Armed Islamic Group of Algeria facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Armed Islamic Group الجماعة الإسلامية المسلّحة

Dates of operation	1993–2004
Motives	The creation of an Islamic state in Algeria
Active regions	Algeria, France
Ideology	Qutbism Islamism Jihadism Islamic Fundamentalism
Major actions	Assassinations, massacres, bombings, aircraft hijackings, kidnapping
Notable attacks	Tahar Djaout assassination, Djillali Liabes assassination, Cheb Hasni assassination, 1994, Air France Flight 8969 hijacking, January 1995 Algiers bombing, 1995 France bombings, Murder of the monks of Tibhirine, Lounès Matoub assassination, Hidroelektra workers massacre
Designated as a terrorist group by	Algeria Argentina Bahrain Canada France Japan New Zealand United Kingdom United Nations United States

The Armed Islamic Group (GIA, from French: Groupe Islamique Armé; Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية المسلّحة, romanized: al-Jamāʿa al-ʾIslāmiyya al-Musallaḥa) was a major armed group that fought against the Algerian government and army during the Algerian Civil War. This war took place from 1991 to 2002.

The GIA was formed in 1993 from smaller armed groups. This happened after the Algerian military stopped elections in 1992. The Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), an Islamist political party, was winning the elections. Thousands of its members were arrested. Unlike other armed groups, the GIA wanted to completely overthrow the government and create an Islamic state in Algeria. Their motto was: "no agreement, no truce, no dialogue." The GIA's ideas were based on the writings of an Egyptian scholar named Sayyid Qutb.

The group aimed to create a feeling of danger everywhere. They used kidnapping, assassination, and bombings, including car bombs. They attacked not only security forces but also regular people. Between 1992 and 1998, the GIA carried out violent attacks on civilians, sometimes destroying entire villages. They also attacked other Islamists who had left the GIA or tried to talk with the government. More than 100 foreign people living in Algeria were also killed by the group.

The GIA also had a presence outside Algeria, in countries like France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. They launched attacks in France in 1994 and 1995. By 1996, many fighters started leaving the GIA. They were upset because the group was killing civilians and even other Islamist leaders.

In 1999, the Algerian government offered a special law called an amnesty law. This law allowed many fighters to give up their weapons and return to normal life. The remaining GIA members were hunted down over the next few years. A smaller group, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), broke away. This group later announced its support for Al-Qaeda in 2003.

The GIA is considered a terrorist organization by many governments and international bodies. These include Algeria, France, the United States, the United Nations, and the United Kingdom.

History of the GIA
- How the GIA Started
- The End of the GIA
Claims of Algerian Government Involvement
Leaders of the GIA
Images for kids
See Also

History of the GIA

How the GIA Started

Some Algerian fighters who had fought in Afghanistan (called "Afghans") helped start the GIA. They said the idea to fight the Algerian government came about in 1989. However, they didn't act on it because the FIS party was doing very well in elections.

The GIA leaders believed that secular governments were against their religion. They said it was a duty to fight against such societies. They called the Algerian government "apostates" (people who have left their religion). They urged Algerians to rise up and violently overthrow the government to create an Islamic state. Many young people from poorer backgrounds in Algeria joined the GIA. They often had little education and no jobs, so the GIA gave them a sense of purpose.

In early 1992, Mansour Meliani, an "Afghan" fighter, started his own group. He was arrested in July 1992 and executed in August 1993. Mohammed Allal, also known as Moh Leveilley, took over. He was killed by the Algerian military in September 1992.

Abdelhak Layada's Leadership

In January 1993, Abdelhak Layada became the GIA leader. He declared that his group was separate from other Islamist groups like the FIS and MIA. He believed that having many political parties was wrong. Layada also thought that fighting in Algeria was a personal duty for all adult Muslim men. He threatened not only security forces but also journalists and the families of Algerian soldiers. From the start, the GIA called for killing anyone who helped or supported the government, including teachers and civil servants. Layada was arrested in Morocco in May 1993.

Another main resistance group was the Islamic Armed Movement (MIA), led by Abdelkader Chebouti. This group was well-organized and preferred a long-term fight against the government. In 2006, Abdelhak Layada was released from prison. He even offered to help make peace between the government and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat.

Djafar al-Afghani Takes Charge

On August 21, 1993, Seif Allah Djafar, known as Djafar al-Afghani, became the GIA leader. He was 30 years old and had little education. Under him, the violence increased, and the GIA gained more support outside Algeria.

He ordered the killing of specific journalists and thinkers, like Tahar Djaout. He said that "Journalists who fight against Islamism with the pen will die by the sword." The GIA clearly stated that it was not the armed part of the FIS. They even threatened to kill members of the FIS and MIA.

Around this time, some Algerian fighters returning from Afghanistan went to London. With an Islamist thinker named Abu Qatada, they started a magazine called Usrat al-Ansar. This magazine spread GIA's messages. Abu Qatada helped explain and justify the GIA's actions. The magazine became a trusted source of news about the GIA for Islamists worldwide.

The GIA soon started attacking civilians who did not follow their rules. Then, they targeted foreigners living in Algeria. In October 1993, a hostage was released with a message telling foreigners to "leave the country. We are giving you one month. Anyone who stays longer will be responsible for his own sudden death." By the end of 1993, 26 foreigners had been killed.

In November 1993, Sheik Mohamed Bouslimani, a popular figure, was kidnapped and killed. This happened after he refused to support the GIA's methods. Djafar al-Afghani was killed by French security forces on February 26, 1994, during a raid on Air France Flight 8969.

Cherif Gousmi's Time

Cherif Gousmi, also known as Abu Abdallah Ahmed, became leader on March 10, 1994. Under him, the GIA became the most powerful Islamist group in Algeria. In May, some Islamist leaders joined the GIA. This was a surprise because the GIA had been threatening them. Many thought this was an attempt to change the GIA from the inside. On August 26, the group announced an "Caliphate" (an Islamic government) for Algeria. Gousmi was named "Commander of the Faithful."

However, the very next day, one of the leaders who had joined, Said Mekhloufi, announced he was leaving the GIA. He said the GIA had gone against Islamic teachings. Another leader, Anwar Haddam, also denied ever joining. The GIA continued its attacks, killing artists like Cheb Hasni. In late August, they started threatening schools that allowed mixed classes, music, or did not require girls to wear hijab. Cherif Gousmi was killed in a fight on September 26, 1994.

Djamel Zitouni's Reign

Djamel Zitouni became the GIA head on October 27, 1994. He was responsible for a series of bombings in France in 1995. He was killed by a rival group on July 16, 1996.

Antar Zouabri and the Massacres

Antar Zouabri was the longest-serving leader (1996–2002). He was known for increasing violence and purges. Zouabri started his leadership by saying that Algerian society was not supporting their fight. He said that most people had "given up religion and stopped fighting against its enemies."

During Ramadan (January–February 1997), hundreds of civilians were killed in massacres. These massacres continued for months. In August and September, hundreds of men, women, and children were killed in villages like Rais and Bentalha. The GIA, led by Zouabri, claimed responsibility for these killings. They said that all Algerians who had not joined them were against their religion. This caused a lot of people to lose support for the GIA. In London, Abu Hamza, who had supported the GIA, stopped his support. This cut off the GIA's communication with other Islamist groups around the world. These events marked the end of the organized fight in Algeria.

Even though Zouabri was not heard from much after this, the killings continued through 1998. These were led by local leaders and often involved personal revenge or local disputes. Some armed groups that used to be part of the GIA turned to simple robbery.

In 1999, a new "Law on Civil Concord" offered amnesty to fighters. The GIA officially rejected it, but many fighters accepted it. About 85 percent of them gave up their weapons and returned to normal life.

The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) became more active than the GIA after 1998. The GSPC said it avoided attacking civilians, unlike the GIA.

Zouabri himself was killed in a gun battle with security forces on February 9, 2002. The GIA was weakened by internal disagreements and people leaving. The army slowly destroyed it over the next few years. By the time Zouabri died, the GIA was mostly powerless.

The End of the GIA

In 1999, after a new president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was elected, a new law offered amnesty to most fighters. This encouraged many to give up and return to normal life. The violence greatly decreased after Antar Zouabri was killed in 2002. Rachid Abou Tourab took over but was reportedly killed by his own aides in July 2004. Boulenouar Oukil replaced him. By 2004, the GIA had very few members left, only about 30. On April 7, 2005, the GIA was reported to have killed 14 civilians at a fake roadblock. Three weeks later, on April 29, Oukil was arrested. Nourredine Boudiafi was the last known leader of the GIA. He was arrested in November 2004, and his arrest was announced in January 2005.

A splinter group of the GIA, called the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), formed in 1998. This group rejected the amnesty. It stopped the random killing of civilians and went back to targeting only military forces. This group was led by Hassan Hattab. In October 2003, they announced their support for Al-Qaeda. In 2007, the group changed its name to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. This group has focused on kidnapping people for money. They are estimated to have raised over $50 million from 2003 to 2013.

Claims of Algerian Government Involvement

Some people have claimed that the GIA was secretly controlled by agents from Algerian intelligence services. They say these agents pushed the GIA to commit extreme violence against civilians. This would make the public turn against the GIA.

According to Heba Saleh of BBC News, some Algerian opposition sources claim that the GIA might have been controlled by parts of the military and intelligence. For example, many massacres in 1997 happened near Algerian army bases, but no one came to help the victims.

Fouad Ajami wrote in 2010 that the GIA was like "a child born from the meeting between Islamists and the government's security services." John Schindler also stated that "Much of GIA's leadership consisted of DRS agents, who drove the group into the dead end of mass murder."

However, according to Andrew Whitley of Human Rights Watch, it was clear that armed Islamist groups were responsible for many killings of both civilians and security forces. Some survivors even said their attackers were local extremists.

Max Abrahms says that the idea of government involvement came about because the civilian attacks hurt the GIA. He says there is no real evidence to support it. Abrahms mentions that people often create conspiracy theories when terrorist actions don't seem to make sense. But he notes that it's wrong to assume that the people who benefit from terrorism are always the ones who commit it. Mohammed Hafez, an expert, concluded: "The evidence does not support the claim that security forces were the main culprits behind the massacres. Instead, the evidence points to the GIA as the main group responsible for the massacres."

Leaders of the GIA

Mansour Meliani: July 1992, arrested that same month.
Abdelhak Layada: from January 1993 to May 1993.
Seif Allah Djaafar, also known as Djafar al-Afghani: from August 1993 until his death on February 26, 1994.
Cherif Gousmi, also known as Abu Abdallah Ahmed: from March 10, 1994, to his death on September 26, 1994.
Djamel Zitouni: from October 27, 1994, until July 16, 1996.
Antar Zouabri: from 1996 to February 9, 2002.
Rachid Abou Tourab: killed July 2004.
Boulenouar Oukil: arrested April 29, 2005.
Nourredine Boudiafi: arrested sometime in November 2004.

Images for kids

The logo of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA).