their big event," said Rogers, of Brighton.

At least 23 people were killed and about 160 wounded on Wednesday when bombs damaged the country's prime minister's office and a police station near the airport. Al-Qaida's wing in North Africa claimed responsibility for the attacks.

A spokesman for Al-Qaida said the bombers had targeted the government headquarters in Algiers and the Interpol offices and a special police forces building in the suburb of Bab Ezzouar.

Rogers traveled to Algeria, Libya and Mali last week as the sole member of a congressional delegation trip to the region. While in Algeria, the congressman met with the country's intelligence chief and other intelligence personnel.

Rogers said intelligence officials there raised concerns about increased terrorist activities in the sub-Saharan region known as the Sahel.

The congressman suggested that the U.S. might want to commit some additional resources to "improve (Algeria's) capabilities and improve our ability to target Al-Qaida in the Sahel area of Algeria."

Officials were concerned about possible attack in Algeria

[Al-khiyal]

WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- Twin bombings in Algeria Wednesday killed at least 23 people and raised questions for the country's natural gas industry.
Algeria has proven reserves of 160 trillion cubic feet, the eighth-largest in the world, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. Department of Energy's data arm. The country is a major source - after Russia - for Europe's energy needs through Sonatrach, the state-run gas company.

Wednesday's attacks - one of them in Algiers - raise serious questions about the security situation in the country and for the long-term stability of the energy industry.

Although there were no immediate claims of responsibility for Wednesday's attacks, violence has increased since January when the largest Islamist rebel group changed its name to the al-Qaida Organization in the Islamic Maghreb.

Geoff Porter, analyst, Middle East and Africa for Eurasia Group, in a note said the attacks were most likely carried out by the group.

"Islamist violence has intensified dramatically over the last six months, with two simultaneous car bombs in Algiers suburbs in October, an orchestrated attack on a van carrying employees of a KBR-Sonatrach joint venture in December, seven simultaneous bombs in Kabylia in February, and then an attack on Gazprom employees near Ain Defla in March," Porter writes.

He noted that previous attacks were limited to the outside of the capital, but one of Wednesday's blasts was at Algiers' Palais du Gouvernement, suggesting "the security perimeter around Algiers proper is permeable, which raises severe security concerns."

Algeria blasts raise energy questions

[Al-khiyal]

Amman, April 11, (Petra) His Majesty King Abdullah II condemned the terrorist bombings in Algiers on Wednesday that claimed lives of innocent people. One of the bombings targeted the government headquarters.

In a cable to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Wednesday, King Abdullah described the bombings as “terrorist and cowardly acts that have nothing to do with Islam and Islamic ethics.”

In his cable, the King affirmed Jordan’s support to Algeria in face of such terrorist operations and expressed his condolences to families of the victims and wished speedy recovery to the injured.

Jordanian monarch condemns terrorist blasts in Algeria