Al-Qaida in Algeria Denies Killing of "Deputy Commander"
By Evan Kohlmann
Al-Qaida's Committee in the Islamic Maghreb--formerly known as the Algerian Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat (GSPC)--has issued a new statement acknowledging the death of one of its prominent fighters--Samir Saioud (a.k.a. "Abu Musab")--but nonetheless insisting that Saioud was not the deputy commander of the group, as Algerian government sources have claimed. The statement identified Saioud as an Al-Qaida/GSPC military commander "and a member of the communication committee." It stated further:
"We wish to clarify the following: Yes, our brother Musab was martyred on Thursday... near the town of Si Moustafa in a clash with an apostate army patrol, and Allah granted him what he had sought [martyrdom]... [but] Brother Musab was not the deputy commander of the organization, nor was he third-in-command, nor tenth... and, praise be to Allah, the deputy commander of our organization is still alive."
The statement likewise scoffed at widespread media reports that Al-Qaida's commanders in Algeria are "under siege" by local security forces, decrying them as part of a scheme to confuse public opinion.
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