Hattab keeps up his awereness campaign among terrorists

Founder of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) Hassan Hattab is contacting jihad preachers as part of his awereness-raising campaign to convince his former followers that armed acts in Algeria are illegitimate, according to sources close to him.

• Hattab is keeping on touch with about seven former terrorist leaders who had surrendered to security forces, Echorouk has learnt.
• “Hattab is ready to contact the current leader of GSPC Abdelmalek Droudkel to convince him to stop his activity,” said the same sources.
• By late 2006, Droudkel expressed his desire to give up armed acts before the remaining activists of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) had had control over the group and adopted suicide attacks.
• Hattab’s campaign  is meant to push for the National Reconciliation endeavour which has now entered its second phase. Previously, he had issued statements and posted an audio tape in which he urged his followers to surrender.
• Hattab blessed some separated initiatives including the surrender of about 1,000 repentant terrorists who renewed their attachment to the National Reconciliation endeavour.