A suicide bomb attack in the Algerian capital in which 33 persons lost their life and another 57 suffered serious injuries has marked a shift in terrorist tactics. The targets hit were a police station and prime minister’s office. The North Africa cell of al-Qaeda claimed that they had masterminded the bombing.
The Al-Qaeda outfit in North Africa is the Salafist Group for Call and Combat and is better known by its French initials GSPC. This group was formed in 1998 and has been engaged in terrortist activities from time to time.
The blast has attracted criticism from different facets. Within Algeria, a group led by Madani Mezrag, a former insurgent, condemned the attack and stated such incident as anti to Algerian peace. Mezrag was a prominent leader of Islamic insurgency that rocked the country in 1990s causing dead of numerous Algerians.
Authorities are trying to find out the actual method of attack. Apparently, the attack seems like suicidal one, but Police department expresses different view. Driver of the car, that attacked the government complex, has been identified and its reported that he hails from poor background and has been detained for involvement in drug trafficking. Authorities say that the incident of suicide attack might not be voluntary. Police suspect attackers were just carriers and uninformed regarding the blast.
GSPC is luring the already poverty-ridden group of population and is using them in terrorist activities. This shows a change of working style, they are simply capitalizing Algeria’s poor and marginal segment’s penury.
GSPC’s linkage with Al-Quaeda has created stir and experts are saying both of them are benefiting from this through extra media coverage but very few believe Al-Quaeda’s supporting them with money or arms.
