Al-Qaeda in Maghreb Recruits Locals for Jihad

Al-Qaeda in Maghreb Recruits Locals for Jihad
[Evidence is displayed during a hearing for suspected members of al-Qaeda in
the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) at a military court in Tunis, June 9, 2012. (photo
by REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi)]
Evidence is displayed during a hearing for suspected members of al-Qaeda in
the Islamic Magreb (AQIM) at a military court in Tunis, June 9, 2012. (photo
by REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi)
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2013/04/al-qaeda-maghreb-jihadists-
syria.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=6850

By: Mohammad Ben Ahmad Translated from El-Khabar (Algeria).
اقرا المقال الأصلي باللغة العربية

Signs of a war between al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Jabhat
al-Nusra in Syria have started lurking in the horizon.

Events took this drastic turn after AQIM issued a statement accusing groups
that are trying to send jihadists from Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Western
Europe to fight in Syria of coordinating with France and Arab regimes in the
Maghreb. These groups are also accused of hindering cooperation with cells
working on sending jihadists to Syria by way of Turkey. This is the first
time that such tensions have arisen between two branches affiliated with
al-Qaeda.

A statement issued by Abu Hazifa al-Gharib, one of the assistants of the
leader of AQIM, said that the activity of these networks that are working on
moving jihadists from North Africa to Syria was "a French conspiracy, in
which the regimes of the Arab Maghreb countries participate in order to keep
the largest number possible of jihadists away from the jihad front that has
been open for two decades in the Islamic Maghreb. Meanwhile, France has
opened a battle front against Muslims in northern Mali."

A security source noted that several jihadists in Tunisia, eastern Algeria,
France and Italy were caught in possession of the statement that was
recently issued, titled "The real face of the Crusader conspiracy against
Muslims in the Maghreb." Another statement, entitled "A call to the youth of
Islam…who ardently want to immigrate to serve God in the Islamic Maghreb, in
general, and in Tunisia, specifically," issued by Al Andalus Media
Productions, the official speaker on behalf of AQIM, stated that the Muslim
youth should not travel to serve God without the permission of the command
of the jihadist religious men or by direct order from them.

According to the statement, the decision regarding immigration to serve God
is not based on personal whims. It is instead reliant on the wise command of
the jihadist religious men — meaning here AQIM leaders.

What's more, the statement indicated that "those willing to immigrate to
serve God (or in other words, to move to Syria to fight Bashar al-Assad's
regime, in the name of Jabhat al-Nusra) should instead join the jihadist
ranks in the Islamic Maghreb. In this region, the conflict is at its peak,
and the weight of the war is burdening your jihadist brothers, with the
advancement of the French Crusader campaign on the Muslim region of northern
Mali or the northern front of Algeria. After over two decades of war on the
heretics — who are backed by limitless foreign support — there is now an
urgent need for men and ammunition. Your jihadist brothers do not have
enough support from their Muslim brothers, particularly those in the
neighboring Islamic Maghreb."

The statement by Al Andalus Media Productions focused on Tunisians —
hundreds of whom have travelled to fight in Syria. It noted: "The Islamic
Maghreb front today is in desperate need of the support of Tunisians,
Moroccans, Libyans and Mauritanians. Jihad in this front — northern Mali —
is more worthy of your help due to the aggression on these lands and the
front's need for men."

The statement also warned that France is keen on waging a silent war, with
assiduous attempts to deprive the Islamic Maghreb countries of their
jihadist powers. France's aim here is to paralyze the jihadists on the
ground who work with local contingents.

According to the credo of the international al-Qaeda organization, the
group's branches in North Africa, Iraq, the Arab Peninsula or Somalia work
freely in the regions under their power. No branch is allowed to meddle with
the region of power of another branch.

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