Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ALGIERS685
2008-06-11 08:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
AQIM LEADER: DON'T TOUCH OUR WOMEN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000685
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2028
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL AG
SUBJECT: AQIM LEADER: DON'T TOUCH OUR WOMEN
REF: ALGIERS 663
Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 000685
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2028
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL AG
SUBJECT: AQIM LEADER: DON'T TOUCH OUR WOMEN
REF: ALGIERS 663
Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) On June 5, Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic
Maghreb (AQIM) posted a communique on a Jihadi website
(www.shmo5alislam.net) entitled "in your honor, our sister."
The communique, signed by AQIM leader Abdeloudoud Droukdal,
referred to a Moroccan woman named "Fatiha" who was allegedly
beaten by a Moroccan policeman. The communique received wide
distribution among other jihadi websites praising AQIM leader
Droukdal for highlighting the insult to Fatiha's honor. In
his communique Droukdal called on all Jihadi supporters to
increase their attacks in the Islamic Maghreb.
WHO IS FATIHA?
--------------
2. (SBU) On June 1, Shmo5Islam web user "Hafid Al-Hussain"
claimed that Fatiha lives in Casablanca and her husband "Said
Fares" had been sentenced to 20 years in prison due to his
involvement in terrorist activities inside Morocco. Fatiha
has a one year old child and lives in a tin house, the story
goes. She was demonstrating along with other wives next to
the "Akasha prison" in Rabat, in support of their imprisoned
Islamist husbands. Subsequent pictures were widely
circulated on the web of a policeman in a civilian suit
grabbing a covered women whom the website claims to be
Fatiha, then throwing her on the ground along with her one
year old son. On June 6, the debate among Jihadists
demanding revenge for Fatiha's alleged mistreatment escalated
to the point that AQIM issued a call to avenge Fatiha and
every Muslim woman whose honor has been stained by the hands
of the "Apostates". (Comment: In AQIM's view, every
government official, especially security forces elements, is
an "Apostate".)
DROUKDAL: DON'T TOUCH OUR WOMEN
--------------
3. (SBU) In his June 5 communique, Droukdal said he had seen
the pictures of Fatiha being humiliated on the internet. He
promised that AQIM would avenge Fatiha's honor as well as all
those women whose honor had been insulted. He threatened
that any "Apostate" who touched an honest Muslim woman would
be killed. Additionally, he encouraged all Muslim brothers
in the Islamic Maghreb to carry arms and prepare ammunition
to cleanse the Maghreb of agents of the Jews and Christians.
He continued to call on Muslims who cannot participate in the
Jihad (probably referring to joining AQIM ranks) to target
the Jews, Christians and apostates everywhere. He called on
Islamists in prisons to be patient, promising that they were
not forgotten. He asked priests and imams to stop supporting
Jews, Americans, French and Danes and help those of their own
flesh and blood.
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Whether the recent bombings in Algeria (reftel) are
related to Fatiha's case or not, AQIM clearly has an eye on
increasing recruitment by responding to calls from angry
online jihadists demanding revenge for Fatiha's honor.
Indeed, it is the first time we have seen online jihadists
pleading for AQIM leader to take action. Droukdal's June 5
promise in turn generated positive jihadi reactions on the
chat pages. By responding with promises of revenge, Droukdal
paints the image of himself as a protector and defender of
Muslim honor, boosting his image and status among online
jihadists. His exploiting an incident involving an Islamist
woman is the latest tactic we've seen, but it reminds us of
how al-Qaida can exploit perceptions of women's honor in Iraq
and elsewhere.
FORD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2028
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL AG
SUBJECT: AQIM LEADER: DON'T TOUCH OUR WOMEN
REF: ALGIERS 663
Classified By: Ambassador Robert S. Ford, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (SBU) On June 5, Al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic
Maghreb (AQIM) posted a communique on a Jihadi website
(www.shmo5alislam.net) entitled "in your honor, our sister."
The communique, signed by AQIM leader Abdeloudoud Droukdal,
referred to a Moroccan woman named "Fatiha" who was allegedly
beaten by a Moroccan policeman. The communique received wide
distribution among other jihadi websites praising AQIM leader
Droukdal for highlighting the insult to Fatiha's honor. In
his communique Droukdal called on all Jihadi supporters to
increase their attacks in the Islamic Maghreb.
WHO IS FATIHA?
--------------
2. (SBU) On June 1, Shmo5Islam web user "Hafid Al-Hussain"
claimed that Fatiha lives in Casablanca and her husband "Said
Fares" had been sentenced to 20 years in prison due to his
involvement in terrorist activities inside Morocco. Fatiha
has a one year old child and lives in a tin house, the story
goes. She was demonstrating along with other wives next to
the "Akasha prison" in Rabat, in support of their imprisoned
Islamist husbands. Subsequent pictures were widely
circulated on the web of a policeman in a civilian suit
grabbing a covered women whom the website claims to be
Fatiha, then throwing her on the ground along with her one
year old son. On June 6, the debate among Jihadists
demanding revenge for Fatiha's alleged mistreatment escalated
to the point that AQIM issued a call to avenge Fatiha and
every Muslim woman whose honor has been stained by the hands
of the "Apostates". (Comment: In AQIM's view, every
government official, especially security forces elements, is
an "Apostate".)
DROUKDAL: DON'T TOUCH OUR WOMEN
--------------
3. (SBU) In his June 5 communique, Droukdal said he had seen
the pictures of Fatiha being humiliated on the internet. He
promised that AQIM would avenge Fatiha's honor as well as all
those women whose honor had been insulted. He threatened
that any "Apostate" who touched an honest Muslim woman would
be killed. Additionally, he encouraged all Muslim brothers
in the Islamic Maghreb to carry arms and prepare ammunition
to cleanse the Maghreb of agents of the Jews and Christians.
He continued to call on Muslims who cannot participate in the
Jihad (probably referring to joining AQIM ranks) to target
the Jews, Christians and apostates everywhere. He called on
Islamists in prisons to be patient, promising that they were
not forgotten. He asked priests and imams to stop supporting
Jews, Americans, French and Danes and help those of their own
flesh and blood.
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Whether the recent bombings in Algeria (reftel) are
related to Fatiha's case or not, AQIM clearly has an eye on
increasing recruitment by responding to calls from angry
online jihadists demanding revenge for Fatiha's honor.
Indeed, it is the first time we have seen online jihadists
pleading for AQIM leader to take action. Droukdal's June 5
promise in turn generated positive jihadi reactions on the
chat pages. By responding with promises of revenge, Droukdal
paints the image of himself as a protector and defender of
Muslim honor, boosting his image and status among online
jihadists. His exploiting an incident involving an Islamist
woman is the latest tactic we've seen, but it reminds us of
how al-Qaida can exploit perceptions of women's honor in Iraq
and elsewhere.
FORD