Oh Hell, Why Not Add Another Front?
Al-Qaeda continued its efforts to disenchant yet another region with a declaration of war against North Africa today. Despite their general inability to prevail in Iraq, successfully detonate explosives in Britain, and do anything else in the US, AQ warned Muslims to stay away from their own government buildings on the south side of the Mediterranean:
Al-Qaeda threatened in an Internet statement on Monday to escalate attacks against the "enemies of Allah" in North African countries, warning Muslims to stay away from government sites."The Mujahedin (holy warriors)... have many hidden surprises for the enemies of Allah in the countries of the Islamic Maghreb, which will come in an escalating sequence," said the Al-Qaeda Movement in the Islamic Countries of the Maghreb.
"We call upon all our Muslim brothers to stay away from the centres of the infidels and official apostates, as well as security (gatherings) of army and police," it added in the statement posted on a website used by Islamic militant groups.
"The Mujahedin are determined to target their quarters, centres and barracks with all available means of detonation, bombing and demolition," added the statement whose authenticity could not be verified.
The group used to be known as the GSPC, a notorious Salafist group responsible for attacks in their native Algeria. They have stepped up operations of late, with at least three recent attacks in Algeria and another one in Morocco. According to their own releases, they have killed more than two dozen Algerian soldiers, and claimed that it had scrubbed other attacks because of the presence of Muslims at the attack sites.
So who were the soldiers -- Jehovah's Witnesses?
The announcement either means that AQ feels strong enough to expand its operations, or too weak to do anything more that issue empty threats. I'd like to think it's the latter, but the activity indicates it's the former. At some point, though, AQ is going to have to start producing victories to make up for all of the Muslims they alienate through their terrorist attacks on Muslim targets. And if they keep chasing Muslims away from their own government centers, won't that make the ummah less self-sufficient and not more so?
Posted by Ed Morrissey on July 23, 2007 12:59 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (1)
Comments (8)
Posted by Mwalimu Daudi | July 23, 2007 2:24 PM
I disagree with your assessment, Captain. This announcement of a Northern Africa "front" seems to be aimed at boosting the morale of al Qaeda's most loyal supporters: radical Muslims and the MSM.
Northern Africa is Islam-friendly (to say the least), so calling for a "front" there is a little like calling for Dallas Cowboy fans to flock to Texas Stadium for the next home game (As a lifelong Cowboy fan I despise Jerry Jones, so I relish the opportunity to take a cheap shot at him and his crummy leadership. But I digress.). If al Qaeda cannot get some activity going in Northern Africa (even if it amounts to little more that radical Muslims killing other radical Muslims), where can they get it?
The MSM is looking for any news that can be spun as a defeat for Bush. Fictitious figures and reporting like al-AP's Jamil Hussein and Reuters' fauxtography tend to backfire on the perpetrators in the long run. We have heard dire pronouncements from al Qaeda before, and each time the MSM has eagerly touted them as "proof" that we are losing. How do we know that al Qaeda is not aiming for the same reaction again?
Posted by F. Rottles | July 23, 2007 3:12 PM
Not direclty on-topic, but there was another front in this war that the MSM missed.
The FIFA U20 World Cup tournament was just completed in Canada. No terrorist attacks on the participants or the spectators. I doubt there were no plots for such, but the tournament was very successful, and very peaceful.
There were teams from predominantly Muslim countries. Nigeria's team had a mix of Christians and Muslims playing in the same uniform. That was noteworthy, but went unnoted in the MSM.
In fact, I noticed that when the Nigerians played in their white kit, it was possible to see large black block letters on the front of the shirts under the uniform.
One player had the words "I Belong To Jesus" emblazoned on his undershirt and he displayed it when he removed his team jersey. Another player's undershirt was a poster for Islam: "Allah Is Great." He too wore his religious beliefs without much fanfare.
I guess we in the West take for granted this sort of mixed-faith thing on our national sports teams.
The Nigerian players did not, I think, and they were very classy when they chose to wear these messages on their persons at one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
They openned another front against the Islamists when they took their messages to Canada and played football -- with a football rather than blowing kids up who played football.
Posted by doug in colorado | July 23, 2007 3:30 PM
I second Mr. Daudi, and add that if other targets are too hard, the Mahgreb might just be easy enough place to do something fairly large without interruption from US troops or security agencies.
Posted by sherlock | July 23, 2007 4:49 PM
I think I see a shift in MSM reporting. On NPR anyway, there still seems to be much reporting ABOUT Iraq in respect to the US political scene, but much less reporting FROM Iraq.
What does that mean? That means we are winning.
Posted by Neo | July 23, 2007 6:28 PM
They were threatening Iran a couple of weeks ago.
Posted by NahnCee | July 23, 2007 8:22 PM
Maybe I've blocked it out of my memory because of horrific shock or something, but since Saddam promised the"Mother of All Wars", has there EVER been a follow-up on any of the blood-curdling promises and threats these loons feel compelled to issue at least once a week?
Posted by Ray | July 24, 2007 12:50 PM
Al-Qaeda has only one "front" (well, two if you count their continual assault on reasoning which is not much different then than of ordinary politicians, but I digress) and that is the entire world as they have repeatedly stated their mission as a global jihad.
Posted by AST | July 25, 2007 8:45 AM
We need fatwas from every legitimate leader in Islam that these creeps are infidels and apostates and must be utterly destroyed if Islam is to survive. It is the squeamishness of the mainstream Muslims, especially those in the rich oil states, that that has allowed them to prosper and grow. Bush said it long ago, you are either with those who believe in a future, improved opportunities and quality of life, or you are with the terrorists.
The idea that God is incapable of killing his own enemies without the help of 15 year olds wearing explosive belts is nauseating and stupid, yet most people in the West today have that view of what Islam teaches. It should not be so. These are not Muslims--they kill Muslims as well as anybody else they can attack.