Second raid underway to free foreign workers at Algerian gas facility

Examiner ^ | January 18, 2013 | Joseph Phares

[JerseyanExile]

In an effort to conclude the hostage crisis at the Tigantourine gas facility near In Amenas, Algeria, special forces from the Algerian government have begun a second offensive against the Masked Brigade, the terrorists led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar. Al-Jazeera reported that the renewed rescue effort was launched as the Algerian state media reported that more than 650 hostages were free, but 30 foreigners were still unaccounted for. The Algerian Press Service (APS) reported that the count of foreign hostages prior to the first raid was 132, which conflicted greatly with initial reports of 41. The terrorists threatened to kill the gas workers if forces moved against them, yet reports made to the Agence Nouakchott d’Information (ANI), indicated that they still held hostages after the initial raid by the Algerian government. Two of the hostages, claimed to be American, have been offered as a swap for U.S. held terrorists: Egyptian Omar Abdel-Rahman, the mastermind behind the 911 attacks also known as the "blind sheikh", and Aafia Siddiqui from Pakistan.

The motivation behind the hostage taking by the Masked Brigade, also known as the Undersigned in Blood Battalion, was stated to be the French military involvement in northern Mali, which is where the group originated from. The Algerian government, however, rebuked any demands and responded by sending the People’s National Army, or ANP, with no assistance or consultation from foreign governments.

"No negotiation, no blackmail and no respite," declared the Algerian Communication Minister Mohammed Said during a Canal Algerie TV news report on Thursday. "They will not shake Algeria’s determination and we must remain vigilant." Said indicated that time was a critical factor in deciding to launch the assault.

[Darksheare]

“I know, let’s tell the badguys when we’re doing stuff!”

[ColdOne]

The White House already knows.....wait the other bad guys.;)

[no-to-illegals]

hellary had suggested the area be declared a gun free zone. panetta had suggested the hostages be killed. The won took it all into consideration and did nothing. Went to suck his thumb in a corner.

[Darksheare]

LOL!

“Duuuh, let’s arm the muslims and release the blind shiek!” -Obama.

[TSgt]

I guess when you don’t kill all of the hostages in the first raid try it again...

[Lurker]

“No negotiation, no blackmail and no respite,”

I feel terrible for the hostages and their families, but this is the way it shlould be done.

[Hieronymus]

In most cases, I would be against any sort of negotiation, but I would be willing to give them Obama in exchange.

[rickyrikardo]

The first confirmation of an American death is being reported: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/18/algeria-hostage-crisis/1844217/

[Fireone]

Where the heck is the American rescue team?
Hillary is offering her condolences to the families.
Not a word out of Odumbo’s office. WTF?

[The Cajun]

Where the heck is the American rescue team?

Haven't you heard, we have a *Stand Down* president.

[Sherman Logan]

Maybe they could subcontract the rescue to the Peruvian special forces.

[Fireone]

We sure do! Sad!

[livius]

Yes, and our enemies have certainly gotten the message.
But that’s ok, because the “Stand Down” president doesn’t really consider them enemies.

Any enemy of the US is a friend of his.

[GeronL]

Keystone Cops will get it done

[NormsRevenge]

maybe if O offered front row seats to his coronation to the hostage taking ‘militants’.

[RedMDer]

[soycd]

I have to question the reasoning of any American that remains in an area with pitiful security surrounded by islamoscum.

[TheMole]

That's only the start of the problem. I lived in France for a couple of years and have talked to many Algerians and ex-Algerians of all types. Here's the situation in a nutshell -- the militant Islamist rebel forces in Algeria are heavily penetrated by the agents of the Algerian state intelligence agency. In fact, penetration is putting it mildly; often, the entire effective leadership of these groups is directed by the secret police (an agency usually known by its French initials DRS).

The standard strategy of the DRS is to lead the rebels into fanatical murderous attacks that cause them to lose popularity with the Algerian masses. It's the Soviet method of penetration and provocation, used by the KGB in places like Chechnya.

The Algerian ruling elite is formed largely of army generals who were originally trained by the French, and fought with the French in the Algerian civil war of the 1950s and 60s until it became clear that De Gaulle was going to pull out -- at which point they crossed over to the rebel side. They and their families generally speak French among themselves, send their children to school in France, and have little in common with most Algerians.

The Algerian state is largely funded by resource revenues extracted by foreign companies, mostly French. Lots of these revenues go straight into the bank accounts of the Algerian elite. So, connect the dots. This "rebel attack" on the gas plant is probably led by agents of the DRS. Its root cause is likely a struggle for money among factions of the Algerian ruling group. This situation is well understood by people familiar with Algeria, and it's frequently discussed in French-language media, but don't hold your breath waiting for American news to tell you about it.

[gleeaikin]

Here is another detailed story on the attack. Lots more eyewitness accounts of cold blooded murder of hostages.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/algeria-hostage-crisis—6_n_2502057.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=011813&utm_medium=email&utm_content=FeatureTitle&utm_term=Daily%20Brief