Al Qaeda’s Far-Reaching New Partner

Salafists are Islamic fundamentalists who advocate living by the original intent of the Koran, and since the 1990s, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) has pressed for a strict Islamic government in secular Algeria. GSPC splintered from a more radical group, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), which killed thousands of Algerian civilians throughout the 1990s and insisted that any Muslim who did not abide by Koran teachings deserved death. At that time, Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda did not want to alienate Muslims, and urged GIA to end attacks on civilians. Algerians reject both extremist groups, and GSPC membership fell sharply. To survive, GSPC declared allegiance to Al Qaeda after 9/11 and has since trained fighters in northern Africa, for battle in Iraq and Chechnya, and established cells in Europe. An alliance between GSPC and Al Qaeda reveals that terrorist groups negotiate among themselves, compromising and developing long-term global strategies. Al Qaeda has pursued similar alliances in many Muslim countries, writes journalist Craig Whitlock, extending its influence and taking advantage of Muslim anger over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. – YaleGlobal