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The hostage kidnapping in Algeria – a first evaluation
Jerusalem Post ^ | 01/20/2013 | ELY KARMON

Posted on 01/21/2013 6:00:27 AM PST by SJackson

The Algerian military operation brings to mind the Russian modus operandi against the Chechens barricaded with hundreds of hostages in the Moscow Dubrovka Theater.

According to most media outlets, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb brigade, led by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, is responsible for the hostage taking in the Algerian BP oil facilities in In Amenas. According to the spokesman of Belmokhtar’s brigade quoted by Sahara Media, the kidnapping of the foreigners is in revenge for Algeria’s consent to French use of its airspace for flights headed to Mali.

In the opinion of this author the kidnapping has only indirect connection with the French intervention in Mali, and was planned many weeks or even months before the incident happened.

Rather, the attack is connected with the in-fighting among the various factions of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on the background of the latest developments related to this organization.

It should be recorded that Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been a long-time member of AQIM, as head of the southern Sahara unit or katiba, later named the Katibat Moulathamine, or Masked Brigade.

During the past four-five years he has become more of a local warlord, acting in this huge deserted Sahel region on the borders of Mauritania and northern Mali, engaging in narcotics and cigarette smuggling and the lucrative industry of kidnapping foreign tourists and workers.

He was in conflict with the present emir of AQIM, Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud (aka Abelmalek Droukdel), who refused to nominate him as emir. It was reported that Belmokhtar split from AQIM, or was expelled from the organization, in the last months of 2012.

In spite of AQIM’s and its allies’ advances in northern Mali since the military coup there in March 2012, Algerian military forces have been successful in killing and arresting on Algerian territory some 200 militants and leaders since August 2012.

An operation on August 15, 2012, led to the arrest of the chairman of AQIM’s judicial committee, Nacib Tayeb (aka Abderrahmane Abou Ishak Essoufi) as he was headed to a leadership meeting.

In October, Algerian forces killed Bekkai Boualem (aka Khaled el-Mig), the head of external relations for al- Qaida.

On December 16, Salah Gasmi, AQIM’s number two boss and main spokesman was captured near Bouira.

He was responsible for the group’s propaganda, the co-ordination of the various small groups operating in Kabylie and is the suspected mastermind of the 2007 suicide bombings in Algiers.

His arrest weakens Droukdel’s leadership.

Finally, on January 5, 2013, Algerian security forces killed nine terrorists in Keddara, Boumerdes. One of them was identified as Izza Rezki (aka Abou Djaffar), responsible for the finances of the organization.

It is therefore possible that the main goal of Mokhtar Belmokhtar in this major terrorist operation was to enhance his position in the fight for the leadership of AQIM. If successful, the operation could also have brought him an important ransom from some of the governments or companies which had citizens among the foreign hostages, to finance his group’s future activities.

IT IS still too early to evaluate the final results of the military operation to free the hostages in the gas facilities.

From the point of view of the Algerian authorities, the most important issue was to hamper any attempt by the terrorists to blow up this important gas field, as gas and oil exports are the main source of revenue for the government. This could explain the decision to act so quickly; without, perhaps, all the necessary intelligence for a successful operation.

The Algerians wanted also to prevent political pressure from foreign governments worried for the fate of their citizens, like Japan and Norway.

Another factor was the desire to show the Algerian people the determination of the government to fight the Islamist terrorists at any price and not show any sign of political weakness after it “won” the May 2012 legislative election and, contrary to all other Arab regimes, to stop the advance of the Islamist wave.

The Algerian military and security services have led a long, deadly and cruel war against the Islamists since 1992, which has cost the lives of 100,000-150,000 Algerians.

The death of dozens of hostages, even if it could involve serious diplomatic repercussions, is less important than the stability the Algerian regime whose main goal is survival.

The Algerian military operation, in a huge gas complex were more than 600 people were working, many of them taken hostage, brings to mind the Russian modus operandi against the Chechens barricaded with hundreds of hostages in the Moscow Dubrovka Theater (October 2002) or the Beslan school hostage crisis (September 2004).


TOPICS: Editorial; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: algeriahostagecrisis

1 posted on 01/21/2013 6:00:30 AM PST by SJackson
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

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2 posted on 01/21/2013 6:06:55 AM PST by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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3 posted on 01/21/2013 6:07:18 AM PST by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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4 posted on 01/21/2013 6:08:22 AM PST by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: SJackson

The radical fundamentalist Wahhabi sect in Saudi Arabia fund and motivate the worldwide wave of Islamic terror and military aggression. They are allowed to operate freely and are funded by the decadent royals who are terrified of the Wahhabi. The West must deal with the Wahhabi in a definitive manner or it will be fighting endless conflicts.


5 posted on 01/21/2013 6:12:30 AM PST by allendale
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To: allendale

Don’t leave out Iran.


6 posted on 01/21/2013 6:28:01 AM PST by MestaMachine (Sometimes the smartest man in the room is standing in the midst of imbeciles.)
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To: allendale; SJackson

I think the article is a typical quasi-liberal analysis that, as usual, tries to ignore the terrorists’ motives and make it sound as if we hapless Westerners just got caught up in some dispute between “warlords.” Naturally there will be factions and power struggles, but like the leftist terrorist groups of the 70s, when push comes to shove they are all attacking the same enemy and have the same goal: imposition of their ideology and control of society.

The Algerian terrorists said they wanted to kill “Christian dogs” and instill terror in them by showing them the “power” of Islam. The AQIM terrorists came from countries all over the world and included two English-speaking Canadians. This is not just warlords showing off for each other.

Until we take them at their word and accept their own understanding of their objective, we’re not going to be able to fight back successfully.


7 posted on 01/21/2013 6:51:50 AM PST by livius
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To: SJackson

My first, second and last evaluation is that dirty-beard subhuman savages should be expelled from all civilized countries and never allowed back.


8 posted on 01/21/2013 7:05:28 AM PST by I want the USA back
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To: SJackson

Another drone or Seal Team 6 target in the making.


9 posted on 01/21/2013 8:19:46 AM PST by Col. Bob (To give in is to commit national suicide)
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To: livius
Until we take them at their word and accept their own understanding of their objective, we’re not going to be able to fight back successfully.

Our government, and other Western governments, pronounced "our first concern is the safety of the hostages".

As long as this is true (and it IS true), we will be losing.

10 posted on 01/21/2013 8:35:46 AM PST by Jim Noble (When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
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To: MestaMachine

FYI

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2979650/posts


11 posted on 01/21/2013 9:48:49 AM PST by dervish (either the vote was corrupt or the electorate is)
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To: dervish

Thank you.


12 posted on 01/21/2013 11:59:04 AM PST by MestaMachine (Sometimes the smartest man in the room is standing in the midst of imbeciles.)
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