Interview- FIS former member Ahmed Merani: Djazaara clan is like Freemasonry

The Djazaara clan (the « Djazarists », supporters of dialogue and gradual Islamisation) in Algeria adopted the Muslim Brotherhood’s thoughts but their way of working was similar to the freemasons, the dissolved Islamic Salvation Front (FIS)’s former founding member Ahmed Merani told Echorouk in an interview.

Merani started his preaching career through Al-Tabligh wa Al-Da’wa group in Algeria which was led by Bachir Amroune who quitted it in 1975. In his turn, he left the group because he realized that “Islam is greater and larger than the Muslim Brotherhood’s thoughts.”

“Actually, the society at that time needed someone who handles its concerns in larger horizons. We realized that our achievement with Al-Tabligh wa Al-Da’wa group felt apart because of media. I needed to be more integrated in the society,” he said.

“Then, I started reading the Muslim Brotherhood’s books coming from Egypt. This pushed me to set up a charity association to help people and feel Islam’s message,” he added.

“Early in 1980, I reached a conclusion that Islam is larger than all those groups. I started working as an independent preacher. I dealt with all groups and refused to join any of them because being with them did not make me feel comfortable.”

According to Merani, Al-Tabligh wa Al-Da’wa group is still working in many mosques in Algeria. “I can visit them if I want. I still have a friendly relation with them. They are working on spiritual aspect and do not intervene in politics.”

Speaking about his affiliation to the FIS, Merani said he rejected the idea at the beginning but the party’s leader Abbassi Madani insisted on him. “I accepted to join the party difficultly.”

According to the FIS’ ex-member, Al-Tabligh wa Al-Da’wa group dominated Islamist movement in Algeria in 1970’s-1980’s. Then, university students and thinker Malek Ben Nabi’s supporters started gaining ground. “They had a different way of working. Their group evolved to become the Djazaara clan.”

Merani described this movement as “Freemasonry”, saying people were mobilized by this group without their knowing.

“Decisions were made by a few members of the Djazaara clan. Authorities discovered them in the 1982’s Fac Centrale events. Most of them were jailed.”

Merani said Abbassi Madani seized the opportunity of clashes occurred at a university campus in Algiers between communist and Islamist students. “Abbassi wanted to emerge as the Islamist movement’s leader in Algeria. He implicated Ahmed Sahnoune, Abdelatif Soltani and students at Fac Centrale.”

Speaking about Abbassi Madani, the FIS’ former founding member said the Islamist leader came back to Algeria from Britain in 1978 and started giving courses in mosques and universities.

“It’s him who wrote the communiqué which led to the clashes at Fac centrale in 1982. The communiqué called on authorities to release students detained after the events of the university campus.”

Asked whether authorities tried to create conflicts between communists and Islamists in universities to weaken them, Merani said any of the two movements threatened authorities. “Yet, Islamists became a real danger for the regime in the 1990’s.”

He believes that violence is not linked to Islamists only. A man called Bouledfrad used arms after a gendarme had raped his wife. He was jailed and freed in 1970. From then, he fought against the National Gendarmerie.

“Violence must not be linked to Islamist movements. It comes from ignorance. Ignorant people want change but do not know how. That leads to violence either for communists or Islamists. Many movements besides Islamists used arms.”

Merani said he visited Abbassi Madani in his home after his release in 1984. “He was in a bad mood. The Djazaara clan prevented him from giving a lecture in the province of Batna (east of Algiers). He was not allowed to work at Fac Centrale either. The clan believed that he was behind troubles.”

Asked about the Djazaara clan’s strong points, Merani said it had control over mosques and supervise all activities organized there.

The FIS’ ex-founding member used to give courses in a mosque in Casbah area. He said he did allowed people from the Muslim Brotherhood, the Djazaara clan and even Abbassi to enter the mosque.

Speaking about the FIS’ co-founder Ali Belhadj, Merani said the man appeared in the 1978’s, 1979’s and 1980’s. “He started his activities in Sunna mosque in Algiers. He was an enthusiastic young man but he did not enjoy a total freedom at work because he was watched. He was a faithful and kind man but it was easy to exploit his religious emotion and his over enthusiasm.”

According to Merani, Mustapha Bouili’s armed group was created in 1986. Before that, Bouili was an opposition member and gave speeches in a mosque in Algiers.

He believes that Bouili did not plan any armed acts at the beginning. “He just wanted a better change. He was over excited about politics thinking that he would change the situation in Algeria. Afterwards, he was bothered by the police. That pushed him to carry out secret activities including violent acts.”

He also said many preachers advised Bouili to stop violence acts but he continued his actions until he was killed.

He added that Bouili’s group obtained arms from their first attack on a military barrack killing a policeman. They also attacked some public and private institutions and stole their money.

According to Merani, five followers of Bouili were sentenced to death but they were released after the October 1988’s events.

He believes that the killing of Bouili was a “criminal act”, saying the operation was meant to arrest and not kill him.

“His driver was arrested. He was asked to give every detail about Bouili. He was trapped and shot to death. He could have been arrested but they killed him and even his poor driver.”