NEFA Foundation: AQIM Claims Recent Terror Attacks in North Africa, Responds to "Martyrdom" of Commander Abu al-Laith al-Liby in Pakistan

By Evan Kohlmann

The NEFA Foundation has obtained copies of three communiqués issued by "Al-Qaida's Committee in the Islamic Maghreb" claiming responsibility for recent terror attacks in Algeria and Mauritania, and responding to the reported "martyrdom" of Libyan Al-Qaida commander Abu al-Laith al-Liby during a U.S. air strike in northern Pakistan.

- According to a statement dated January 29, 2008, "the brave martyr Hamza Abu Abdelrahman from the town of Lakatah… embarked on his mission... at 6:30 in the morning, driving his truck—packed with no less than 650 kilograms of explosives... The claims of our enemies that the mujahideen are targeting innocent Muslims are fraudulent lies, for those who died today are all from the apostate police."

- According to a statement dated February 2, 2008, "The mujahideen took the [Israeli] embassy [in Mauritania] by surprise by firing their weapons and setting off explosives, and they managed—thanks to Allah—to cause an undetermined number of casualties among the Jews and their guards. The Mauritanian government has kept silent about that number, and has only acknowledged that three French nationals were wounded. This attack has come at a time during which the wretched Jews are treating our brothers in Palestine unjustly, with an oppressive siege, tyranny, torture, murder, expulsion, and images that cause our hearts to break... By Allah, [we will trade] blood for blood and destruction for destruction.."

- According to a statement released on February 3, 2008, "Abu al-Laith left Libya, escaping with his religion and emigrating to Allah, and his star shone bright in the skies of Afghanistan. He truly became one of the lions of Islam and a hero—so much so that the mere mention of his name causes the Americans to tremble... Indeed, he was cut from the same cloth as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, may Allah have mercy on him. Thus, it is not a surprise for us to learn that there was a great friendship and admiration between these two men—they loved each other for their shared missionary work in the cause of Allah, and their jihad in the cause of Allah... There is no doubt that the death of Abu al-Laith al-Liby has saddened the Muslim faithful and has inspired delight in the hearts of their enemies. But... do they not realize that his blood, or the blood of any of our martyrs, is merely added fuel for the convoy of Islam?"

English translations of the three communiques can be downloaded from the NEFA Foundation website.

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