Algerian Salafists are making their comeback in mosques: Experts reveal

Many experts in the Islamic organizations’ studies have pointed to the clear resurgence of the Salafit activities in various mosques and popular compounds in Algeria

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• Thousands of bearded individuals wearing the Islamic style clothing were seen roaming in the markets and public squares after years of hiding for fear to be assimilated to “terrorism” in the wake of the crisis that plagued the Algerian society during the black decade.
• Reuter’s report has revealed that the “Algerian Salafits” have become more audacious and do not hesitate to express themselves after years of silence.
• These experts have indicated that the Salafits in Algeria were wrongly assimilated to terrorists though most of them didn’t take part in the terrorist activities that plunged the country in chaos during the 1990s. Many of them have closely contributed to the rendition of the terrorists and played a key role in convincing them to return to normal life.
• The collaboration between the Algerian authorities and the Salafits has succeeded in curbing the terrorist activities over the last few years so far.
• The experts have indicated that the Salafits in Algeria have no political ambitions because their ideology doesn’t allow it but they strive for changing the society’s way of life that they believe has been strongly influenced by the Western model.
• The American expert David Otawe has indicated that he has never heard of Salafits who don’t owe respect to their authority in any of the Arab countries even in Saudi Arabia. “The Saudi salafists respect their authority and do not represent any danger for the government and their society”, he said.
• It should be noted that the most outstanding reference of the Algerian salafists is the Imam Malek Ramadhani who is leaving in Saudi Arabia since many years now in addition to Imam Azeddine Ferkouss and Aid Cherifi.
• The Algerian religious ministry has expressed its concern about the influence of the some preaches imported from abroad on the Algerian Imams  and their disregarding of the official ideology followed by the Algerian authorities.