Algeria: Salafist group's media strategy fails

Media committee of the so-called the Salafist group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) has not yet announced any statement to claim responsibility for the latest terrorist attacks in Algeria.

• This unusual fact led observers to ask questions about the background of this silence especially in light of the propaganda war adopted by the terrorist organisation since its adoption of suicidal acts.
• Security experts, who are observing Abdelmalek Droudlel’s organisation path, said this silence reflects a confusion state in the ranks of the groups’ fellows. At the same time, they indicated the refraction of his media strategy based on propaganda and inflation of facts and events in order to raise the moral of its activists that many surrenders and arrested terrorists as “collapsed” because of resentments left by the suicide attacks wave.
• After the challenge on its legitimacy and big losses, the organisation chose media war propaganda, so data became lies through media news without having evidences. That is why it went to claim responsibility for criminal attacks which terrorists were not behind them as revealed in investigations later.
• The most notable fact was the attempt to attack Janet airport by someone belonging to a movement called “Sons of the south”, which stopped its activity and its members handed over their arms. They said they were behind the Russian workers attack in Elmedea province and some soldiers’ assassination in Tipaza province. Yet, investigations confirmed that those who carried out the two acts belonging to the GSPC under the command of Abdelkader Sawan nicknamed “Assim” who announced in a videotape in his strongholds that he was behind the suicide attacks.
• It is noteworthy that the named Mohamed Abou Salah, whose name is “ Saleh Kasmi” – chairman of the media committee and the official spokesman for Droudkal’s organisation- used sound recordings instead of phone calls in claiming responsibility for terrorist acts in the latest bombings of December 11 after control impositions on the international communications.
• Algerian anti-terrorism agencies are coordinating with foreign security agencies to identify and penetrate the linking network of “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb” through these satellite chanels. The named “K.L” (Abou Abderrahman), who is the media coordinator and representative of “Abou Mohamed Salah”, would have revealed several information on the way Droudkal’s propaganda work has been done in addition to the media failures of the armed group.
•