NEW AQIM VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000448

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2018
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC AG
SUBJECT: NEW AQIM VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET

REF: A. 07 ALGIERS 997

B. 07 ALGIERS 1147

Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: After an absence of more than nine months,
the AQIM video series "Shadows of the Sword" has made a
return to the jihadi website community. On April 14, AQIM
released a new video showing two attacks on Algerian targets
in Dellys and Boumerdes (Kabylie region),demonstrating AQIM
prowess in those areas. Ayman al-Zawahiri opens the video,
addressing all Muslims in the Islamic Maghreb (which he calls
the "Maghreb of Jihad") and calling on them to restore the
Iberian peninsula to the Muslims and referring to AFRICOM
urges jihad against the "Zionist Crusaders and their agents."
Footage of the attackers walking towards the attack site
with uncovered faces and saluting civilians nearby appears
calculated to demonstrate that AQIM has civilian support and
cooperation in fighting the Algerian government, and that
AQIM is not killing innocent civilians as reported in the
Algerian press. Two weeks earlier, another video dedicated
to AQIM's suicide bombers was released on jihadi websites.
It contains material on all the bombers, but covers in detail
the preparations of a 15-year-old who attacked a coast guard
base in Dellys in July 2007. End Summary.

AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI: THE GODFATHER
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2. (SBU) In his message opening the April 14 video,
al-Zawahiri asserts that the joining of the forces of jihad
in the Maghreb against the "Crusaders" has scared the
"Caesars" in Washington into trying to set up a new command
in the region (i.e., AFRICOM). He exhorts mujahideen in
Morocco and elsewhere in the Maghreb to fight to regain their
lost Andalusia (ie. the old Muslim states in the Iberian
peninsula). He also tells the mujahideen that they are
directly responsible for regaining the Maghreb and "cleansing
it of the sons of Spain and France." Al-Zawahiri closes his
message by asking the mujahideen to remain loyal to their
religion and the nation of their Prophet, and calling upon
them to unite against the "Crusaders" in the Maghreb.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
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3. (SBU) In the video that follows, a group of seven
terrorists dressed in civilian clothing and armed with AK-47s
and RPGs are shown walking in a neighborhood in Dellys with
their faces uncovered in broad daylight. When the terrorists
approach a housing area, several of them wave to the citizens
sitting in an apartment in a two-story building, giving the
impression that the terrorists know them well. The
terrorists appear to be relaxed and comfortable with their
surroundings, as if familiar with the neighborhood and its
people. Once the seven arrive at their designated attack
site, they conduct a quick survey of their target (an
Algerian police station),then check their ammunition and
take positions. Several minutes later, a fusillade of
gunfire breaks out and several RPGs are fired towards the
station. An unidentified civilian walking on the road nearby
appears to take cover. In the attack, a voice claims, three
soldiers were killed and the police station was largely
destroyed.

THE PERFECT AMBUSH
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4. (SBU) The second attack shown in the video is an ambush
targeting a military unit on foot patrol in Bounad (province
of Boumerdes). Six soldiers are seen walking on a primitive
road near their military base. A few minutes later an IED
explodes and two soldiers are obviously hit when the bomb
detonates in front of them. The remaining soldiers then take
cover behind bushes. As other soldiers from the nearby base
rush to evacuate their wounded, another IED explodes, causing
more casualties. Three other soldiers are seen lying on the
road. The video claims that two soldiers were killed and
five were wounded in the attack.

IN PRAISE OF SUICIDE
--------------


5. (C) Separately, on March 29 the al-Bouraq media network

ALGIERS 00000448 002 OF 002


(www.al-boraq.info/) and other jihadi websites distributed
another AQIM video, entitled "Lovers of Hower," in memory of
the suicide bombers who "have sacrificed their lives for the
Algerian jihad." (Note: Hower in Arabic means "white." All
the suicide bombers were dressed in white at the time of
their suicide missions. End Note.) The video opens with a
statement from Osama Bin Laden praising suicide attacks and
blessing suicide bombers. Each segment of the video features
an introduction of each suicide bomber with video captions
taken during their lives as jihadis. The longest segment of
the video covers the life of Nabeel Belgacemi, aka Abu Musaab
al-Zarqaoui, the 15-year-old suicide bomber who struck the
Dellys coast guard barracks in July 2007. Belgacemi is seen
in the video preparing the bomb he intended to use the next
day, while the narrator explains that Belgacemi wanted to
prepare the bomb that would take him to heaven himself. On
the day of the mission, Belgacemi is seen sitting in the
driver's seat heading towards the target. Two cameras
positioned at different angles from the barracks record the
whole suicide mission. Belgacemi's truck approaches the
barracks without any interjection from the security guards at
the gate entrance, and a few seconds later the bomb explodes.
The only suicide bomber who failed in his mission was Abou
Walid al-Assemi, according to the narrator, as al-Assemi died
in Tizi Ouzou two days prior to his mission.

SUICIDE RECRUITING: WOMEN NEED NOT APPLY (YET)
-------------- -


6. (C) Abu Naji, an active member of the Dilalseuf jihadi
website, wrote a separate message dated March 27 praising the
martyrs in the "Lovers of Hower" video. He also appears to
have been responding to a woman's inquiry into conducting a
suicide attack. In response to the inquiry, Abu Naji said
that there was currently no need for women to join the
martyrdom caravan since men like Abu Mousaab (the Dellys
suicide bomber) were plentiful in Algeria. When these men
cease to exist, he wrote, women will be allowed to use not
only suicide vests, but also suicide bombs. (Note: Since the
video was first posted on March 29 -- two days after Abu
Naji's comments were posted - we believe he had a sneak
preview of the video. End Note.)

COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) Much of these videos is standard AQIM fare -
Zawahiri exhortations and IED attacks on soldiers. Two
elements were particularly striking, however. First, AQIM
clearly wanted to show that at least some of its members know
civilians in communities where AQIM operates and are friendly
with them. Second, the March 29 video glorifies suicide
attacks. This was not the first time AQIM has highlighted
suicide attacks, but we interpret this video to mean the
group fully intends to launch more such assaults. The
apparent interest of at least some Algerian women in
participating reminds of Iraq. For now, it appears the money
appears to be the chief limitation on the group, not finding
men and women willing to blow themselves up.
FORD