Algeria hit by surge in guerrilla violence

[Al-khiyal]

Algiers, August 10th - - Algeria's Islamist militia, long in decline, still pose a threat east of Algiers and in the south thanks to criminal and family links and the use of remote terrain, an expert on the country's violence said on Thursday.

Speaking weeks before the expiry of an amnesty meant to end an era of conflict in Africa's second largest country, Lies Boukraa told Reuters the main rebel group, the al Qaeda-linked Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, was no longer able to menace the overall stability of the giant oil and gas exporter.

But a group of about 100 die-hards remained in the Kabylie mountains east of Algiers and was very hard to wipe out due to the silence of family members and funding from armed crime.

"We're in a phase of residual terrorism; terrorism in decay in which whole segments are moving into out-and-out criminal activity, including organised crime and serious crime," he said.

"Kidnapping is indeed a very lucrative activity for the armed groups," the Algerian academic and author said.

Oil exporter Algeria plunged into conflict in early 1992 after the then military-backed authorities scrapped a parliamentary election that radical Islamists were set to win.

The violence cost up to 200 000 lives and $20-billion in economic losses due to a sabotage campaign by Islamic rebels.

Thousands of Islamist guerrillas gave themselves up under a partial amnesty announced in 2000, and several dozen have come down from the hills under the latest initiative, which entered into force in February and expires at the end of August.

The amnesty is being watched closely around the region because the stability of the country, a key gas supplier to Europe, is widely seen as crucial for the wider Mediterranean.

Boukraa said he expected no more than 150 rebel attacks in Algeria in 2006, sharply down from 2 000 in the year 2000.

But several hundred guerrillas remain at large nationally, and Boukraa said poor local policing and lack of intelligence meant the GSPC had "a lot of freedom" in the Kabylie region.

"The region offers a double strategic interest to the Islamic armed groups," he said.

"In addition to its geography of mountains and forests it's also on the eastern borders of the capital and gives immediate access to Algiers."

But the GSPC's choice of Kabylie was not just due to its closeness to tempting targets in the capital, he said, adding family ties meant it was hard for police to get information.

"We all know that the key factor to combating terrorism is intelligence. In this region there's an overwhelming lack of intelligence due to the links of blood or marriage between the armed groups and the inhabitants."

The GSPC, which has rejected the amnesty offered by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, issued a communique in September 2003 in which it announced its allegiance to al Qaeda.

It publishes Osama bin Laden's latest messages on its website.

The GSPC is also in the southern desert, the scene of its most spectacular action, the 2003 kidnapping of 32 European tourists.

All were freed apart from one who died of heatstroke.

It also attacked a military barracks in Mauritania in 2005.

Boukraa said the group's presence in Africa's biggest wilderness, for centuries a smuggling conduit, gave the GSPC a regional role which had implication for neighbouring countries.

"The GSPC... represents a real regional threat because of its presence and activity in the border zones in the south of Algeria and in the north of several sub-Saharan countries including Mali, Niger and Chad."

Algeria still threatened by remaining rebels

[Sminette]

I am releived that there was not a single Algerian in the attempted heathrow bombing plot..

[ElHenni]

We have spend billions on new weapons, im sure some of those are detection based weapons, they should fly up intoi the mountains and desert and test the weapons against those scum.

I still hear that people are calling for the youth to go up to the mountains to wage Jihad against the Government, outside Mosques across Algeria they are calling for this.

The weakness of our people over the 90's was that we as individual and innocent civilians did not rise as a nation and let these people know they will either live peacefully or be squashed like the scum they really are.

The fate of the Algerian people is in our own hands, teh Government failed us for 10 years and seems to be failing us now against the terrorists and I dont know about any of you but I dont want another 10 years of killing.

[phylay]

We have spend billions on new weapons, im sure some of those are detection based weapons, they should fly up intoi the mountains and desert and test the weapons against those scum.

The weapons DZ is buying from Russia are war weapons... Not really the kinda stuff u can use against the terros.
On the other hand, the US, Korea and South Africa are providing material that is of use in anti-terros attacks.

I still hear that people are calling for the youth to go up to the mountains to wage Jihad against the Government, outside Mosques across Algeria they are calling for this.

After many terros were released, some of them tried to control mosques (like they did back in the 90s). This time the governments was ready to face them so many Imams received threats and a few got killed. But you are right, since not all of them regret what they did and actually think they were/are right, it is the most normal that they try to resume their terror activites.

The weakness of our people over the 90's was that we as individual and innocent civilians did not rise as a nation and let these people know they will either live peacefully or be squashed like the scum they really are.

Not totally true. Don't forget that when it all started many algerians actually supported the terros believing they will help them improve their lives and of course because of our corrupt leaders. It si only after the GIA became the terros major group (MIA and AIS being weaker) that the population opinion changed and everybody thought they had to fight together with the army and the police. This is due to the fact that the GIA started killing civilians and not only houkouma ppl.

[Sminette]

I certainly don't want another 10 years of killings...
I disagree however on the current government failing us...since they took on, terrorism came down dramatically...however it is rising now and it is a shame..I am sure that the government will takle it in an intelligent way ..common 10 years of experience in this field should bring some major solutions...
I still think more jobs should be created ...because ..if jobs are created...then they can never ifluence the youngsters to join the mountains...
I think we ( as Algerians and peace keepers) should do everything in our power to put a full stop to terrorism back home in Algeria...

[phylay]

I still think more jobs should be created ...because ..if jobs are created...then they can never ifluence the youngsters to join the mountains...

Improving living conditions will certainly keep some youngsters from following them but education is much more important. Our school must be able to provide every students with the means to think/reason/argue/debate so that noone can brainwash them easily!
I believe school's first aim is to enable the people to ask every possible question and not accept anything until they have proofs...etc, in one word to seek the truth. But if we continue to focus on maths (which I adore btw), physics or 3ouloum tabi3a wal hayat then eddana eloued!

[k_s]

I am releived that there was not a single Algerian in the attempted heathrow bombing plot..

I am also relieved, although I was sure they would be asians, the english have simply turned their attention to Asians, actually they might have made a deal with Algeria because the Algerian government was getting fed up with cooperating on intelligence level then getting in return the algerian flag on the news when arresting those people.


Phaylay, what a great point you made across our society unfortunately teaches not, I blame the religious people backhome who use religion to frighten people from thinking freely.
Historically I have always fallen out with friends who try to use religion to establish a dominance relationship with me.

First step it teach children to criticise without religious fears.