Mohamed Aïssa: “Yemeni Takfirists fuelled the fire of lethal discord in Ghardaia!”

Algerian Minister of religious affairs and Wakfs or endowments, Mohammed Aissa, blamed some Yemeni radical circles of being behind the tragic events that beset the southern Ghardaia province by stoking tension among Maliki and Mozabite community members with the ensuing local communal violence causing dozens of dead and wounded as well as widespread material damage.

Mr Mohamed Aissa said that thorough investigations undertaken by his ministerial department in cooperation with the relevant security services concluded that shadowy Yemeni groups embracing the radical religious “Takfiri” ideology, entered Algerian homes and foisted on them poisoned ideas, after these nefarious groups were barred from investing Algerian mosques because these places of worship are constantly the subject of control and inspection.

The minister pointed out that the standing challenge is to grapple with this deleterious “takfirist” movement that uses social networks on the Internet to propagate extremism and bloody terrorism in the name of religion by manipulating hopeless and idle youngsters.

The religious affairs minister also took the opportunity to warn against what he termed the “Zionist schemings that seek to destabilize Algeria in a bid to weaken the country”, referring in this regard to the alleged recording of Algeria within the list of those States concerned with the provocation from inside or outside the country of the so-called “creative chaos”, he underscored.

Mr Mohamed Aissa earlier announced the projected creation of a National watchdog for the fight against extremism and religious fanaticism in Algeria.

He said the government has recently endorsed the request of the Ministry to set up this prevention body.

Mr Mohamed Aissa added that this observatory, which will bring together officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Wakfs and other sectors, will be responsible for examining the phenomena of extremism, by notably banning certain fatwas or “religious decrees” that affect the Algerian society and its unity and suggesting solutions to such problems.

The minister also stated that the expected goal of this monitoring body is to safeguard and preserve the national religious reference based on the “Maliki rite” widely known for its tolerance, brotherhood and middle-of-the road stance.